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Ionis Pharmaceuticals Provides Update on IONIS-TTRRX Program
GSK is in the process of finalizing the protocol for the CARDIO-TTR study with the
"A clinical hold is a tool the
ABOUT TTR AMYLOIDOSIS
TTR amyloidosis is a severe, progressive and fatal disease with multiple overlapping clinical manifestations. There are three forms of TTR amyloidosis, FAP, FAC and wt-TTR amyloidosis, and all are caused by the inappropriate formation and aggregation of TTR amyloid deposits in various tissues and organs, including peripheral nerves, heart, intestinal tract, eyes, kidneys, central nervous system, thyroid and bone. The progressive accumulation of TTR amyloid deposits in these tissues and organs leads to organ failure and eventually death. Although TTR amyloidosis is fatal, therapeutic options for the treatment of patients with TTR amyloidosis are very limited and there are currently no disease-modifying drugs available.
FAP is characterized by the accumulation of misfolded mutated TTR protein primarily in the peripheral nerves. Patients with FAP experience ongoing debilitating nerve damage throughout their body resulting in the progressive loss of motor functions, such as walking. These patients also accumulate TTR in other major organs, which progressively compromises their function and eventually leads to death within five to fifteen years of disease onset. There are an estimated 10,000 FAP patients worldwide.
TTR-related cardiomyopathy is characterized by the accumulation of misfolded TTR protein primarily in the cardiac muscle. Patients experience ongoing debilitating heart damage resulting in progressive heart failure, which results in death within 5 to 7 years from disease onset. TTR-related cardiomyopathy includes both the genetic form of the disease, FAC, and the wild-type form of the disease, wt-TTR amyloidosis. There are an estimated 40,000 FAC patients worldwide. Patients with FAC begin to experience symptom onset between 50 and 60 years of age, whereas patients with wt-TTR amyloidosis usually begin to experience symptom onset ten or more years later, generally over 70 years of age. There are an estimated 200,000 wt-TTR amyloidosis patients worldwide.
Often patients with the polyneuropathy form of TTR amyloidosis will also have TTR build up in the heart and also experience cardiomyopathy symptoms. Similarly, patients with the cardiomyopathy form of TTR amyloidosis may often have TTR build up in their peripheral nerves and can experience nerve damage and progressive difficulty with motor functions.
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 a dozen drugs in mid- to late-stage development. Drugs currently in Phase 3 development include volanesorsen, a drug Ionis is developing and plans to commercialize through its wholly owned subsidiary, Akcea Therapeutics, to treat patients with familial chylomicronemia syndrome and familial partial lipodystrophy; IONIS-TTRRx, a drug Ionis is developing with GSK to treat patients with all forms of TTR amyloidosis; and nusinersen, a drug Ionis is developing with Biogen to treat infants and children with spinal muscular atrophy. Ionis' patents provide strong and extensive protection for its drugs and technology. Additional information about Ionis is available at www.ionispharma.com.
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding the therapeutic and commercial potential of IONIS-TTRRx. 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
D. Wade Walke, Ph.D., Vice President, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, 760-603-2741, Amy Blackley, Ph.D., Associate Director, Corporate Communications, 760-603-2772