Novo Nordisk announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved NovoSeven® RT (Coagulation Factor VIIa [Recombinant] Room Temperature Stable) in an 8 mg vial size, making the hemophilia A or B with inhibitors treatment available in 1, 2, 5 and 8 mg vials. The 8 mg vial allows a rapid initiation and administration of this medication for those patients who need a larger dose. In addition, FDA has also approved the extension of shelf life for all vial sizes from 24 months to 36 months at room temperature (at or below 77 degrees Fahrenheit).
NovoSeven® RT is specially formulated to treat people with hemophilia A or B with inhibitors. Hemophilia, which is typically diagnosed in childhood, is a chronic, inherited bleeding disorder that occurs when certain blood clotting factors are missing or do not work properly, resulting in easy bruising and prolonged bleeding from trauma. Spontaneous internal bleeding can occur as well, particularly in the joints and muscles. Inhibitors, a serious complication that can occur after treatment, develop in as many as 30 percent of those with hemophilia. In these cases, antibodies form that neutralize or attack the blood coagulation agents contained in the treatment, resulting in joint disease and making it more difficult to manage bleeds.
"When I get a bleed, I want to infuse my treatment right away. The faster I treat a bleed, the sooner I can continue with my daily routine," said Bob Hoyt, a member of the Novo Nordisk Changing Possibilities Coalition. "Using fewer vials will be a positive change for patients." Hoyt has been living with hemophilia with inhibitors most of his life.
For many people living with hemophilia with inhibitors, the 8 mg vial will allow for faster reconstitution – the time it takes to prepare the injection – than their current NovoSeven® RT regimen. Those who previously had to use three vials to deliver an 8 mg dose will now have to reconstitute only one vial. Though the amount of powder in the 8 mg vial is larger than the 5 mg vial, the vial will be the same size and will have a yellow cap to distinguish it from the smaller dose.
"We have heard from patients and physicians alike that when they are treating a bleed, every second counts. We at Novo Nordisk are committed to improving the lives of people living with hemophilia with inhibitors," said Eddie Williams, Vice President, Biopharmaceuticals, at Novo Nordisk. "The NovoSeven® RT 8 mg vial will allow patients to get the medicine they need much faster when experiencing a bleed, without having to manage multiple vials. We're also pleased that it will have a positive environmental impact as well – fewer vials may mean less waste."
The new vial size is expected to be available by November.
The enhanced stability of all vial sizes will allow for more flexibility when managing treatment supplies – another important aspect of hemophilia treatment.
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