Repatha’s Intensive and Predictable LDL-C Lowering Offers a New Treatment Option for Certain Patients With High LDL-C
Repatha Reduced LDL-C by Approximately 54 to 77 Percent Compared With Placebo
Repatha Available Next Week in the U.S.
THOUSAND OAKS, CA, USA I August 27, 2015 I Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new cholesterol-lowering medication, Repatha™ (evolocumab) Injection. Repatha is a human monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a protein that reduces the liver’s ability to remove low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), or “bad” cholesterol, from the blood.1 Repatha is indicated as an adjunct to diet and maximally tolerated statin therapy for the treatment of adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), who require additional lowering of LDL-C; and as an adjunct to diet and other LDL-lowering therapies for the treatment of patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), who require additional lowering of LDL-C. The effect of Repatha on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been determined.
To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7414054-amgen-repatha-fda-approval.
“We are excited about today’s approval of Repatha in the U.S. as patients and physicians will now have a new treatment option to lower LDL cholesterol,” said Sean E. Harper, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen. “Data from key clinical studies have shown that Repatha significantly reduces LDL cholesterol in patients who have not been able to lower their LDL cholesterol through diet and statins alone. At Amgen, we are committed to improving the lives of patients and are inspired by the potential for Repatha to aid in the global fight against one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.”
Elevated LDL-C is an abnormality of cholesterol and/or fats in the blood.2,3 In the U.S., there are approximately 11 million people with ASCVD and/or familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), who have uncontrolled levels of LDL-C over 70 mg/dL, despite treatment with statins or other cholesterol-lowering therapies.4,5 Familial hypercholesterolemia is caused by genetic mutations that lead to high levels of LDL-C at an early age.6 It is estimated that one million people in the U.S. have FH (heterozygous and homozygous forms), yet less than one percent are diagnosed.7
“Through PCSK9 inhibition, evolocumab substantially reduces LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol, a well-validated, modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” said Marc Sabatine, M.D., M.P.H., chairman of the TIMI Study Group, the Lewis Dexter, MD Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston. “Many patients still require further LDL cholesterol lowering and evolocumab now offers an important new treatment option for them.”
In Phase 3 trials, adding Repatha to background lipid-lowering therapy that included statins resulted in intensive reductions in LDL-C levels with favorable effects on other lipid parameters. In patients with clinical ASCVD or HeFH, Repatha reduced LDL-C by approximately 54 to 77 percent compared with placebo.8 In a pivotal Phase 3 trial, 90 percent of clinical ASCVD patients who received Repatha in addition to maximum doses of statins achieved a LDL-C level less than 70 mg/dL.5 In patients with HoFH, Repatha reduced LDL-C by approximately 30 percent compared with placebo.8
Repatha is generally well-tolerated with an established safety profile. The most common adverse reactions that occurred in greater than 5 percent of the Repatha group, and more frequently than in the placebo group, were nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, influenza, back pain and injection site reactions.8
Repatha is available as a single-use 140 mg prefilled SureClick® autoinjector or prefilled syringe that patients can self-administer at the recommended dose for adults of 140 mg every two weeks or 420 mg once a month. For adults with HoFH, the recommended dose is 420 mg once a month. Amgen will continue discussions with the FDA regarding the 420 mg every two weeks dosing for HoFH patients.
The U.S. Wholesale Acquisition Cost (WAC) price of Repatha is $542.31 for one 140 mg single-use prefilled SureClick autoinjector or prefilled syringe, or $14,100 annually for the every two weeks administration. For the monthly 420 mg administration, Amgen plans to make a single injection monthly dosing option available next year. Until then, Amgen anticipates monthly administration predominately for HoFH patients. Actual costs to patients, payers and health systems are anticipated to be lower as WAC pricing does not reflect discounts or rebates. Out-of-pocket costs to patients will vary depending on insurance status and eligibility for patient assistance.
“Amgen is sensitive to the concerns of payers around cost, budget predictability and paying for value,” said Anthony C. Hooper, executive vice president of Global Commercial Operations at Amgen. “We are confident in the ability of Repatha to demonstrate real-world effectiveness and value based on intensive LDL cholesterol reductions, and we will be working with payers and other purchasers to provide innovative pricing programs linking the net price of Repatha to the expected LDL cholesterol reductions and anticipated appropriate patient utilization. By partnering with payers to implement these programs, we can help ensure that all appropriate patients who could benefit from Repatha will have access to this important new therapy.”
Amgen is committed to providing personalized support services for patients and providers in the U.S. through its RepathaReady™ program. RepathaReady is a comprehensive suite of services to help patients and providers, including one or more months of free Repatha through the Repatha Patient Start Program while insurance coverage is pending; the Repatha $5 co-pay card for eligible commercial patients; insurance coverage support; and injection training.
Amgen also provides patient assistance for its medicines marketed in the U.S. in a variety of ways, including free medicines through The Safety Net Foundation for qualifying individuals with no or limited drug coverage.
Repatha is expected to be available in the U.S. next week.
Today’s U.S. approval of Repatha follows the marketing authorization of Repatha in Europe, which was announced on July 21, 2015.
Please contact Amgen Medinfo at 800-77-AMGEN (800-772-6436) or 844-REPATHA (844-737-2842) regarding Repatha availability or find more information, including full Prescribing Information, at www.amgen.com and www.Repatha.com.
About Repatha™ (evolocumab)
Repatha™ (evolocumab) is a human monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9).1 Repatha binds to PCSK9 and inhibits circulating PCSK9 from binding to the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDLR), preventing PCSK9-mediated LDLR degradation and permitting LDLR to recycle back to the liver cell surface. By inhibiting the binding of PCSK9 to LDLR, Repatha increases the number of LDLRs available to clear LDL from the blood, thereby lowering LDL-C levels.8
GLAGOV, the intravascular ultrasound study, is underway to determine the effect of Repatha on coronary atherosclerosis in approximately 950 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization to test the hypothesis of robust LDL-C reduction leading to a reduction or a change in the build-up of plaque in the arteries. Results from the GLAGOV study are expected in 2016.
The FOURIER outcomes trial is designed to evaluate whether treatment with Repatha in combination with statin therapy compared to placebo plus statin therapy reduces the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in patients with high cholesterol and clinically evident cardiovascular disease and completed patient enrollment in June 2015. Results from the approximately 27,500-patient FOURIER study are expected no later than 2017 (event-driven).
Important U.S. Product Information
Repatha is indicated as an adjunct to diet and:
- Maximally tolerated statin therapy for treatment of adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), who require additional lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)
- Other LDL-lowering therapies (e.g., statins, ezetimibe, LDL apheresis) in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) who require additional lowering of LDL-C
Limitations of Use
The effect of Repatha on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been determined.
Important Safety Information
Repatha™ is contraindicated in patients with a history of a serious hypersensitivity reaction to Repatha. Hypersensitivity reactions (e.g. rash, urticaria) have been reported in patients treated with Repatha, including some that led to discontinuation of therapy. If signs or symptoms of serious allergic reactions occur, discontinue treatment with Repatha, treat according to the standard of care, and monitor until signs and symptoms resolve.
The most common adverse reactions (>5% of Repatha-treated patients and more common than placebo) were: nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, influenza, back pain, and injection site reactions.
In a 52-week trial, adverse reactions led to discontinuation of treatment in 2.2% of Repatha-treated patients and 1% of placebo-treated patients. The most common adverse reaction that led to Repatha treatment discontinuation and occurred at a rate greater than placebo was myalgia (0.3% versus 0% for Repatha and placebo, respectively).
Adverse reactions from a pool of the 52-week trial and seven 12-week trials, included:
Local injection site reactions that occurred in 3.2% and 3.0% of Repatha-treated and placebo-treated patients, respectively. The most common injection site reactions were erythema, pain, and bruising. The proportions of patients who discontinued treatment due to local injection site reactions in Repatha-treated patients and placebo-treated patients were 0.1% and 0%, respectively.
Allergic reactions occurred in 5.1% and 4.6% of Repatha-treated and placebo-treated patients, respectively. The most common allergic reactions were rash (1.0% versus 0.5% for Repatha and placebo, respectively), eczema (0.4% versus 0.2%), erythema (0.4% versus 0.2%), and urticaria (0.4% versus 0.1%).
