U.S. FDA Advisory Committee Votes Nine to One in Favor of Remestemcel-L (Ryoncil) for Efficacy in Children With Steroid-Refractory Acute Graft Versus Host Disease

NEW YORK, Aug. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mesoblast Limited (Nasdaq:MESO; ASX:MSB), global leader in cellular medicines for inflammatory diseases, today announced that the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted overwhelmingly in favor that the available data support the efficacy of remestemcel-L (RYONCIL) in pediatric patients with steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease (SR-aGVHD).

Mesoblast Chief Medical Officer Dr Fred Grossman said: “Steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease is an area of extreme need, especially in vulnerable children under 12 years old where there is no approved therapy. We are very encouraged by today’s outcome and are committed to working closely with the FDA as they complete their review of our submission regarding approval of RYONCIL for this life-threatening complication of an allogeneic bone marrow transplant.”

The ODAC is an independent panel of experts that evaluates efficacy and safety of data and makes appropriate recommendations to the FDA. Although the FDA will consider the recommendation of the panel, the final decision regarding the approval of the product is made solely by the FDA, and the recommendations by the panel are non-binding. RYONCIL has been accepted for Priority Review by the FDA with an action date of September 30, 2020, under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA). If approved by the PDUFA date, Mesoblast plans to launch RYONCIL in the United States in 2020.

Pediatric transplant physician Dr Joanne Kurtzberg, the Jerome Harris Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Pathology, and Director, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Duke University Medical Center, said: “This devastating condition has an extremely poor prognosis and there are no FDA-approved options for children under the age of 12. The clinical studies I have directed have demonstrated the potential for this treatment to fill a significant unmet medical need.”

Conference Call
An audio webcast can be accessed via https://webcast.boardroom.media/mesoblast-limited/20200813/NaN5f3237e8 ...

The archived webcast is also available on the Investor page of the Company’s website www.mesoblast.com

About Acute Graft Versus Host Disease
Acute GVHD occurs in approximately 50% of patients who receive an allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT). Over 30,000 patients worldwide undergo an allogeneic BMT annually, primarily during treatment for blood cancers, and these numbers are increasing.¹ In patients with the most severe form of acute GVHD (Grade C/D or III/IV) mortality is as high as 90% despite optimal institutional standard of care.^2,3  There are currently no FDA-approved treatments in the United States for children under 12 with SR-aGVHD, a potentially life-threatening complication of an allogeneic bone marrow transplant for blood cancer.