The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research has issued a complete response letter to Mannkind corp. regarding the New Drug Application (NDA) for Afrezza (insulin human [rDNA origin]) Inhalation Powder for the treatment of adult patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
The main issue raised by the FDA concerned the usage of in vitro performance data and clinical pharmacology data to bridge MannKind’s next-generation inhaler to the phase 3 trials conducted using its MedTone inhaler. The FDA has requested that MannKind conduct two clinical trials with the next-generation inhaler (one in patients with type 1 diabetes and one in patients with type 2 diabetes), with at least one trial including a treatment group using the MedTone inhaler in order to obtain a head-to-head comparison of the data for the two devices. In the complete response letter, the FDA stated that after an adequate titration of study medication there should be at least twelve weeks of relatively stable insulin dosing at the end of the treatment period.
The FDA has also requested additional information concerning the performance characteristics, usage, handling, shipment and storage of the next-generation device, an update of safety information related to Afrezza, as well as information on proposed user training and changes to the proposed labeling of the device, blister pack, foil wrap and cartons.