Neurocognitive events were reported in less than or equal to 0.2% in Repatha-treated and placebo-treated patients.
In a pool of placebo- and active-controlled trials, as well as open-label extension studies that followed them, a total of 1609 patients treated with Repatha had at least one LDL-C value < 25 mg/dL. Changes to background lipid-altering therapy were not made in response to low LDL-C values, and Repatha dosing was not modified or interrupted on this basis. Although adverse consequences of very low LDL-C were not identified in these trials, the long-term effects of very low levels of LDL-C induced by Repatha are unknown.
Musculoskeletal adverse reactions were reported in 14.3% of Repatha-treated patients and 12.8% of placebo-treated patients. The most common adverse reactions that occurred at a rate greater than placebo were back pain (3.2% versus 2.9% for Repatha and placebo, respectively), arthralgia (2.3% versus 2.2%), and myalgia (2.0% versus 1.8%).
In 49 patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia studied in a 12-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 33 patients received 420 mg of Repatha subcutaneously once monthly. The adverse reactions that occurred in at least 2 (6.1%) Repatha-treated patients and more frequently than in placebo-treated patients, included upper respiratory tract infection (9.1% versus 6.3%), influenza (9.1% versus 0%), gastroenteritis (6.1% versus 0%), and nasopharyngitis (6.1% versus 0%).
Repatha is a human monoclonal antibody. As with all therapeutic proteins, there is a potential for immunogenicity with Repatha.
About Amgen Cardiovascular
Building on more than three decades of experience in developing biotechnology medicines for patients with serious illnesses, Amgen is dedicated to addressing important scientific questions to advance care and improve the lives of patients with cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.9 Amgen’s research into cardiovascular disease, and potential treatment options, is part of a growing competency at Amgen that utilizes human genetics to identify and validate certain drug targets. Through its own research and development efforts, as well as partnerships, Amgen is building a robust cardiovascular portfolio consisting of several approved and investigational molecules in an effort to address a number of today’s important unmet patient needs, such as high cholesterol and heart failure.
About Amgen
Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.
Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its biologics manufacturing expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people’s lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world’s leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.
SOURCE: Amgen
Post Views: 24
Repatha’s Intensive and Predictable LDL-C Lowering Offers a New Treatment Option for Certain Patients With High LDL-C
Repatha Reduced LDL-C by Approximately 54 to 77 Percent Compared With Placebo
Repatha Available Next Week in the U.S.
THOUSAND OAKS, CA, USA I August 27, 2015 I Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new cholesterol-lowering medication, Repatha™ (evolocumab) Injection. Repatha is a human monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a protein that reduces the liver’s ability to remove low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), or “bad” cholesterol, from the blood.1 Repatha is indicated as an adjunct to diet and maximally tolerated statin therapy for the treatment of adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), who require additional lowering of LDL-C; and as an adjunct to diet and other LDL-lowering therapies for the treatment of patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), who require additional lowering of LDL-C. The effect of Repatha on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been determined.
To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7414054-amgen-repatha-fda-approval.
“We are excited about today’s approval of Repatha in the U.S. as patients and physicians will now have a new treatment option to lower LDL cholesterol,” said Sean E. Harper, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen. “Data from key clinical studies have shown that Repatha significantly reduces LDL cholesterol in patients who have not been able to lower their LDL cholesterol through diet and statins alone. At Amgen, we are committed to improving the lives of patients and are inspired by the potential for Repatha to aid in the global fight against one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.”
Elevated LDL-C is an abnormality of cholesterol and/or fats in the blood.2,3 In the U.S., there are approximately 11 million people with ASCVD and/or familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), who have uncontrolled levels of LDL-C over 70 mg/dL, despite treatment with statins or other cholesterol-lowering therapies.4,5 Familial hypercholesterolemia is caused by genetic mutations that lead to high levels of LDL-C at an early age.6 It is estimated that one million people in the U.S. have FH (heterozygous and homozygous forms), yet less than one percent are diagnosed.7
“Through PCSK9 inhibition, evolocumab substantially reduces LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol, a well-validated, modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” said Marc Sabatine, M.D., M.P.H., chairman of the TIMI Study Group, the Lewis Dexter, MD Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston. “Many patients still require further LDL cholesterol lowering and evolocumab now offers an important new treatment option for them.”
