Sanofi and its specialty care global business unit Sanofi Genzyme today presented data from NEO1, its Phase 1/2 clinical study evaluating the investigational novel enzyme replacement therapy neoGAA in 24 patients with late-onset Pompe disease. The safety and efficacy data from this study, which were presented at WORLDSymposium 2016 in San Diego, CA, support further development of the therapy. Sanofi Genzyme plans to begin enrolling patients in a pivotal Phase 3 trial for neoGAA in Q2 2016.
Pompe disease is a progressive, debilitating and often fatal neuromuscular disease caused by a genetic deficiency or dysfunction of the lysosomal enzyme acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) affecting an estimated 50,000 people worldwide. Patients often lose their ability to walk and require wheelchairs to assist with mobility. They also often experience difficulty breathing and may require mechanical ventilation to breathe.
Study Design
The NEO1 study was an
open-label, multicenter, multinational, ascending dose study of safety,
tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and exploratory
efficacy of investigational neoGAA in treatment-naïve and alglucosidase
alfa-treated (treatment-experienced) late-onset Pompe disease patients.
Adult patients with acid α-glucosidase enzyme deficiency who could walk
≥50 m independently without stopping and had upright forced vital
capacity (FVC) ≥50% predicted at baseline received intravenous infusion
neoGAA (5, 10 or 20 mg/kg every other week) for 24 weeks. In the
treatment-naïve group, 9 of 10 treated patients completed the study. In
the treatment-experienced patient group, 12 of 14 treated patients
completed the study.
Safety Data
NeoGAA was generally safe
and well tolerated at all dose levels. There were no deaths or
life-threatening serious adverse events (SAEs). One patient experienced
a study drug related SAE of respiratory distress and chest discomfort
and discontinued treatment. Two additional patients withdrew consent for
non-AE related reasons. Overall, 8 of 10 patients (80.0%) in the
treatment-naïve group and 12 of 14 patients (85.7%) in the
treatment-experienced group had at least one treatment-emergent AE
during the study. The majority of treatment-emergent AEs were
non-serious, mild to moderate in intensity and assessed as unrelated to
study drug. The most frequently reported treatment-emergent AEs
considered related to study drug were myalgia or muscle pain (7 events
in 2 patients), headache (3 events in 2 patients) and fatigue (3 events
in 3 patients).
Exploratory Efficacy
No clear response
relationship was observed between dose levels or treatment groups. At
the highest dose tested, 20 mg/kg, which is the dose that will be used
in the Phase 3 clinical trial, percent predicted FVC, maximal expiratory
pressure (MEP) and maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) increased by means
(± SD) of 6.2 ± 3.2%, 12.0 ± 4.1%, and 7.9 ± 15.7%, respectively, from
baseline to Week 25 in treatment-naïve patients; corresponding changes
in treatment-experienced patients were 1.4 ± 5.7%, 6.0± 21.8%, and -0.2
± 6.9%. After 24 weeks of treatment with the 20 mg/kg dose, the 6-minute
walk test distance increased by 24.3 ± 23.0 m in treatment-naïve
patients and decreased by 6.2 ± 64.3 m in treatment-experienced patients.
"Respiratory function measures are important clinical indicators for Pompe patients," said Loren D.M. Pena, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine and coordinating investigator for the study. "The positive trending of exploratory data across all three respiratory endpoints -- percent predicted FVC, MEP and MIP-- suggests improvement or stabilization of pulmonary function in late-onset Pompe patients. This combined with the safety data indicates the potential for further development of neoGAA."
"Sanofi Genzyme has a long history of investing in research and development to further the understanding of Pompe disease and advance treatment options," said Jorge Insuasty, Head of Global Development.
"We are highly encouraged that the safety profile and exploratory efficacy assessments provide positive proof of concept to continue the clinical development of neoGAA, which we plan to undertake later this year with a Phase 3 clinical trial."
About neoGAA
NeoGAA is an investigational second-generation
alglucosidase alfa enzyme replacement therapy that has been specifically
designed for enhanced receptor targeting and enzyme uptake through
greater affinity for the M6P receptors on muscle cells, with the aim of
enhancing glycogen clearance and improving on the clinical efficacy
achieved with alglucosidase alfa. In preclinical studies, neoGAA showed
approximately five-fold greater potency than alglucosidase alfa in terms
of tissue glycogen reduction compared to alglucosidase alfa. In the
Pompe mouse model, neoGAA reduced similar levels of substrate at
one-fifth the dose of alglucosidase alfa.1 The clinical
significance of this data requires further investigation.
About Sanofi
Sanofi, a global healthcare leader, discovers,
develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients'
needs. Sanofi has core strengths in diabetes solutions, human vaccines,
innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health
and Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris SAN
and in New York SAN.
Sanofi Genzyme focuses on developing specialty treatments for debilitating diseases that are often difficult to diagnose and treat, providing hope to patients and their families. Learn more at www.sanofigenzyme.com.
Genzyme® is a registered trademark of Genzyme Corporation. All rights reserved.
Sanofi Forward-Looking Statements
This press
release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking
statements are statements that are not historical facts. These
statements include projections and estimates and their underlying
assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and
expectations with respect to future financial results, events,
operations, services, product development and potential, and statements
regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally
identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends",
"estimates", "plans" and similar expressions. Although Sanofi's
management believes that the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that
forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks
and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally
beyond the control of Sanofi, that could cause actual results and
developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or
projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These
risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties
inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis,
including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as
the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug,
device or biological application that may be filed for any such product
candidates as well as their decisions regarding labelling and other
matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of
such product candidates, the absence of guarantee that the product
candidates if approved will be commercially successful, the future
approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, the Group's
ability to benefit from external growth opportunities, trends in
exchange rates and prevailing interest rates, the impact of cost
containment policies and subsequent changes thereto, the average number
of shares outstanding as well as those discussed or identified in the
public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those
listed under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements" in Sanofi's annual report on Form 20-F for
the year ended December 31, 2014. Other than as required by applicable
law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking information or statements.
1 Zhu et al, Molecular Therapy, 2009.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160303006608/en/
Sanofi
Media Relations
Jack Cox, +33 (0)1 53 77 46 46
mr@sanofi.com
or
Investor
Relations
Sébastien Martel, +33 (0)1 53 77 45 45
ir@sanofi.com
or
Sanofi
Genzyme Media Relations
Lisa Clemence, +1-617-768-6699
lisa.clemence@genzyme.com
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.