Danicopan: First Approval

Danicopan (Voydeya^®) is an oral complement factor D inhibitor that is being developed by Alexion AstraZeneca Rare Disease as add-on treatment to ravulizumab or eculizumab for patients with clinically significant extravascular haemolysis. Danicopan recently received approval in Japan for the treatment of adults with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) when used in addition to a complement component 5 (C5) inhibitor. Subsequently, the European Medicines Agency adopted a positive opinion recommending the granting of marketing authorisation for danicopan for the treatment of patients with PNH who continue to have residual haemolytic anaemia despite treatment with a complement C5 inhibitor. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of danicopan leading to this first approval for PNH.