News Releases

CRESEMBA® (isavuconazonium sulfate) Data to be Presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

NORTHBROOK, Ill., April 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Astellas announced today that seven abstracts will be presented on CRESEMBA® (isavuconazonium sulfate), the prodrug for isavuconazole, at the 25th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world.

The presentations at ECCMID will feature CRESEMBA data from two Phase 3 clinical trials in adult patients with invasive fungal infections: SECURE, a randomized, double-blind, active-control study of CRESEMBA in adult patients with invasive aspergillosis; and VITAL, an open-label, non-comparative study of CRESEMBA in adult patients with invasive aspergillosis and renal impairment or in patients with invasive fungal disease caused by other rare fungi.

The following CRESEMBA abstracts will be presented at ECCMID:

  • P0217: Exposure response analysis of isavuconazole in patients with disease caused by Aspergillus species or other filamentous fungi – A. Desai, L. Kovanda, W. Hope, J. Mouton, D. Andes, D. Kowalski, R. Townsend, P. Bonate; Saturday, April 25, 2015; 15:30-16:30; Poster Area
  • P0233: Safety and outcomes in obese patients with invasive fungal disease treated with isavuconazole in the phase 3 randomized double-blind SECURE trial – D. Goff, D. Andes, W. Hope, N. Azie, F. Shi, L. Kim, L. Kovanda, A. Schmitt-Hoffmann, T. Gumbo; Saturday, April 25, 2015; 15:30-16:30; Poster Area
  • P0230: An open-label phase 3 study of isavuconazole (VITAL): focus on patients with mixed fungal infections – G. Rahav, I. Oren, K. Mullane, R. Maher, M. Lee, B. Zeiher, A. Schmitt-Hoffmann, M. Giladi; Saturday, April 25, 2015; 15:30-16:30; Poster Area
  • EV0932: Safety and outcomes in invasive aspergillosis patients with renal vs. no renal impairment treated with isavuconazole: experience from the SECURE (randomized) and VITAL trials – K. Mullane, M. Aoun, B. Franks, N. Azie, S. Mujais, A. Kaufhold, J. Maertens; Saturday, April 25, 2015 08:00-18:00 ; ePoster Area
  • EP016: Clinical outcomes by minimum inhibitory concentrations of baseline Aspergillus pathogens from isavuconazole phase 3 SECURE and VITAL studies – W. Hope, M. Ghannoum, L. Kovanda, M. Jones, A. Kaufhold, M. Engelhardt, A. Santerre Henriksen; Saturday, April 25, 2015; 16:06-16:12; ePoster Area 3
  • EP018: A comparison of the safety profiles of isavuconazole vs voriconazole in the phase 3 SECURE study in patients with invasive mould infections – A.J. Ullmann, D. Selleslag, W. Heinz, R. Herbrecht, G. Rahav, M. Giladi, M. Aoun, O.A. Cornely, N. Azie, A. Kaufhold, M. Engelhardt, J. Maertens; Saturday, April 25, 2015; 16:18-16:24; ePoster Area 3
  • P0216: Drug interaction profiles of isavuconazole, voriconazole and posaconazole with immunosuppressants metabolized by CYP4503A4 (CYP3A4) – R. Townsend, A. Desai, N. Azie, M. Jones, M. Engelhardt, A. Schmitt-Hoffmann; Saturday, April 25, 2015; 15:30-16:30; Poster Area

About Invasive Aspergillosis
Invasive aspergillosis is a life-threatening fungal infection that is seen predominantly in immunocompromised patients, such as patients with leukemia. Invasive aspergillosis is known for high morbidity and mortality.

About Invasive Mucormycosis
Invasive mucormycosis is a rapidly progressing and devastating invasive fungal infection. Invasive mucormycosis is also known for high morbidity and mortality.

About CRESEMBA®
CRESEMBA (isavuconazonium sulfate) is the prodrug containing the active antifungal agent isavuconazole, an azole antifungal indicated for use in the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and invasive mucormycosis.

CRESEMBA is being co-developed with Basilea Pharmaceutica International Ltd. Basilea submitted a European Marketing Authorization Application on July 16, 2014 for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and invasive mucormycosis in adults.

