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Rymti, Etera

Published
Product name
Rymti, Etera
Active ingredient
Etanercept
Submission type
New biosimilar medicine
Decision
Approved
Decision date
Registration date
What this medicine was approved for

Rymti, Etera (etanercept) was approved for the following therapeutic use:

Rymti, Etera is indicated for the treatment of:

Adults

Rheumatoid arthritis

Active, adult rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients who have had inadequate response to one or more disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Rymti, Etera can be used in combination with methotrexate.

Severe, active rheumatoid arthritis in adults to slow progression of disease-associated structural damage in patients at high risk of erosive disease.

Psoriatic arthritis

The signs and symptoms of active and progressive psoriatic arthritis in adults, when the response to previous disease-modifying antirheumatic therapy has been inadequate. Etanercept has been shown to reduce the rate of progression of joint damage as measured by X-ray and to improve physical function.

Plaque psoriasis

Adult patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis, who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.

Ankylosing spondylitis

The signs and symptoms of active ankylosing spondylitis in adults.

Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis

Treatment of adults with active* non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis with objective signs of inflammation as indicated by elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and/or MRI change who have had an inadequate response to NSAIDs.

* Active disease is defined as a Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) score of ≥ 4.

Children and adolescents

Children and adolescents weighing less than 62.5 kg should not receive Rymti, Etera. These patients should be accurately dosed on a mg/kg basis with other etanercept products.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Active polyarthritis (rheumatoid factor positive or negative) in children and adolescents, aged 2 to 17 years, who have had an inadequate response to one or more DMARDs.

Active extended oligoarthritis in children and adolescents, aged 2 to 17 years, who have had an inadequate response to, or who have proved intolerant to, methotrexate.

Active enthesitis-related arthritis in adolescents, aged 12 to 17 years, who have had an inadequate response to, or who have proved intolerant to, conventional therapy.

Active psoriatic arthritis in adolescents, aged 12 to 17 years, who have had an inadequate response to, or who have proved intolerant to, methotrexate.

Etanercept has not been studied in children aged less than 2 years.

Paediatric plaque psoriasis

Chronic, severe plaque psoriasis in children and adolescents from 4 to 17 years, who are inadequately controlled by, or are intolerant to, other systemic therapies or phototherapies. Duration of therapy to be no longer than 24 weeks and treatment to be ceased after 12 weeks if a significant Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) response is not achieved.

How this medicine works

Rymti, Etera (etanercept) is a biosimilar medicine to Enbrel. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a naturally occurring cytokine that is involved in normal inflammatory and immune responses. Pro-inflammatory molecules that are linked in a network controlled by TNF also mediate much of the joint pathology in rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis and skin pathology in plaque psoriasis. Etanercept is a human tumour necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) p75 fragment crystallisable (Fc) fusion protein. The mechanism of action of etanercept is thought to be its competitive inhibition of TNF binding to cell surface TNFR, preventing TNF-mediated cellular responses by rendering TNF biologically inactive. Etanercept may also modulate biological responses controlled by additional downstream molecules (for example, cytokines, adhesion molecules, or proteinases) that are induced or regulated by TNF.

Why the TGA approved or did not approve this medicine

The decision was based on quality (chemistry and manufacturing), nonclinical (pharmacology and toxicology), clinical (pharmacology, safety and efficacy) and risk management plan information submitted by the sponsor. The benefit-risk profile of Rymti, Etera was considered favourable for the therapeutic use approved.

ARTG details
  • 309829, 309831, 309830, 309834
  • 309829, 309831, 309830, 309834
  • 309829, 309831, 309830, 309834
  • 309829, 309831, 309830, 309834