Head-to-head pivotal clinical trial results showed PONVORY™ treatment led to nearly a third fewer annual relapses than teriflunomide
PONVORY™ is the first and only FDA-approved oral disease modifying therapy studied against an established oral comparator
Approval follows more than 10 years of cumulative data demonstrating the treatment’s efficacy and safety
TITUSVILLE, NJ, USA I March 19, 2021 I The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved PONVORY™ (ponesimod), a once-daily oral selective sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) modulator, to treat adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease and active secondary progressive disease.1,2,3 PONVORY™ offers MS patients superior efficacy in reducing annualized relapse rates compared to an established oral therapy and a proven safety profile backed by over a decade of cumulative clinical research.3,4,5
The FDA approval is based, in part, on a two-year, head-to-head Phase 3 clinical trial in which PONVORY™ 20 mg demonstrated superior efficacy in significantly reducing annual relapses by 30.5% compared to teriflunomide (Aubagio®) 14 mg in patients with relapsing MS.3 Over the study period, 71% of patients treated with PONVORY™ had no confirmed relapses, compared to 61% in the teriflunomide group.3 PONVORY™ was also superior to teriflunomide in reducing the number of new gadolinium-enhancing (GdE) T1 lesions and the number of new or enlarging T2 lesions by 59% and 56%, respectively.3 GdE T1 lesions and T2 lesions are identified using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology and are recognized as classic measures of MS pathology that can provide insights into disease activity and disease burden, respectively.6,7
Click-to-Tweet: #BREAKINGNEWS: @US_FDA approves a new #multiplesclerosis treatment from @JanssenUS proven to help reduce relapses and brain lesions, and backed by over a decade of clinical research. Learn more: http://bit.ly/3vEIS74
PONVORY™ also prevented disability from worsening for most people. Nine in 10 PONVORY™-treated patients did not have worsening of 3-month disability, and PONVORY™ showed a numerical benefit in delaying disability progression. The difference in rates of disability progression was not statistically significant between the PONVORY™ and teriflunomide groups.3
“MS is a complex disease, and any individual’s response to MS disease-modifying therapy can vary,” said Dr. Bruce Bebo, Executive Vice President of Research at the National MS Society. “It’s so important that people living with MS have access to effective treatment options. We are pleased that there is a new therapy approved for relapsing MS.”
If treatment needs to be stopped, PONVORY™ leaves the blood within one week, with effects on the immune system wearing off in one to two weeks for most patients.3 This may offer additional flexibility in treatment management if patients need to receive vaccines, address potential infections, or begin family planning. PONVORY™ has no known food restrictions and requires no genetic testing or first-dose monitoring for most patients.3
“In the pivotal study, ponesimod demonstrated superior clinical efficacy in reducing annual relapses and MRI activity compared against teriflunomide, another oral MS therapy. Those results, combined with a favorable side effect profile, make ponesimod a useful treatment option for people with relapsing MS,” said Robert J. Fox, M.D., Staff Neurologist, Mellen Center for MS Treatment and Research, Vice-Chair for Research, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Fox has served as a paid consultant to Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Janssen as a member of the ponesimod Advisory Board.
PONVORY™ has a proven safety profile and was generally well-tolerated over multiple clinical studies totaling more than 10 years, with overall adverse event rates similar to placebo in the Phase 2 and teriflunomide in the Phase 3 trials.3,4,5,8 The most common adverse events observed in the Phase 3 trial in PONVORY™-treated patients were upper respiratory infection, hepatic transaminase elevation (abnormal liver tests) and hypertension (high blood pressure).8
“Every person with multiple sclerosis is affected differently, given variability in both the underlying disease and emerging symptoms. Continued innovation in this space is critical, and we’re committed to meeting patients’ evolving healthcare needs,” said Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., Global Head, Janssen Research & Development, Johnson & Johnson. “We are proud to offer PONVORY as a valuable new option for people with MS that may help them gain better control of their disease.”
Janssen CarePath offers a comprehensive support program that helps patients get started on PONVORY™ and stay on track. Janssen CarePath provides information on insurance coverage, potential out-of-pocket costs and treatment support, and identifies options that may help make treatment more affordable, including the Janssen CarePath Savings Program for commercially insured patients who are eligible. For patients who are prescribed PONVORY™, the Wellness Companion Program by Janssen CarePath provides patients with one-on-one education to help them get started and continue treatment.
About the Phase 3 Study8
The Oral Ponesimod Versus Teriflunomide In Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (OPTIMUM) trial was a head-to-head, prospective, multicenter, randomized, double-blind Phase 3 study comparing efficacy, safety and tolerability of PONVORY™ 20 mg versus teriflunomide 14 mg in adults with relapsing MS. The primary endpoint of the study, which included 1,133 participants, was the annualized relapse rate (ARR) from baseline through the study period. The study included several other important efficacy endpoints, including the number of new Gd-enhancing T1 lesions from baseline to Week 108, the number of new or enlarging T2 lesions from baseline to Week 108, and the time to 3-month and 6-month confirmed disability progression.
About Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
MS is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in which immune cells attack myelin (the protective casing that insulates nerve cells), damaging or destroying it and causing inflammation.9 This affects how the CNS processes information and communicates with the rest of the body, causing the neurologic signs and symptoms of MS.10 Symptoms vary by person, but common symptoms include fatigue, balance and walking problems, numbness or tingling, dizziness and vertigo, vision problems, bladder and bowel problems and weakness.11,12,13
About PONVORY™
PONVORY™ (ponesimod) is a daily oral selective sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) modulator, indicated to treat adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease and active secondary progressive disease.1,2,3 PONVORY™ is believed to work by keeping immune cells called lymphocytes out of the blood by trapping them in the lymph nodes.3 The way PONVORY™ exerts therapeutic effects in MS is unknown, but may help keep the lymphocytes out of the central nervous system, where they could cause damage.3
PONVORY™ does not require genetic testing or first-dose cardiac monitoring for most patients. Because initiation of PONVORY™ treatment results in a decrease in heart rate, first-dose monitoring is recommended in patients with certain preexisting cardiac conditions.3
It is not known if PONVORY™ is safe and effective in children.
Janssen submitted a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for ponesimod for treatment of adults with relapsing multiple sclerosis in Q1 2020, which is currently under review.
A member of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd is party to a revenue sharing agreement with Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which provides for certain payments to Idorsia related to the sales of ponesimod.
About the Wellness Companion Program
The Wellness Companion Program is limited to education for patients about their Janssen therapy, its administration and/or their disease. It is intended to supplement a patient’s understanding of their therapy. It does not provide medical advice, health coaching or improved wellness as a result of engaging with the program, replace a treatment plan from the patient’s doctor or nurse, provide case management services, or serve as a reason to prescribe.
*Aubagio® (teriflunomide) is a registered trademark of Sanofi Genzyme.
Please see full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.
About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
At Janssen, we’re creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We’re the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases & Vaccines, Neuroscience, Oncology, and Pulmonary Hypertension.
Learn more at www.janssen.com. Follow us at www.twitter.com/JanssenUS. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.
REFERENCES
Bolli MH, Abele S, Binkert C, et al. 2-imino-thiazolidin-4-one derivatives as potent, orally active S1P1 receptor agonists. J Med Chem. 2010;53(10):4198-4211. doi:10.1021/jm100181s
D’Ambrosio D, Freedman MS, Prinz J. Ponesimod, a selective S1P1 receptor modulator: a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis and other immune-mediated diseases. Ther Adv Chronic Dis. 2016;7(1):18-33. doi:10.1177/2040622315617354
PONVORY™ [Prescribing Information]. Titusville, NJ: Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. March 2021.
Olsson T, Boster A, Fernández Ó, et al. Oral ponesimod in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a randomised phase ll trial. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2014;85(11):1198208. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2013-307282.
Freedman M, Pozzilli C, Havrdova EK, et al. Long-term Efficacy and Safety of Ponesimod: Results from Randomized Phase II Core and Extension Studies in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis [poster presentation]. Presented at Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum. 2020.
