The US Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation to SAR446523, Sanofi's investigational monoclonal antibody targeting GPRC5D for the potential treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The designation recognizes the drug's potential to address a rare disease affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.
SAR446523 is an IgG1-based Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity-enhanced monoclonal antibody designed to target G-protein coupled receptor family C group 5 member D (GPRC5D). This receptor is highly expressed on plasma cells in multiple myeloma patients while showing low expression in healthy tissues, making it an attractive therapeutic target.
Novel Mechanism and Design
The investigational therapy features an engineered fragment crystallizable domain specifically designed to enhance antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. This innovative approach aims to improve treatment efficacy for multiple myeloma, a challenging cancer of plasma cells. The drug originates from Sanofi Research in Vitry-sur-Seine, France.
"The orphan drug designation is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to develop innovative treatments in multiple myeloma," said Alyssa Johnsen, MD, PhD, Global Therapeutic Area Head, Immunology and Oncology Development at Sanofi. "This underscores our commitment to multiple myeloma, a disease for which we have acquired strong expertise with the development of another widely used and approved immunotherapy treatment."
Current Clinical Development
SAR446523 is currently being evaluated as a subcutaneous treatment in an ongoing phase 1, first-in-human study in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The clinical trial is registered under the identifier NCT06630806. The safety and efficacy of SAR446523 has not been evaluated by any regulatory authority and remains under investigation.
Addressing Unmet Medical Need
Multiple myeloma represents a significant medical challenge as the second most common hematologic malignancy, with more than 180,000 people diagnosed globally each year. Despite being considered a rare disease, it remains incurable with an estimated 62% five-year survival rate for newly diagnosed patients.
The disease presents particular challenges for patient management, as most patients will eventually relapse and stop responding to therapies they have received. There is a critical need for new frontline therapeutic options for all patients, especially for those who are transplant ineligible, due to high attrition rates in subsequent lines of therapy.
Strategic Focus on Oncology
Sanofi continues to build on its long-standing commitment to oncology, focusing on developing innovative, first and best-in-class immunological and targeted therapies for rare and difficult-to-treat cancers with high unmet medical need. The company positions itself as an R&D driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to transforming cancer care through its deep understanding of the immune system.
