Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) today announced its once-daily oral Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor PF-04965842 received Breakthrough Therapy designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD).
The Phase 3 program for PF-04965842 initiated in December and is the first trial in the JAK1 Atopic Dermatitis Efficacy and Safety (JADE) global development program.
“Achieving Breakthrough Therapy Designation is an important milestone not only for Pfizer but also for patients living with the often devastating impact of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, their providers and caregivers,” said Michael Corbo, Chief Development Officer, Inflammation & Immunology, Pfizer Global Product Development.
“We look forward to working closely with the FDA throughout our ongoing Phase 3 development program with the hope of ultimately bringing this important new treatment option to these patients.”
Breakthrough Therapy Designation was initiated as part of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA) signed in 2012. As defined by the FDA, a breakthrough therapy is a drug intended to be used alone or in combination with one or more other drugs to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development. If a drug is designated as a breakthrough therapy, the FDA will expedite the development and review of such drug.
