Avanir Pharmaceuticals Announces Enrollment Of First Patient In Study Of AVP-923 For The Treatment Of Agitation In Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVNR) today announced the enrollment of the first patient in study AVR-131. The study is a Phase II clinical trial investigating the use of AVP-923 for the treatment of agitation in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

"Alzheimer's disease can cause a person to exhibit marked behavioral changes that are difficult for caregivers to manage. These symptoms can include agitation, hostility, anger, and aggression, with most patients exhibiting some or all of these symptoms during the course of the disease," said Jeffrey Cummings, MD, Professor of Neurotherapeutics and Drug Development in the Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic. "As the disease progresses, behavioral symptoms often increase in frequency and severity. With no approved therapies for agitation associated with dementia, managing these symptoms can be challenging. This trial is an important initial step in potentially providing a therapy to help manage symptoms of agitation in Alzheimer's disease."

The objectives of this proof of concept study are to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of AVP-923 for the treatment of agitation in Alzheimer's patients. The trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that is expected to enroll up to 200 Alzheimer's patients in the United States. Eligible patients will be randomized to receive either AVP-923 or placebo for 10 weeks. The main efficacy measure is the Neuropsychiatric Inventory or NPI. Secondary outcome measures include assessments of disease severity, behavioral abnormalities, cognition, activities of daily living, quality of life and caregiver strain. Standard safety assessments will also be conducted.

Jeffrey Cummings, MD is a paid consultant of Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. In addition, Dr. Cummings is the inventor of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and receives royalties for its use.

About Behavioral Disturbances and Alzheimer's Disease
An estimated 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease (AD), a number that has doubled since 1980 and is expected to be as high as 16 million by 2050. AD is generally characterized by cognitive decline, impaired performance of daily activities, and behavioral disturbances. Behavioral and psychiatric symptoms develop in as many as 60% of community-dwelling dementia patients and in more than 80% of patients with dementia living in nursing homes; as the disease progresses the  risk of such complications approaches 100%. Dementia-related behavioral symptoms, including agitation, can be extremely distressing to the individual, the family, and caregivers. These behavioral disturbances have been associated with more rapid cognitive decline, institutionalization, and increased caregiver burden.

About AVP-923
AVP-923 is a combination of two well-characterized compounds: the active ingredient dextromethorphan hydrobromide (an uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist and sigma-1 receptor agonist) and low dose quinidine sulfate (a CYP2D6 enzyme inhibitor), which serves to increase the bioavailability of dextromethorphan, the ingredient active in the central nervous system, and quinidine sulfate (10 mg), a metabolic inhibitor enabling therapeutic dextromethorphan concentrations. The dosage form of AVP-923 of 20 mg DM/10 mg Q capsules (twice daily) is approved by the FDA under the brand name NUEDEXTA® which is indicated for the treatment of pseudobulbar affect (PBA). The mechanism by which NUEDEXTA exerts therapeutic effects in patients with PBA is unknown.

AVP-923 or NUEDEXTA are not approved for the treatment of agitation in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Important Safety Information
NUEDEXTA is indicated for the treatment of pseudobulbar affect (PBA). PBA occurs secondary to a variety of otherwise unrelated neurological conditions, and is characterized by involuntary, sudden, and frequent episodes of laughing and/or crying. PBA episodes typically occur out of proportion or incongruent to the underlying emotional state.

Studies to support the effectiveness of NUEDEXTA were performed in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple sclerosis (MS). NUEDEXTA has not been shown to be safe and effective in other types of emotional lability that can commonly occur, for example, in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

NUEDEXTA (dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate) 20/10 mg capsules can interact with other medications causing significant changes in blood levels of those medications and/or NUEDEXTA which may lead to serious side effects. Adjust dose or use alternate treatment of the other medication when clinically indicated.

NUEDEXTA is contraindicated in patients concomitantly taking: QT-prolonging drugs metabolized by CYP2D6 (e.g., thioridazine and pimozide); monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) within the preceding or following 14 days; other drugs containing quinidine, quinine, or mefloquine and in patients with a known hypersensitivity to these drugs or any of NUEDEXTA's components. Discontinue use of NUEDEXTA if hepatitis, thrombocytopenia, serotonin syndrome or a hypersensitivity reaction occurs.

NUEDEXTA is contraindicated in patients with certain risk factors for arrhythmia: Prolonged QT interval; congenital long QT syndrome, history suggestive of torsades de pointes; heart failure; complete atrioventricular (AV) block or risk of AV block without an implanted pacemaker.

NUEDEXTA causes dose-dependent QTc prolongation. When initiating NUEDEXTA in patients at risk for QT prolongation and torsades de pointes, electrocardiographic (ECG) evaluation should be conducted at baseline and 3-4 hours after the first dose. Risk factors include left ventricular hypertrophy or dystrophy or concomitant use of drugs that prolong QT interval or certain CYP3A4 inhibitors.

The most common adverse reactions are diarrhea, dizziness, cough, vomiting, asthenia, peripheral edema, urinary tract infection, influenza, increased gamma-glutamyltransferase, and flatulence. NUEDEXTA may cause dizziness. Precautions to reduce the risk of falls should be taken, particularly for patients with motor impairment affecting gait or a history of falls.

These are not all the risks from use of NUEDEXTA. Please refer to the accompanying full Prescribing Information or visit www.NUEDEXTA.com.

About Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on bringing innovative medicines to patients with central nervous system disorders of high unmet medical need. As part of our commitment, we have extensively invested in our pipeline and are dedicated to advancing medicines that can substantially improve the lives of patients and their loved ones. For more information about Avanir, please visit www.avanir.com.

AVANIR® and NUEDEXTA® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

^©2012 Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Forward Looking Statements
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements regarding Avanir's plans, potential opportunities, financial or other expectations, projections, goals objectives, milestones, strategies, market growth, timelines, legal matters, product pipeline, clinical studies, product development and the potential benefits of its commercialized products and products under development are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the risks and uncertainties associated with meeting the objectives of study AVR-131, including, but not limited to, delays or failures in enrollment, and the occurrence of adverse safety events, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on current information that may change and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the issuance of this press release.

Avanir Investor & Media Contact
Ian Clements, PhD
[email protected]
+1 (949) 389-6700

SOURCE Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.