Press Releases
Ionis Announces Submission of Marketing Authorization Application for Inotersen to the European Medicines Agency
"The submission of the inotersen MAA to the EMA represents a critical milestone for Ionis and for European patients suffering from ATTR. We are pleased that we met the last deadline for Accelerated Assessment in the EU for 2017. Next week, we also plan to submit the NDA to the
"Patients with ATTR experience TTR build up in various tissues and major organs, including peripheral nerves, heart, intestinal tract, kidney and bladder, which causes debilitating symptoms, such as severe extremity pain and gastrointestinal manifestations, and eventually results in death. As their disease progresses, these patients lose the ability to perform even simple activities, such as feeding and dressing themselves, significantly limiting their independence," said
"TTR amyloidosis is devastating, not only for patients but also for caregivers and family members. We are grateful that today we are closer than ever to having an effective treatment to fight this disease. Ionis has demonstrated great commitment to hATTR and these patients, and we look forward to collaborating further with the Ionis team as we work towards potential regulatory and subsequent market access and payer approval for this important therapy," said
ABOUT INOTERSEN
Inotersen is an antisense drug designed to reduce the production of transthyretin, or TTR, to treat patients with TTR amyloidosis (ATTR), a severe, rare and fatal disease. In patients with ATTR, both the mutant and wild type (wt), TTR builds up as fibrils in tissues, such as the peripheral nerves, heart, gastrointestinal system, eyes, kidneys, central nervous system, thyroid and bone marrow. The presence of TTR fibrils interferes with the normal functions of these tissues. As the TTR protein fibrils enlarge, more tissue damage occurs and the disease worsens, resulting in poor quality of life and eventually death.
ABOUT INOTERSEN PHASE 3 CLINICAL STUDY
Inotersen completed a Phase 3 study, NEURO-TTR, in patients with polyneuropathy due to hereditary TTR amyloidosis (hATTR) in
Two key safety issues were identified during the study: thrombocytopenia and safety signals related to renal function. Enhanced monitoring was implemented during the study to support early detection and management of these issues. Serious platelet and renal events were infrequent and easily managed with routine monitoring, which has proven effective since implementation. Other serious adverse events were observed in 24.1% of inotersen-treated patients and 21.7% of placebo-treated patients. No cumulative toxicities have been identified with long-term exposure.
Adverse events occurring in ≥10% of patients and twice as frequently in inotersen-treated patients compared with placebo-treated patients, included thrombocytopenia/platelet count decreases, nausea, pyrexia, chills, vomiting and anemia. Injection site reactions accounted for less than 1% of all injections and were mild or moderate in severity. There were no discontinuations due to injection site reactions.
The overall mortality rate in the NEURO-TTR study was 2.9% and was lower than mortality rates reported in other studies in hATTR patients. There was a total of five deaths in the study, five (4.7%) in the inotersen arm and zero in the placebo arm. Four deaths in the inotersen arm were associated with disease progression and considered unrelated to treatment. As previously reported, there was one fatal intracranial hemorrhage in conjunction with serious thrombocytopenia. No serious thrombocytopenia was observed following implementation of more frequent monitoring.
ABOUT
Ionis is the leading company in RNA-targeted drug discovery and development focused on developing drugs for patients who have the highest unmet medical needs, such as those patients with severe and rare diseases. Using its proprietary antisense technology, Ionis has created a large pipeline of first-in-class or best-in-class drugs, with over three dozen drugs in development. SPINRAZA® (nusinersen) has been approved in global markets for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Biogen is responsible for commercializing SPINRAZA. Drugs that have successfully completed Phase 3 studies include inotersen, an antisense drug Ionis is developing to treat patients with hereditary TTR amyloidosis (hATTR), and volanesorsen, an antisense drug discovered by Ionis and co-developed by Ionis and
IONIS' FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding the therapeutic and commercial potential of inotersen and other products in development. Any statement describing Ionis' goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions or beliefs is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, particularly those inherent in the process of discovering, developing and commercializing drugs that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics, and in the endeavor of building a business around such drugs. Ionis' forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove correct, could cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Ionis' forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by Ionis. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning Ionis' programs are described in additional detail in Ionis' annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended
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SOURCE
Ionis Pharmaceuticals Investor and Media Contacts: D. Wade Walke, Ph.D., Vice President, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, 760-603-2741, Alissa Santa Maria, Assistant Director, Corporate Development, 760-603-2643, Jennifer Capuzelo, Assistant Director, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, 760-603-2606