– Study met primary endpoint of change from baseline in the Myasthenia Gravis-Activities of Daily Living Profile (MG-ADL) total score at Week 26 –
– ULTOMIRIS demonstrated compelling efficacy as early as Week 1, sustained for 52 weeks –
BOSTON, MA, USA I July 15, 2021 I Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN) today announced positive topline results from a Phase 3 study evaluating the safety and efficacy of ULTOMIRIS® (ravulizumab-cwvz) in adults with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). The study met, with high statistical significance, its primary endpoint of change from baseline in the Myasthenia Gravis-Activities of Daily Living Profile (MG-ADL) total score, a patient-reported assessment, at Week 26, and for the subset of patients who have completed 26 weeks in the extension study to date, the positive treatment effect was maintained through a total of 52 weeks. ULTOMIRIS was well tolerated with a safety profile consistent with that observed in Phase 3 studies in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). Based on these results, Alexion plans to make regulatory filings in the U.S., European Union and Japan in late 2021/early 2022.
“The treatment landscape for people living with gMG has advanced and expanded rapidly in recent years, empowering both patients and caregivers. However, as a clinician and scientist, I know the work is not done,” said Professor James F. Howard, M.D., Department of Neurology at The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA, and lead primary investigator in the Phase 3 study. “These Phase 3 ULTOMIRIS results reinforce the critical role complement inhibition plays in treating gMG. I am encouraged by the opportunity this could provide for more patients to be treated early with a mechanism of action designed to preserve neuromuscular function.”
“The approval of SOLIRIS was a critically important first step in addressing the urgent need for a treatment for people with severe symptoms and complications of MG, and was the first new treatment for this devastating disease in more than 60 years. Today’s results demonstrate that ULTOMIRIS may help a broader range of patients than was studied in the SOLIRIS Phase 3 trial, including those with milder symptoms or earlier in their treatment journey, while still offering clinically meaningful benefits that were seen as early as Week 1 and maintained up to 52 weeks,” said John Orloff, M.D., Executive Vice President and Head of Research & Development at Alexion. “These data provide confidence that ULTOMIRIS has the potential to become the new standard of care for gMG and may reduce patient burden with its less frequent dosing schedule, leading to better treatment adherence and patient satisfaction. We are working to prepare regulatory submissions in the U.S., EU and Japan as quickly as possible.”
About the Phase 3 Study
This global Phase 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter 26-week study evaluated the safety and efficacy of ULTOMIRIS in adults with gMG who were not previously treated with a complement inhibitor medicine. The study enrolled 175 patients across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Japan. To enter the study, participants were required to have a confirmed MG diagnosis at least 6 months prior to the screening visit with a positive serologic test for anti-AChR antibodies, MG-ADL total score of at least 6 at study entry and Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) Clinical Classification Class II to IV at screening. There was no requirement for prior treatment failure, and patients could stay on stable standard of care medicines, with a few exceptions, for the duration of the study.
Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive ULTOMIRIS or placebo for a total of 26 weeks. Patients received a single weight-based loading dose on Day 1, followed by regular weight-based maintenance dosing beginning on Day 15, every 8 weeks. The primary endpoint of change from baseline in the Myasthenia Gravis-Activities of Daily Living Profile (MG-ADL) total score at Week 26 was assessed along with multiple secondary endpoints evaluating improvement in disease-related and quality of life measures.
The study met its primary endpoint, with a statistically significant change in MG-ADL score from baseline through Week 26 for patients receiving ULTOMIRIS compared to those receiving placebo (ULTOMIRIS: -3.1, placebo: -1.4, treatment difference: -1.6, p<0.001).
In the prospectively-defined secondary endpoints of change from baseline through Week 26 in Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis (QMG) total score – a physician-administered assessment of MG clinical severity – as well as the proportion of patients who achieved an improvement of at least 5 points in QMG, ULTOMIRIS also demonstrated clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvements (p<0.001 and p=0.005, respectively). Nearly three times as many patients receiving ULTOMIRIS experienced an improvement of at least 5 points in their QMG score compared to patients receiving placebo (30.0% vs 11.3%). These improvements in MG-ADL and QMG scores were observed as early as Week 1 and were sustained through Week 26.
