The FDA has granted orphan drug designation (ODD) to SH-110, an oral liquid formulation developed by Shorla Oncology to treat glioma, marking a significant advancement for patients with this rare brain cancer who struggle with swallowing difficulties. The designation highlights the therapy's potential to address a critical unmet medical need in an underserved patient population.
Addressing Dysphagia in Glioma Patients
SH-110 is specifically designed to benefit patients who experience dysphagia, a common and often debilitating condition in glioma cases. According to the National Brain Tumor Society, approximately 13,000 adults and 2,000 children are diagnosed with glioma each year in the United States. These patients often face unique treatment challenges due to the tumor's location and associated neurologic impairments, including difficulty swallowing.
"For too long, many patients with Glioma and their pharmacists and caregivers had no other choice but to break open capsules and expose themselves to unnecessary hazards," said Sharon Cunningham, chief executive officer of Shorla. "SH-110 is a proprietary product that offers them a safer and more convenient formulation to treat this rare brain cancer."
Current Treatment Challenges
Historically, glioma patients with swallowing difficulties have required capsule-based agents that may need to be split, crushed, or compounded in specialty pharmacies, often under suboptimal conditions. This process exposes patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers to unnecessary hazards while creating barriers to treatment compliance and accessibility.
SH-110's palatable oral suspension formulation will increase coverage and compliance by allowing more flexibility in dose preparation and site of care, while providing a safer alternative to the current practice of breaking open capsules or obtaining compounded treatments from specialized pharmacies.
Regulatory Benefits and Market Impact
The FDA grants orphan drug designation to therapies intended for the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of rare diseases affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. This designation provides Shorla Oncology with significant incentives including tax credits for clinical trials, user fee waivers, and market exclusivity for seven years upon approval.
"This is a difference maker in the lives of those who suffer from Glioma," said Orlaith Ryan, chief technical officer and co-founder of Shorla. "SH-110 complements our other Shorla treatments that are designed to be easier for patients to use, and for caregivers and providers to administer."
Expanding Portfolio of Patient-Centric Treatments
The development of SH-110 represents the third oral liquid in Shorla's growing portfolio and is part of the company's broader mission to make oncology treatment more accessible and patient-centric. This approach was previously demonstrated with the company's recently FDA-approved Tepylute (SH-105), a ready-to-dilute intravenous formulation for breast and ovarian adenocarcinoma.
Originally approved in the 1950s, the legacy product was available only as a lyophilized powder that required complicated reconstitution and carried risks for medical staff handling a hazardous drug. Tepylute's modern formulation streamlines preparation and administration, providing improved safety for both clinicians and patients.
Shorla currently markets four products, including a reliable supply of Nelarabine for T-cell leukemia treatment, JYLAMVO™ (oral liquid methotrexate) for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, IMKELDI (oral liquid imatinib) for various blood cancers and gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and TEPYLUTE® for breast and ovarian cancer treatment.
While Tepylute is currently indicated for breast and ovarian cancer, it is also under formulation and manufacturing development as a potential treatment for brain metastases in patients with breast cancer, with commercial availability projected for the third quarter of 2026.