In Phase 3 trials, adding Repatha to background lipid-lowering therapy that included statins resulted in intensive reductions in LDL-C levels with favorable effects on other lipid parameters. In patients with clinical ASCVD or HeFH, Repatha reduced LDL-C by approximately 54 to 77 percent compared with placebo.8 In a pivotal Phase 3 trial, 90 percent of clinical ASCVD patients who received Repatha in addition to maximum doses of statins achieved a LDL-C level less than 70 mg/dL.5 In patients with HoFH, Repatha reduced LDL-C by approximately 30 percent compared with placebo.8
Repatha is generally well-tolerated with an established safety profile. The most common adverse reactions that occurred in greater than 5 percent of the Repatha group, and more frequently than in the placebo group, were nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, influenza, back pain and injection site reactions.8
Repatha is available as a single-use 140 mg prefilled SureClick® autoinjector or prefilled syringe that patients can self-administer at the recommended dose for adults of 140 mg every two weeks or 420 mg once a month. For adults with HoFH, the recommended dose is 420 mg once a month. Amgen will continue discussions with the FDA regarding the 420 mg every two weeks dosing for HoFH patients.
The U.S. Wholesale Acquisition Cost (WAC) price of Repatha is $542.31 for one 140 mg single-use prefilled SureClick autoinjector or prefilled syringe, or $14,100 annually for the every two weeks administration. For the monthly 420 mg administration, Amgen plans to make a single injection monthly dosing option available next year. Until then, Amgen anticipates monthly administration predominately for HoFH patients. Actual costs to patients, payers and health systems are anticipated to be lower as WAC pricing does not reflect discounts or rebates. Out-of-pocket costs to patients will vary depending on insurance status and eligibility for patient assistance.
“Amgen is sensitive to the concerns of payers around cost, budget predictability and paying for value,” said Anthony C. Hooper, executive vice president of Global Commercial Operations at Amgen. “We are confident in the ability of Repatha to demonstrate real-world effectiveness and value based on intensive LDL cholesterol reductions, and we will be working with payers and other purchasers to provide innovative pricing programs linking the net price of Repatha to the expected LDL cholesterol reductions and anticipated appropriate patient utilization. By partnering with payers to implement these programs, we can help ensure that all appropriate patients who could benefit from Repatha will have access to this important new therapy.”
Amgen is committed to providing personalized support services for patients and providers in the U.S. through its RepathaReady™ program. RepathaReady is a comprehensive suite of services to help patients and providers, including one or more months of free Repatha through the Repatha Patient Start Program while insurance coverage is pending; the Repatha $5 co-pay card for eligible commercial patients; insurance coverage support; and injection training.
Amgen also provides patient assistance for its medicines marketed in the U.S. in a variety of ways, including free medicines through The Safety Net Foundation for qualifying individuals with no or limited drug coverage.
Repatha is expected to be available in the U.S. next week.
Today’s U.S. approval of Repatha follows the marketing authorization of Repatha in Europe, which was announced on July 21, 2015.
Please contact Amgen Medinfo at 800-77-AMGEN (800-772-6436) or 844-REPATHA (844-737-2842) regarding Repatha availability or find more information, including full Prescribing Information, at www.amgen.com and www.Repatha.com.
About Repatha™ (evolocumab)
Repatha™ (evolocumab) is a human monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9).1 Repatha binds to PCSK9 and inhibits circulating PCSK9 from binding to the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDLR), preventing PCSK9-mediated LDLR degradation and permitting LDLR to recycle back to the liver cell surface. By inhibiting the binding of PCSK9 to LDLR, Repatha increases the number of LDLRs available to clear LDL from the blood, thereby lowering LDL-C levels.8
GLAGOV, the intravascular ultrasound study, is underway to determine the effect of Repatha on coronary atherosclerosis in approximately 950 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization to test the hypothesis of robust LDL-C reduction leading to a reduction or a change in the build-up of plaque in the arteries. Results from the GLAGOV study are expected in 2016.
The FOURIER outcomes trial is designed to evaluate whether treatment with Repatha in combination with statin therapy compared to placebo plus statin therapy reduces the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in patients with high cholesterol and clinically evident cardiovascular disease and completed patient enrollment in June 2015. Results from the approximately 27,500-patient FOURIER study are expected no later than 2017 (event-driven).
Important U.S. Product Information
Repatha is indicated as an adjunct to diet and:
- Maximally tolerated statin therapy for treatment of adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), who require additional lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)
- Other LDL-lowering therapies (e.g., statins, ezetimibe, LDL apheresis) in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) who require additional lowering of LDL-C
Limitations of Use
The effect of Repatha on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been determined.
Important Safety Information
Repatha™ is contraindicated in patients with a history of a serious hypersensitivity reaction to Repatha. Hypersensitivity reactions (e.g. rash, urticaria) have been reported in patients treated with Repatha, including some that led to discontinuation of therapy. If signs or symptoms of serious allergic reactions occur, discontinue treatment with Repatha, treat according to the standard of care, and monitor until signs and symptoms resolve.
The most common adverse reactions (>5% of Repatha-treated patients and more common than placebo) were: nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, influenza, back pain, and injection site reactions.
In a 52-week trial, adverse reactions led to discontinuation of treatment in 2.2% of Repatha-treated patients and 1% of placebo-treated patients. The most common adverse reaction that led to Repatha treatment discontinuation and occurred at a rate greater than placebo was myalgia (0.3% versus 0% for Repatha and placebo, respectively).
Adverse reactions from a pool of the 52-week trial and seven 12-week trials, included:
Local injection site reactions that occurred in 3.2% and 3.0% of Repatha-treated and placebo-treated patients, respectively. The most common injection site reactions were erythema, pain, and bruising. The proportions of patients who discontinued treatment due to local injection site reactions in Repatha-treated patients and placebo-treated patients were 0.1% and 0%, respectively.
Allergic reactions occurred in 5.1% and 4.6% of Repatha-treated and placebo-treated patients, respectively. The most common allergic reactions were rash (1.0% versus 0.5% for Repatha and placebo, respectively), eczema (0.4% versus 0.2%), erythema (0.4% versus 0.2%), and urticaria (0.4% versus 0.1%).
Neurocognitive events were reported in less than or equal to 0.2% in Repatha-treated and placebo-treated patients.
In a pool of placebo- and active-controlled trials, as well as open-label extension studies that followed them, a total of 1609 patients treated with Repatha had at least one LDL-C value < 25 mg/dL. Changes to background lipid-altering therapy were not made in response to low LDL-C values, and Repatha dosing was not modified or interrupted on this basis. Although adverse consequences of very low LDL-C were not identified in these trials, the long-term effects of very low levels of LDL-C induced by Repatha are unknown.
Musculoskeletal adverse reactions were reported in 14.3% of Repatha-treated patients and 12.8% of placebo-treated patients. The most common adverse reactions that occurred at a rate greater than placebo were back pain (3.2% versus 2.9% for Repatha and placebo, respectively), arthralgia (2.3% versus 2.2%), and myalgia (2.0% versus 1.8%).
In 49 patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia studied in a 12-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 33 patients received 420 mg of Repatha subcutaneously once monthly. The adverse reactions that occurred in at least 2 (6.1%) Repatha-treated patients and more frequently than in placebo-treated patients, included upper respiratory tract infection (9.1% versus 6.3%), influenza (9.1% versus 0%), gastroenteritis (6.1% versus 0%), and nasopharyngitis (6.1% versus 0%).
Repatha is a human monoclonal antibody. As with all therapeutic proteins, there is a potential for immunogenicity with Repatha.
About Amgen Cardiovascular
Building on more than three decades of experience in developing biotechnology medicines for patients with serious illnesses, Amgen is dedicated to addressing important scientific questions to advance care and improve the lives of patients with cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.9 Amgen’s research into cardiovascular disease, and potential treatment options, is part of a growing competency at Amgen that utilizes human genetics to identify and validate certain drug targets. Through its own research and development efforts, as well as partnerships, Amgen is building a robust cardiovascular portfolio consisting of several approved and investigational molecules in an effort to address a number of today’s important unmet patient needs, such as high cholesterol and heart failure.
About Amgen
Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.
Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its biologics manufacturing expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people’s lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world’s leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.
SOURCE: Amgen
Post Views: 24