Hang Y, Hu X, Zhang J, Liu S, Deykin A, Nestorov I. Analysis of peginterferon β-1a exposure and Gd-enhanced lesion or T2 lesion response in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients. J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn. 2016;43(4):371-383. doi:10.1007/s10928-016-9477-x
Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia. T1 and T2 Lesions. Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia website. Accessed March 12, 2021. https://msra.org.au/glossary/t1-t2-lesions/
Kappos L, Burcklen M, Freedman MS, et al. Efficacy and safety of ponesimod compared to teriflunomide in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis: results of the randomized, active-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group phase 3 OPTIMUM study [oral presentation]. Presented at 35th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis; Stockholm, Sweden. 2019.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Definition of MS. National Multiple Sclerosis Society website. Accessed March 12, 2021. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Definition-of-MS
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Symptoms and Diagnosis. National Multiple Sclerosis Society website. Accessed March 12, 2021. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. MS Symptoms. National Multiple Sclerosis Society website. Accessed March 12, 2021. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms
Giovannoni G, Butzkueven H, Dhib-Jalbut S, et al. Brain health: time matters in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2016;9(1):5-48. doi:10.1016/j.msard.2016.07.003
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Cognitive Changes. National Multiple Sclerosis Society website. Accessed March 12, 2021. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Cognitive-Changes
SOURCE: Janssen
Post Views: 49
Head-to-head pivotal clinical trial results showed PONVORY™ treatment led to nearly a third fewer annual relapses than teriflunomide
PONVORY™ is the first and only FDA-approved oral disease modifying therapy studied against an established oral comparator
Approval follows more than 10 years of cumulative data demonstrating the treatment’s efficacy and safety
TITUSVILLE, NJ, USA I March 19, 2021 I The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved PONVORY™ (ponesimod), a once-daily oral selective sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) modulator, to treat adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease and active secondary progressive disease.1,2,3 PONVORY™ offers MS patients superior efficacy in reducing annualized relapse rates compared to an established oral therapy and a proven safety profile backed by over a decade of cumulative clinical research.3,4,5
The FDA approval is based, in part, on a two-year, head-to-head Phase 3 clinical trial in which PONVORY™ 20 mg demonstrated superior efficacy in significantly reducing annual relapses by 30.5% compared to teriflunomide (Aubagio®) 14 mg in patients with relapsing MS.3 Over the study period, 71% of patients treated with PONVORY™ had no confirmed relapses, compared to 61% in the teriflunomide group.3 PONVORY™ was also superior to teriflunomide in reducing the number of new gadolinium-enhancing (GdE) T1 lesions and the number of new or enlarging T2 lesions by 59% and 56%, respectively.3 GdE T1 lesions and T2 lesions are identified using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology and are recognized as classic measures of MS pathology that can provide insights into disease activity and disease burden, respectively.6,7
Click-to-Tweet: #BREAKINGNEWS: @US_FDA approves a new #multiplesclerosis treatment from @JanssenUS proven to help reduce relapses and brain lesions, and backed by over a decade of clinical research. Learn more: http://bit.ly/3vEIS74
PONVORY™ also prevented disability from worsening for most people. Nine in 10 PONVORY™-treated patients did not have worsening of 3-month disability, and PONVORY™ showed a numerical benefit in delaying disability progression. The difference in rates of disability progression was not statistically significant between the PONVORY™ and teriflunomide groups.3
“MS is a complex disease, and any individual’s response to MS disease-modifying therapy can vary,” said Dr. Bruce Bebo, Executive Vice President of Research at the National MS Society. “It’s so important that people living with MS have access to effective treatment options. We are pleased that there is a new therapy approved for relapsing MS.”
If treatment needs to be stopped, PONVORY™ leaves the blood within one week, with effects on the immune system wearing off in one to two weeks for most patients.3 This may offer additional flexibility in treatment management if patients need to receive vaccines, address potential infections, or begin family planning. PONVORY™ has no known food restrictions and requires no genetic testing or first-dose monitoring for most patients.3
“In the pivotal study, ponesimod demonstrated superior clinical efficacy in reducing annual relapses and MRI activity compared against teriflunomide, another oral MS therapy. Those results, combined with a favorable side effect profile, make ponesimod a useful treatment option for people with relapsing MS,” said Robert J. Fox, M.D., Staff Neurologist, Mellen Center for MS Treatment and Research, Vice-Chair for Research, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Fox has served as a paid consultant to Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Janssen as a member of the ponesimod Advisory Board.
PONVORY™ has a proven safety profile and was generally well-tolerated over multiple clinical studies totaling more than 10 years, with overall adverse event rates similar to placebo in the Phase 2 and teriflunomide in the Phase 3 trials.3,4,5,8 The most common adverse events observed in the Phase 3 trial in PONVORY™-treated patients were upper respiratory infection, hepatic transaminase elevation (abnormal liver tests) and hypertension (high blood pressure).8
“Every person with multiple sclerosis is affected differently, given variability in both the underlying disease and emerging symptoms. Continued innovation in this space is critical, and we’re committed to meeting patients’ evolving healthcare needs,” said Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., Global Head, Janssen Research & Development, Johnson & Johnson. “We are proud to offer PONVORY as a valuable new option for people with MS that may help them gain better control of their disease.”
Janssen CarePath offers a comprehensive support program that helps patients get started on PONVORY™ and stay on track. Janssen CarePath provides information on insurance coverage, potential out-of-pocket costs and treatment support, and identifies options that may help make treatment more affordable, including the Janssen CarePath Savings Program for commercially insured patients who are eligible. For patients who are prescribed PONVORY™, the Wellness Companion Program by Janssen CarePath provides patients with one-on-one education to help them get started and continue treatment.
About the Phase 3 Study8
The Oral Ponesimod Versus Teriflunomide In Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (OPTIMUM) trial was a head-to-head, prospective, multicenter, randomized, double-blind Phase 3 study comparing efficacy, safety and tolerability of PONVORY™ 20 mg versus teriflunomide 14 mg in adults with relapsing MS. The primary endpoint of the study, which included 1,133 participants, was the annualized relapse rate (ARR) from baseline through the study period. The study included several other important efficacy endpoints, including the number of new Gd-enhancing T1 lesions from baseline to Week 108, the number of new or enlarging T2 lesions from baseline to Week 108, and the time to 3-month and 6-month confirmed disability progression.
About Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
MS is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in which immune cells attack myelin (the protective casing that insulates nerve cells), damaging or destroying it and causing inflammation.9 This affects how the CNS processes information and communicates with the rest of the body, causing the neurologic signs and symptoms of MS.10 Symptoms vary by person, but common symptoms include fatigue, balance and walking problems, numbness or tingling, dizziness and vertigo, vision problems, bladder and bowel problems and weakness.11,12,13
About PONVORY™
PONVORY™ (ponesimod) is a daily oral selective sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) modulator, indicated to treat adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease and active secondary progressive disease.1,2,3 PONVORY™ is believed to work by keeping immune cells called lymphocytes out of the blood by trapping them in the lymph nodes.3 The way PONVORY™ exerts therapeutic effects in MS is unknown, but may help keep the lymphocytes out of the central nervous system, where they could cause damage.3
PONVORY™ does not require genetic testing or first-dose cardiac monitoring for most patients. Because initiation of PONVORY™ treatment results in a decrease in heart rate, first-dose monitoring is recommended in patients with certain preexisting cardiac conditions.3
It is not known if PONVORY™ is safe and effective in children.
Janssen submitted a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for ponesimod for treatment of adults with relapsing multiple sclerosis in Q1 2020, which is currently under review.
A member of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd is party to a revenue sharing agreement with Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which provides for certain payments to Idorsia related to the sales of ponesimod.
About the Wellness Companion Program
The Wellness Companion Program is limited to education for patients about their Janssen therapy, its administration and/or their disease. It is intended to supplement a patient’s understanding of their therapy. It does not provide medical advice, health coaching or improved wellness as a result of engaging with the program, replace a treatment plan from the patient’s doctor or nurse, provide case management services, or serve as a reason to prescribe.
*Aubagio® (teriflunomide) is a registered trademark of Sanofi Genzyme.
Please see full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.
About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
At Janssen, we’re creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We’re the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases & Vaccines, Neuroscience, Oncology, and Pulmonary Hypertension.
Learn more at www.janssen.com. Follow us at www.twitter.com/JanssenUS. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.
REFERENCES
Bolli MH, Abele S, Binkert C, et al. 2-imino-thiazolidin-4-one derivatives as potent, orally active S1P1 receptor agonists. J Med Chem. 2010;53(10):4198-4211. doi:10.1021/jm100181s
D’Ambrosio D, Freedman MS, Prinz J. Ponesimod, a selective S1P1 receptor modulator: a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis and other immune-mediated diseases. Ther Adv Chronic Dis. 2016;7(1):18-33. doi:10.1177/2040622315617354
PONVORY™ [Prescribing Information]. Titusville, NJ: Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. March 2021.
Olsson T, Boster A, Fernández Ó, et al. Oral ponesimod in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a randomised phase ll trial. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2014;85(11):1198208. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2013-307282.
Freedman M, Pozzilli C, Havrdova EK, et al. Long-term Efficacy and Safety of Ponesimod: Results from Randomized Phase II Core and Extension Studies in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis [poster presentation]. Presented at Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum. 2020.
Hang Y, Hu X, Zhang J, Liu S, Deykin A, Nestorov I. Analysis of peginterferon β-1a exposure and Gd-enhanced lesion or T2 lesion response in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients. J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn. 2016;43(4):371-383. doi:10.1007/s10928-016-9477-x
Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia. T1 and T2 Lesions. Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia website. Accessed March 12, 2021. https://msra.org.au/glossary/t1-t2-lesions/
Kappos L, Burcklen M, Freedman MS, et al. Efficacy and safety of ponesimod compared to teriflunomide in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis: results of the randomized, active-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group phase 3 OPTIMUM study [oral presentation]. Presented at 35th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis; Stockholm, Sweden. 2019.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Definition of MS. National Multiple Sclerosis Society website. Accessed March 12, 2021. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Definition-of-MS
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Symptoms and Diagnosis. National Multiple Sclerosis Society website. Accessed March 12, 2021. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. MS Symptoms. National Multiple Sclerosis Society website. Accessed March 12, 2021. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms
Giovannoni G, Butzkueven H, Dhib-Jalbut S, et al. Brain health: time matters in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2016;9(1):5-48. doi:10.1016/j.msard.2016.07.003
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Cognitive Changes. National Multiple Sclerosis Society website. Accessed March 12, 2021. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Cognitive-Changes
SOURCE: Janssen
Post Views: 49