On March 6, 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a New Drug Application (NDA) for the use of CRESEMBA in the United States for patients 18 years of age and older in the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and invasive mucormycosis (also known as zygomycosis).

Important Safety Information for CRESEMBA® (isavuconazonium sulfate)
CRESEMBA is contraindicated in persons with known hypersensitivity to isavuconazole.

Coadministration of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors, such as ketoconazole or high-dose ritonavir (400 mg every 12 hours), with CRESEMBA is contraindicated because strong CYP3A4 inhibitors can significantly increase the plasma concentration of isavuconazole.

Coadministration of strong CYP3A4 inducers, such as rifampin, carbamazepine, St. John's wort, or long acting barbiturates with CRESEMBA is contraindicated because strong CYP3A4 inducers can significantly decrease the plasma concentration of isavuconazole.

CRESEMBA shortened the QTc interval in a concentration-related manner. CRESEMBA is contraindicated in patients with familial short QT syndrome.

Hepatic Adverse Drug Reactions (e.g., elevations in ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin) have been reported in clinical trials and were generally reversible and did not require discontinuation of CRESEMBA. Cases of severe hepatic adverse drug reactions including hepatitis, cholestasis or hepatic failure including death have been reported in patients with serious underlying medical conditions (e.g., hematologic malignancy) during treatment with azole antifungal agents, including CRESEMBA. Evaluate liver tests at the start and during therapy. Monitor patients who develop liver abnormalities during CRESEMBA therapy for severe hepatic injury. Discontinue if clinical signs and symptoms consistent with liver disease develop that may be attributable to CRESEMBA.

Infusion-related reactions including hypotension, dyspnea, chills, dizziness, paresthesia, and hypoesthesia were reported during intravenous administration of CRESEMBA. Discontinue the infusion of CRESEMBA if these reactions occur.

Serious hypersensitivity and severe skin reactions, such as anaphylaxis or Stevens Johnson syndrome, have been reported during treatment with other azole antifungal agents. Discontinue CRESEMBA if a patient develops a severe cutaneous adverse reaction. Caution should be used when prescribing CRESEMBA to patients with hypersensitivity to other azoles.

During pregnancy, CRESEMBA may cause fetal harm when administered, and should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit to the patient outweighs the risk to the fetus. Women who become pregnant while receiving CRESEMBA are encouraged to contact their physician.

Following dilution, CRESEMBA intravenous formulation may form precipitate from the insoluble isavuconazole. Administer CRESEMBA through an in-line filter.

The most frequent adverse events among CRESEMBA-treated patients were: nausea (26%), vomiting (25%), diarrhea (22%), headache (17%), elevated liver chemistry tests (16%), hypokalemia (14%), constipation (13%), dyspnea (12%), cough (12%), peripheral edema (11%), and back pain (10%).

The adverse reactions which most often led to permanent discontinuation of CRESEMBA therapy during the clinical trials were: confusional state (0.7%), acute renal failure (0.7%), increased blood bilirubin (0.5%), convulsion (0.5%), dyspnea (0.5%), epilepsy (0.5%), respiratory failure (0.5%), and vomiting (0.5%).

For Full Prescribing Information, please visit here.

About Astellas Infectious Disease
Astellas is committed to the field of infectious diseases. Astellas is expanding the knowledge base of this therapeutic area and empowering physicians to make evidence-based clinical decisions.

Astellas' proud history of collaborating with investigators around the world provides ideal environments to study compounds that have the potential for significant breakthroughs for patients. In fact, Astellas has performed some of the world's largest clinical trials in fungal infections.

About Astellas
Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceuticals. For more information on Astellas, please visit our website at www.astellas.us, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AstellasUS or like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AstellasUS.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140416/84970

 

SOURCE Astellas

For further information: Marjorie Moeling, Marjorie.Moeling@astellas.com, 847-682-7471
Stay Connected

Get only the email alerts you want.

Subscribe

Media Contacts

 

For media inquiries and reporter requests, please click here to fill out a request form.

Our communications team will respond to verified media requests within 24-48 hours as appropriate.

If you are not a reporter and need assistance, please visit our contact us page that includes information for patients, healthcare providers and researchers.

 

Astellas on Twitter
Download Fact Sheet
Sustainability
Investors
Explore U.S. Products