Additional secondary endpoints assessing qualify of life measures, such as Revised 15-Component Myasthenia Gravis Quality of Life (MG-QOL15r) score (p=0.064) and Neuro-QOL Fatigue score (p=0.373), did not meet statistical significance at Week 26. The proportion of patients who achieved an improvement of at least 3 points in MG-ADL score (ULTOMIRIS: 56.7%, placebo: 34.1%, nominal p=0.005), was not considered statistically significant based on hierarchical testing.
During the randomized controlled period, adverse events were comparable between the ULTOMIRIS and placebo groups. The most frequently observed adverse events were headache (ULTOMIRIS: 18.6%; placebo: 25.8%), diarrhea (ULTOMIRIS: 15.1%; placebo: 12.4%) and nausea (ULTOMIRIS: 10.5%; placebo: 10.1%). The most frequently observed serious adverse events were MG crisis (ULTOMIRIS: 1.2%) and MG worsening (placebo: 3.4%).
Through 52 weeks (26 weeks randomized controlled period + 26 weeks of open-label extension), there were four patient deaths in the ULTOMIRIS group – three of them were due to COVID-19 and none were considered related to treatment with ULTOMIRIS. No cases of meningococcal infection were observed through 52 weeks.
Patients who completed the randomized controlled period were eligible to continue into an open-label extension period evaluating the safety and efficacy of ULTOMIRIS for up to two years, which is ongoing. At the time of this preliminary analysis of the open-label extension period, 75 patients had completed 26 weeks of treatment, for a total of 52 weeks of treatment. Among the patients who received ULTOMIRIS in the randomized controlled period, the treatment effects were maintained through an additional 26 weeks of treatment, demonstrating sustained efficacy for a total of 52 weeks. In addition, patients who received placebo in the randomized controlled period and switched to ULTOMIRIS at the beginning of the open-label extension showed immediate and sustained improvement in MG-ADL and QMG scores in a similar magnitude and time course to that observed in the ULTOMIRIS group during the randomized controlled period.
About Generalized Myasthenia Gravis
Generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by severe muscle weakness. In gMG, inflammation causes damage at the connection point between nerve cells and the muscles they control (known as the neuromuscular junction or NMJ). This damage leads to a breakdown of communication between the brain and muscles, causing loss of muscle function and severe weakness.
About 85 percent of people with gMG produce specific antibodies that bind to the surface of the cells at the NMJ. This binding activates the complement cascade and causes the immune system to attack the NMJ. People with gMG can suffer from initial symptoms, such as slurred speech, droopy eyelids, double vision, and lack of balance, which can often lead to more severe symptoms like choking, impaired swallowing, extreme fatigue and even episodes of respiratory failure.
gMG can occur at any age, but it most commonly begins for women before the age of 40 and for men after the age of 60. The prevalence of gMG is estimated at 107 to 278 per million people.
About ULTOMIRIS®
ULTOMIRIS® (ravulizumab) is the first and only long-acting C5 complement inhibitor. The medication works by inhibiting the C5 protein in the terminal complement cascade, a part of the body’s immune system. When activated in an uncontrolled manner, the complement cascade over-responds, leading the body to attack its own healthy cells. ULTOMIRIS is administered intravenously every eight weeks or, for pediatric patients less than 20 kg, every four weeks, following a loading dose. ULTOMIRIS is approved in the United States for the treatment of adults and children (one month of age and older) with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), as well as in the European Union (EU) and Japan as a treatment for adults with PNH. It is also approved in the U.S. and Japan for atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) to inhibit complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) in adult and pediatric (one month of age and older) patients, as well as in the EU for the treatment of adults and children with a body weight of at least 10 kg with aHUS. To learn more about the regulatory status of ULTOMIRIS in the countries that we serve, please visit www.alexion.com.
INDICATIONS & IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION for ULTOMIRIS® (ravulizumab-cwvz)
INDICATIONS
What is ULTOMIRIS?
ULTOMIRIS is a prescription medicine used to treat:
- adults and children 1 month of age and older with a disease called Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH).
- adults and children 1 month of age and older with a disease called atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS). ULTOMIRIS is not used in treating people with Shiga toxin E. coli related hemolytic uremic syndrome (STEC-HUS).
It is not known if ULTOMIRIS is safe and effective in children younger than 1 month of age.
Please see the accompanying full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for ULTOMIRIS, including Boxed WARNING regarding serious and life-threatening meningococcal infections/sepsis.
About Alexion
Alexion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on serving patients and families affected by rare diseases and devastating conditions through the discovery, development and commercialization of life-changing medicines. As a leader in rare diseases for more than 25 years, Alexion has developed and commercializes two approved complement inhibitors to treat patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), as well as the first and only approved complement inhibitor to treat anti-acetylcholine receptor (AchR) antibody-positive generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Alexion also has two highly innovative enzyme replacement therapies for patients with life-threatening and ultra-rare metabolic disorders, hypophosphatasia (HPP) and lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL-D) as well as the first and only approved Factor Xa inhibitor reversal agent. In addition, the company is developing several mid-to-late-stage therapies, including a copper-binding agent for Wilson disease, an anti-neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) antibody for rare Immunoglobulin G (IgG)-mediated diseases and an oral Factor D inhibitor as well as several early-stage therapies, including one for light chain (AL) amyloidosis, a second oral Factor D inhibitor and a third complement inhibitor. Alexion focuses its research efforts on novel molecules and targets in the complement cascade and its development efforts on hematology, nephrology, neurology, metabolic disorders, cardiology, ophthalmology and acute care. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Alexion has offices around the globe and serves patients in more than 50 countries. This press release and further information about Alexion can be found at: www.alexion.com
SOURCE: Alexion Pharmaceuticals
Post Views: 473
– Study met primary endpoint of change from baseline in the Myasthenia Gravis-Activities of Daily Living Profile (MG-ADL) total score at Week 26 –
– ULTOMIRIS demonstrated compelling efficacy as early as Week 1, sustained for 52 weeks –
BOSTON, MA, USA I July 15, 2021 I Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN) today announced positive topline results from a Phase 3 study evaluating the safety and efficacy of ULTOMIRIS® (ravulizumab-cwvz) in adults with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). The study met, with high statistical significance, its primary endpoint of change from baseline in the Myasthenia Gravis-Activities of Daily Living Profile (MG-ADL) total score, a patient-reported assessment, at Week 26, and for the subset of patients who have completed 26 weeks in the extension study to date, the positive treatment effect was maintained through a total of 52 weeks. ULTOMIRIS was well tolerated with a safety profile consistent with that observed in Phase 3 studies in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). Based on these results, Alexion plans to make regulatory filings in the U.S., European Union and Japan in late 2021/early 2022.
“The treatment landscape for people living with gMG has advanced and expanded rapidly in recent years, empowering both patients and caregivers. However, as a clinician and scientist, I know the work is not done,” said Professor James F. Howard, M.D., Department of Neurology at The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA, and lead primary investigator in the Phase 3 study. “These Phase 3 ULTOMIRIS results reinforce the critical role complement inhibition plays in treating gMG. I am encouraged by the opportunity this could provide for more patients to be treated early with a mechanism of action designed to preserve neuromuscular function.”
“The approval of SOLIRIS was a critically important first step in addressing the urgent need for a treatment for people with severe symptoms and complications of MG, and was the first new treatment for this devastating disease in more than 60 years. Today’s results demonstrate that ULTOMIRIS may help a broader range of patients than was studied in the SOLIRIS Phase 3 trial, including those with milder symptoms or earlier in their treatment journey, while still offering clinically meaningful benefits that were seen as early as Week 1 and maintained up to 52 weeks,” said John Orloff, M.D., Executive Vice President and Head of Research & Development at Alexion. “These data provide confidence that ULTOMIRIS has the potential to become the new standard of care for gMG and may reduce patient burden with its less frequent dosing schedule, leading to better treatment adherence and patient satisfaction. We are working to prepare regulatory submissions in the U.S., EU and Japan as quickly as possible.”
