Amgen has announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the EMA has adopted a positive opinion for the Marketing Authorization of ABP 501 (biosimilar adalimumab), recommending approval for all available indications.

ABP 501 has been recommended for approval for the treatment of certain inflammatory diseases in adults, including moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, severe ankylosing spondylitis (AS), severe axial spondyloarthritis without radiographic evidence of AS, moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis, moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa, non-infectious intermediate, posterior and panuveitis, moderate to severe Crohn's disease and moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. The CHMP opinion also recommends approval for the treatment of certain pediatric inflammatory diseases, including moderate to severe Crohn's disease (ages six and older), severe chronic plaque psoriasis (ages four and older), enthesitis-related arthritis (ages six and older) and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (ages two and older).

"The positive CHMP opinion for ABP 501 marks the first time an adalimumab biosimilar has been recommended for approval in the EU," said Sean E. Harper, M.D., executive vice president of R&D at Amgen. "This represents another significant milestone for our biosimilars portfolio and is an important step in our effort to develop high-quality biologic medicines for patients suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases."

The Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) submission for ABP 501 was based on a comprehensive data package supporting biosimilarity to adalimumab based on analytical, pharmacokinetic and clinical data, including results from two phase III studies conducted in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis patients. The phase III studies each met their primary endpoint showing no clinically meaningful differences to adalimumab. Safety and immunogenicity of ABP 501 were also comparable to adalimumab. Data to support the transition of adalimumab patients to ABP 501 were also included in the submission.

The CHMP positive opinion will now be reviewed by the European Commission (EC), which has the authority to approve medicines for the European Union (EU). If approved, a centralized marketing authorization will be granted that will be valid in the 28 countries that are members of the EU. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, as members of the European Economic Area (EEA), will take corresponding decisions on the basis of the decision of the EC.

ABP 501 was approved in the FDA on September 23, 2016, where it goes by the brand name AMJEVITA (adalimumab-atto).