Item 8.01 – Other Events.
On July 3, 2020, Sesen Bio, Inc. (the “Company”) received a product-specific pediatric waiver from the European Medicines Agency (“EMA”) for Vicineum™ (oportuzumab monatox), the Company's lead product candidate, which is currently in the follow-up stage of a Phase 3 registration trial for the treatment of high-risk, BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
As part of the regulatory process for the registration of new medicines with the EMA, pharmaceutical companies are required to provide a Pediatric Investigation Plan (“PIP”) that outlines the clinical development strategy for studying the investigational product in the pediatric population. In some instances, a waiver from required pediatric studies for certain conditions may be granted by the EMA when development of a medicine for use in children is not feasible or appropriate.
The PIP waiver from the EMA applies to Vicineum across all subsets of the pediatric population for the treatment of urothelial carcinoma. The receipt of the waiver will allow the Company to submit a Marketing Authorization Application (“MAA”) for Vicineum to the EMA without the requirement to conduct clinical studies in a pediatric population either pre-approval or post-approval.
As previously disclosed, the Company has received positive Scientific Advice from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (“CHMP”) of the EMA related to the clinical program and the chemistry, manufacturing and controls program for Vicineum in Europe. The PIP waiver is an important milestone in the regulatory process towards a potential MAA submission for Vicineum to the EMA, which is anticipated in early 2021, with potential approval anticipated in early 2022.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:
This Current Report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, expectations regarding the timing of the Company’s MAA submission for Vicineum and expectations regarding the timing of the potential EMA approval of the Vicineum MAA. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties. The Company’s actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks related to the EMA’s review and approval of the Vicineum MAA. A further description of the risks and uncertainties relating to the business of the Company is contained in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, as well as any amendments thereto reflected in subsequent filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this report as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations.