On November 20, 2018 Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ("Takeda") reported that it has received clearance from the European Commission (the "EC") for the proposed acquisition of Shire plc ("Shire") announced on May 8, 2018 (the "Acquisition") (Press release, Takeda, NOV 20, 2018, View Source [SID1234531512]).
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
The EC’s approval is conditional on Takeda and Shire fulfilling commitments given to the EC in connection with the clearance. Specifically, in relation to the future potential overlap in the area of inflammatory bowel diseases between Takeda’s marketed product Entyvio (vedolizumab) and Shire’s pipeline compound SHP647, Takeda and Shire have committed to divest the pipeline compound SHP647 and certain associated rights. The divestment of SHP647 and certain associated rights is not a condition to the completion of the Acquisition.
SHP647 is an exciting pipeline compound and Takeda expects the asset to attract interest from a number of potential buyers. Takeda remains committed to Entyvio, which has been granted marketing authorization in more than 60 countries and is the cornerstone of Takeda’s diverse specialty gastrointestinal portfolio.
"We are very pleased to have secured clearance from the European Commission, the final regulatory approval required to proceed with our acquisition of Shire," said Christophe Weber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Takeda. "We are another step closer to creating a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader, and after several months of constructive dialogue, we are optimistic that our shareholders recognize the significant long-term value creation potential of this powerful combination."
The Acquisition has now received clearances from the European Commission, the United States Federal Trade Commission, the Japan Fair Trade Commission, the State Administration for Market Regulation in China and the Brazilian Administrative Council for Economic Defense, among other regulatory authorities.
As announced on November 12, 2018, Takeda has published a circular containing a notice of its decision to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders (the "EGM") to vote on the necessary matters relating to the proposed Acquisition. The EGM is to be convened at 10:00 a.m. (Tokyo time) on December 5, 2018 at INTEX Osaka, Hall 6B Zone.
Takeda also confirms its previously announced expectation that, subject to receiving the necessary shareholder approvals and sanction of the scheme of arrangement by the Jersey court, completion of the Acquisition will take place on January 8, 2019. Further announcements will be made as appropriate.
About Entyvio (vedolizumab)
Vedolizumab is a gut-selective biologic and is approved as an intravenous (IV) formulation.1 It is a humanized monoclonal antibody designed to specifically antagonize the alpha4beta7 integrin, inhibiting the binding of alpha4beta7 integrin to intestinal mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule 1 (MAdCAM-1), but not vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1).2 MAdCAM-1 is preferentially expressed on blood vessels and lymph nodes of the gastrointestinal tract.3 The alpha4beta7 integrin is expressed on a subset of circulating white blood cells. These cells have been shown to play a role in mediating the inflammatory process in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD).4 5 By inhibiting alpha4beta7 integrin, vedolizumab may limit the ability of certain white blood cells to infiltrate gut tissues.
Vedolizumab IV is approved for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active UC and CD, who have had an inadequate response with, lost response to, or were intolerant to either conventional therapy or a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) antagonist. Vedolizumab IV has been granted marketing authorization in over 60 countries, including the United States and European Union, with over 200,000 patient years of exposure to date. 6
Therapeutic Indications
Ulcerative colitis
Vedolizumab is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who have had an inadequate response with, lost response to, or were intolerant to either conventional therapy or a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) antagonist.
Crohn’s disease
Vedolizumab is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease who have had an inadequate response with, lost response to, or were intolerant to either conventional therapy or a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) antagonist.
Important Safety Information
Contraindications
Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients.
Special warnings and special precautions for use
Vedolizumab should be administered by a healthcare professional equipped to manage hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, if they occur. Appropriate monitoring and medical support measures should be available for immediate use when administering vedolizumab. Observe all patients during infusion and until the infusion is complete.