About the Phase 3 Study
This global Phase 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter 26-week study evaluated the safety and efficacy of ULTOMIRIS in adults with gMG who were not previously treated with a complement inhibitor medicine. The study enrolled 175 patients across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Japan. To enter the study, participants were required to have a confirmed MG diagnosis at least 6 months prior to the screening visit with a positive serologic test for anti-AChR antibodies, MG-ADL total score of at least 6 at study entry and Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) Clinical Classification Class II to IV at screening. There was no requirement for prior treatment failure, and patients could stay on stable standard of care medicines, with a few exceptions, for the duration of the study.
Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive ULTOMIRIS or placebo for a total of 26 weeks. Patients received a single weight-based loading dose on Day 1, followed by regular weight-based maintenance dosing beginning on Day 15, every 8 weeks. The primary endpoint of change from baseline in the Myasthenia Gravis-Activities of Daily Living Profile (MG-ADL) total score at Week 26 was assessed along with multiple secondary endpoints evaluating improvement in disease-related and quality of life measures.
The study met its primary endpoint, with a statistically significant change in MG-ADL score from baseline through Week 26 for patients receiving ULTOMIRIS compared to those receiving placebo (ULTOMIRIS: -3.1, placebo: -1.4, treatment difference: -1.6, p<0.001).
In the prospectively-defined secondary endpoints of change from baseline through Week 26 in Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis (QMG) total score – a physician-administered assessment of MG clinical severity – as well as the proportion of patients who achieved an improvement of at least 5 points in QMG, ULTOMIRIS also demonstrated clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvements (p<0.001 and p=0.005, respectively). Nearly three times as many patients receiving ULTOMIRIS experienced an improvement of at least 5 points in their QMG score compared to patients receiving placebo (30.0% vs 11.3%). These improvements in MG-ADL and QMG scores were observed as early as Week 1 and were sustained through Week 26.
Additional secondary endpoints assessing qualify of life measures, such as Revised 15-Component Myasthenia Gravis Quality of Life (MG-QOL15r) score (p=0.064) and Neuro-QOL Fatigue score (p=0.373), did not meet statistical significance at Week 26. The proportion of patients who achieved an improvement of at least 3 points in MG-ADL score (ULTOMIRIS: 56.7%, placebo: 34.1%, nominal p=0.005), was not considered statistically significant based on hierarchical testing.
During the randomized controlled period, adverse events were comparable between the ULTOMIRIS and placebo groups. The most frequently observed adverse events were headache (ULTOMIRIS: 18.6%; placebo: 25.8%), diarrhea (ULTOMIRIS: 15.1%; placebo: 12.4%) and nausea (ULTOMIRIS: 10.5%; placebo: 10.1%). The most frequently observed serious adverse events were MG crisis (ULTOMIRIS: 1.2%) and MG worsening (placebo: 3.4%).
Through 52 weeks (26 weeks randomized controlled period + 26 weeks of open-label extension), there were four patient deaths in the ULTOMIRIS group – three of them were due to COVID-19 and none were considered related to treatment with ULTOMIRIS. No cases of meningococcal infection were observed through 52 weeks.
Patients who completed the randomized controlled period were eligible to continue into an open-label extension period evaluating the safety and efficacy of ULTOMIRIS for up to two years, which is ongoing. At the time of this preliminary analysis of the open-label extension period, 75 patients had completed 26 weeks of treatment, for a total of 52 weeks of treatment. Among the patients who received ULTOMIRIS in the randomized controlled period, the treatment effects were maintained through an additional 26 weeks of treatment, demonstrating sustained efficacy for a total of 52 weeks. In addition, patients who received placebo in the randomized controlled period and switched to ULTOMIRIS at the beginning of the open-label extension showed immediate and sustained improvement in MG-ADL and QMG scores in a similar magnitude and time course to that observed in the ULTOMIRIS group during the randomized controlled period.
About Generalized Myasthenia Gravis
Generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by severe muscle weakness. In gMG, inflammation causes damage at the connection point between nerve cells and the muscles they control (known as the neuromuscular junction or NMJ). This damage leads to a breakdown of communication between the brain and muscles, causing loss of muscle function and severe weakness.
About 85 percent of people with gMG produce specific antibodies that bind to the surface of the cells at the NMJ. This binding activates the complement cascade and causes the immune system to attack the NMJ. People with gMG can suffer from initial symptoms, such as slurred speech, droopy eyelids, double vision, and lack of balance, which can often lead to more severe symptoms like choking, impaired swallowing, extreme fatigue and even episodes of respiratory failure.
gMG can occur at any age, but it most commonly begins for women before the age of 40 and for men after the age of 60. The prevalence of gMG is estimated at 107 to 278 per million people.
About ULTOMIRIS®
ULTOMIRIS® (ravulizumab) is the first and only long-acting C5 complement inhibitor. The medication works by inhibiting the C5 protein in the terminal complement cascade, a part of the body’s immune system. When activated in an uncontrolled manner, the complement cascade over-responds, leading the body to attack its own healthy cells. ULTOMIRIS is administered intravenously every eight weeks or, for pediatric patients less than 20 kg, every four weeks, following a loading dose. ULTOMIRIS is approved in the United States for the treatment of adults and children (one month of age and older) with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), as well as in the European Union (EU) and Japan as a treatment for adults with PNH. It is also approved in the U.S. and Japan for atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) to inhibit complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) in adult and pediatric (one month of age and older) patients, as well as in the EU for the treatment of adults and children with a body weight of at least 10 kg with aHUS. To learn more about the regulatory status of ULTOMIRIS in the countries that we serve, please visit www.alexion.com.
INDICATIONS & IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION for ULTOMIRIS® (ravulizumab-cwvz)
INDICATIONS
What is ULTOMIRIS?
ULTOMIRIS is a prescription medicine used to treat:
- adults and children 1 month of age and older with a disease called Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH).
- adults and children 1 month of age and older with a disease called atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS). ULTOMIRIS is not used in treating people with Shiga toxin E. coli related hemolytic uremic syndrome (STEC-HUS).
It is not known if ULTOMIRIS is safe and effective in children younger than 1 month of age.
Please see the accompanying full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for ULTOMIRIS, including Boxed WARNING regarding serious and life-threatening meningococcal infections/sepsis.
About Alexion
Alexion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on serving patients and families affected by rare diseases and devastating conditions through the discovery, development and commercialization of life-changing medicines. As a leader in rare diseases for more than 25 years, Alexion has developed and commercializes two approved complement inhibitors to treat patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), as well as the first and only approved complement inhibitor to treat anti-acetylcholine receptor (AchR) antibody-positive generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Alexion also has two highly innovative enzyme replacement therapies for patients with life-threatening and ultra-rare metabolic disorders, hypophosphatasia (HPP) and lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL-D) as well as the first and only approved Factor Xa inhibitor reversal agent. In addition, the company is developing several mid-to-late-stage therapies, including a copper-binding agent for Wilson disease, an anti-neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) antibody for rare Immunoglobulin G (IgG)-mediated diseases and an oral Factor D inhibitor as well as several early-stage therapies, including one for light chain (AL) amyloidosis, a second oral Factor D inhibitor and a third complement inhibitor. Alexion focuses its research efforts on novel molecules and targets in the complement cascade and its development efforts on hematology, nephrology, neurology, metabolic disorders, cardiology, ophthalmology and acute care. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Alexion has offices around the globe and serves patients in more than 50 countries. This press release and further information about Alexion can be found at: www.alexion.com
SOURCE: Alexion Pharmaceuticals
Post Views: 473
