Zai Lab announced the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approved the New Drug Application (NDA) for ZEJULA (niraparib), an oral, once-daily poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor as maintenance therapy for adult patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer, who are in a complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy. ZEJULA is a potent and highly selective PARP1/2 inhibitor that does not require BRCA mutation or other biomarker testing prior to administration.

"The NMPA approval of ZEJULA, our first product to be approved in Mainland China, is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Zai Lab team," said Dr. Samantha Du, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zai Lab. "We are grateful to all of the patients and investigators who contributed to the success of the ZEJULA clinical development program. Additionally, we appreciate the NMPA for their partnership through this rapid and thorough assessment of the ZEJULA application, recognizing the high unmet medical need it serves. As the first PARP inhibitor with Category 1 designation and manufactured in Mainland China, we are very excited to bring ZEJULA to Chinese patients following the successful launch in Hong Kong, S.A.R., China. With enrollment completed with 265 patients, we remain committed to finish our pivotal trial for maintenance therapy for Chinese patients with recurrent ovarian cancer (the NORA study) by third quarter of next year."

"The approval of ZEJULA in Mainland China is welcoming news for the ovarian cancer community, where advances in treatment have been very limited despite the clinical need," said Dr. Xiaohua Wu, Professor and Chair of Gynecologic Oncology Department of Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Centre. "The NOVA study shows that ZEJULA is a potential best-in-class PARP inhibitor for ovarian cancer patients, regardless of BRCA mutation or biomarker status, due to its compelling clinical data, convenience of once-daily dosing and attractive pharmacokinetic properties, including its ability to cross the blood brain barrier."

The Committee of Gynecological Oncology, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association (CACA) has updated its clinical practice guidelines in Consensus of Chinese Experts on Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian Cancer to recommend ZEJULA (I/A category) as a maintenance treatment option for platinum sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer.

Zai Lab anticipates filing a supplemental NDA for ZEJULA (niraparib) with the NMPA as a first-line monotherapy maintenance treatment of platinum-responsive ovarian cancer patients soon after GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) files with the relevant global health authorities.

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common gynecologic cancers in China with more than 52,000 newly diagnosed cases and 23,000 deaths in China each year. The 5-year overall survival rate of ovarian cancer patients is 46% across all stages, but only 29% in patients diagnosed with distant metastatic disease. While platinum-based chemotherapy is effective at inducing an initial response in ovarian cancer, the disease will recur in the majority of women. Effective treatment options for patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer remain limited. New agents that prolong the duration of response following platinum-based treatment and delay the inevitable relapse of ovarian cancer will benefit patients with ovarian cancer in China.

ZEJULA (niraparib, ZL-2306) is a potential best-in-class PARP inhibitor for ovarian cancer patients due to its compelling clinical data1, once-daily dosing and pharmacokinetic properties, including its ability to cross the blood brain barrier. As maintenance therapy for recurrent ovarian cancer (the NOVA study), ZEJULA treatment reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 73% in patients with germline BRCA mutations (HR 0.27) and by 55% in patients without germline BRCA mutations (HR 0.45).

Zai Lab also conducted a Phase 1 pharmacokinetic (PK) study of niraparib in Chinese patients with ovarian cancer. This study was published in August 2019 in The Oncologist and demonstrated that the PK profile of niraparib in Chinese patients were comparable to that of patients evaluated in ZEJULA’s global PK study. Zai Lab in-licensed rights to ZEJULA from GSK for Mainland China, Hong Kong, S.A.R., China and Macau, S.A.R., China.

The NDA was accepted by the NMPA on December 12, 2018 and granted priority review status on January 29, 2019. Zai Lab has now obtained approvals for marketing ZEJULA in Mainland China, Hong Kong, S.A.R., China and Macau, S.A.R., China for maintenance therapy in patients with platinum-sensitive, recurrent ovarian cancer.

Since the Hong Kong, S.A.R., China launch of ZEJULA in October 2018, it has rapidly gained market share in the region despite being launched more than two years behind Lynparza®. Based on IQVIA (formerly IMS) data, ZEJULA is now the market leading PARP inhibitor with market share in Hong Kong, S.A.R., China of 77% by value in the third quarter of 2019.

ZEJULA is also being evaluated in China in pivotal studies as first-line maintenance therapy in small-cell lung cancer.

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