Roche Lunsumio VELO bags USFDA approval for subcutaneous use in follicular lymphoma

Based on the study results, Lunsumio VELO is approved under accelerated approval. Full approval for this regimen may be contingent on verification and confirmation of benefit in a confirmatory trial.

“Since follicular lymphoma often requires lifelong management, reducing the burden of care for these individuals is of paramount importance,” said Levi Garraway, MD, PhD, Roche’s Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. “With this FDA approval, treatment can now be administered in just one minute, which significantly reduces the time patients spend in the clinic and helps to align care with their individual needs and preferences.”

Lunsumio VELO reduces treatment administration time with an approximately one-minute injection, compared with a 2-4 hour intravenous (IV) infusion. Like Lunsumio administered intravenously, Lunsumio VELO can be administered outpatient and is a fixed-duration treatment given for a defined period, which could be as short as six months. By contrast, treat-to-progression treatment options are designed to be given to patients indefinitely until disease progression or until treatment can no longer be tolerated.

“This approval is a significant step in broadening access to effective treatments for people living with follicular lymphoma,” said Dr Ian Flinn, MD, PhD, Tennessee Oncology and One Oncology. “With its manageable cytokine release syndrome profile and reduced administration time, Lunsumio VELO enables oncologists to deliver advanced care in community practice settings.”

The FDA approval is supported by the primary analysis of the GO29781 study that evaluated Lunsumio VELO in patients with third-line or later (3L+) FL. Results showed the objective response rate and complete response rate in patients treated with Lunsumio VELO were 75% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 64–83%) and 59% (95% CI: 48–69%), respectively. The median duration of response was 22.4 months (95% CI: 16.8–22.8). The CRS rate was 30% and events were mostly low grade (Grade 1–2, 28%; Grade 3, 2.1%), occurred during Cycle 1, and all resolved after a median duration of two days (range: 1–15). CRS can be severe and life-threatening.

Lunsumio IV was the first bispecific antibody approved for 3L+ FL. Long-term data from the SC and IV arms of the GO29781 study were presented at the 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition.

These data have been submitted to other healthcare authorities around the world. Recently, the European Commission granted conditional marketing authorisation of Lunsumio SC for the treatment of adult patients with R/R FL after two or more lines of systemic therapy.

Roche continues to advance its bispecific antibody programme in lymphoma, with ongoing phase III studies evaluating Lunsumio and Lunsumio VELO in earlier lines of treatment. This includes the SUNMO study investigating Lunsumio VELO in combination with Polivy (polatuzumab vedotin) in second-line or later large B-cell lymphoma, and the MorningLyte study investigating Lunsumio VELO in combination with lenalidomide in previously untreated FL.