Infusion-related reactions
In clinical studies, infusion-related reactions (IRR) and hypersensitivity reactions have been reported, with the majority being mild to moderate in severity. If a severe IRR, anaphylactic reaction, or other severe reaction occurs, administration of vedolizumab must be discontinued immediately and appropriate treatment initiated (e.g., epinephrine and antihistamines). If a mild to moderate IRR occurs, the infusion rate can be slowed or interrupted and appropriate treatment initiated (e.g., epinephrine and antihistamines). Once the mild or moderate IRR subsides, continue the infusion. Physicians should consider pre-treatment (e.g., with antihistamine, hydrocortisone and/or paracetamol) prior to the next infusion for patients with a history of mild to moderate IRR to vedolizumab, in order to minimize their risks.
Infections
Vedolizumab is a gut-selective integrin antagonist with no identified systemic immunosuppressive activity. Physicians should be aware of the potential increased risk of opportunistic infections or infections for which the gut is a defensive barrier. Vedolizumab treatment is not to be initiated in patients with active, severe infections such as tuberculosis, sepsis, cytomegalovirus, listeriosis, and opportunistic infections until the infections are controlled, and physicians should consider withholding treatment in patients who develop a severe infection while on chronic treatment with vedolizumab. Caution should be exercised when considering the use of vedolizumab in patients with a controlled chronic severe infection or a history of recurring severe infections. Patients should be monitored closely for infections before, during and after treatment. Before starting treatment with vedolizumab, screening for tuberculosis may be considered according to local practice. Some integrin antagonists and some systemic immunosuppressive agents have been associated with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), which is a rare and often fatal opportunistic infection caused by the John Cunningham (JC) virus. By binding to the α4β7 integrin expressed on gut-homing lymphocytes, vedolizumab exerts an immunosuppressive effect on the gut. Although no systemic immunosuppressive effect was noted in healthy subjects, the effects on systemic immune system function in patients with inflammatory bowel disease are not known. Healthcare professionals should monitor patients on vedolizumab for any new onset or worsening of neurological signs and symptoms, and consider neurological referral if they occur. If PML is suspected, treatment with vedolizumab must be withheld; if confirmed, treatment must be permanently discontinued. Typical signs and symptoms associated with PML are diverse, progress over days to weeks, and include progressive weakness on one side of the body, clumsiness of limbs, disturbance of vision, and changes in thinking, memory, and orientation leading to confusion and personality changes. The progression of deficits usually leads to death or severe disability over weeks or months.
Malignancies
The risk of malignancy is increased in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Immunomodulatory medicinal products may increase the risk of malignancy.
Prior and concurrent use of biological products
No vedolizumab clinical trial data are available for patients previously treated with natalizumab. Caution should be exercised when considering the use of vedolizumab in these patients. No clinical trial data for concomitant use of vedolizumab with biologic immunosuppressants are available. Therefore, the use of vedolizumab in such patients is not recommended.
Vaccinations
Prior to initiating treatment with vedolizumab all patients should be brought up to date with all recommended immunizations. Patients receiving vedolizumab may receive non-live vaccines (e.g., subunit or inactivated vaccines) and may receive live vaccines only if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Adverse reactions include: nasopharyngitis, headache, arthralgia, upper respiratory tract infection, bronchitis, influenza, sinusitis, cough, oropharyngeal pain, nausea, rash, pruritus, back pain, pain in extremities, pyrexia, and fatigue.
Please consult with your local regulatory agency for approved labeling in your country.
For U.S. audiences, please see the full Prescribing Information including Medication Guide for ENTYVIO.7
For EU audiences, please see the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for ENTYVIO.
Takeda’s Commitment to Gastroenterology
Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases can be complex, debilitating and life-changing. Recognizing this unmet need, Takeda and our collaboration partners have focused on improving the lives of patients through the delivery of innovative medicines and dedicated patient disease support programs for over 25 years. Takeda aspires to advance how patients manage their disease. Additionally, Takeda is leading in areas of gastroenterology associated with high unmet need, such as inflammatory bowel disease, acid-related diseases and motility disorders. Our GI Research & Development team is also exploring solutions in celiac disease and liver diseases, as well as scientific advancements through microbiome therapies.