Halozyme Receives Orphan Drug Designation For PEGylated Recombinant Human Hyaluronidase PH20 For Pancreatic Cancer

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HALO) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug designation for PEGylated recombinant human hyaluronidase (PEGPH20) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The FDA Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD) mission is to advance the evaluation and development of products (drugs, biologics, devices, or medical foods) that demonstrate promise for the diagnosis and/or treatment of rare diseases or conditions.  Halozyme is currently investigating PEGPH20 in a Phase 2 study in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (ABRAXANE^®) in metastatic pancreatic cancer. 

"This designation follows the Fast Track designation and allows us to collaborate more closely with the FDA to facilitate development of PEGPH20 and is part of our core strategy to bring this therapy to patients as rapidly as possible," stated Dr. Helen Torley, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Receiving Orphan Drug designation is an important milestone for this clinical development program."

The FDA's Orphan Drug program provides orphan status to drugs and biologics that are intended for the treatment of rare diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. This designation provides eligibility for a seven-year period of market exclusivity in the U.S. after product approval, FDA assistance in clinical trial design, and an exemption from FDA user fees.

About PEGPH20
PEGPH20 is an investigational PEGylated form of Halozyme's proprietary recombinant human hyaluronidase under development for the systemic treatment of tumors that accumulate hyaluronan.

About Halozyme
Halozyme Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative products that advance patient care. With a diversified portfolio of enzymes that target the extracellular matrix, the Company's research focuses primarily on a family of human enzymes, known as hyaluronidases, which increase the dispersion and absorption of biologics, drugs and fluids. Halozyme's pipeline addresses therapeutic areas, including oncology, diabetes and dermatology that have significant unmet medical need today. The Company markets Hylenex^® recombinant (hyaluronidase human injection) and has partnerships with Roche, Pfizer and Baxter. Halozyme is headquartered in San Diego, CA. For more information on how we are innovating, please visit our corporate website at www.halozyme.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
In addition to historical information, the statements set forth above include forward-looking statements (including, without limitation, statements concerning future actions relating to the development of PEGPH20 and the possibility that PEGPH20 may be used to address pancreatic cancer) that involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are typically, but not always, identified through use of the words "believe," "enable," "may," "will," "could," "intends," "estimate," "anticipate," "plan," "predict," "probable," "potential," "possible," "should," "continue," and other words of similar meaning. Actual results could differ materially from the expectations contained in forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including delays in completion of clinical trials and other development activities, the possibility of safety events, unexpected expenditures and costs, unexpected results or delays in regulatory review, regulatory approval requirements, unexpected adverse events and competitive conditions. These and other factors that may result in differences are discussed in greater detail in Halozyme's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 11, 2014.

Investor Contact:
Schond Greenway
Halozyme Therapeutics
858-704-8352
[email protected]

Media Contact:
Susan Neath Francis
212-301-7182
[email protected]

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SOURCE Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc.