Regeneron and Bayer Initiate Phase 3 Clinical Program for the Treatment of Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration in China
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and BERLIN, Nov. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Bayer HealthCare today announced that they have initiated a Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of EYLEA™ (aflibercept) Injection in the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) in China.
The new trial, named SIGHT, will include approximately 300 patients and will be the largest retinal trial conducted in China. SIGHT is being led by Bayer.
"Currently, only photodynamic therapy with verteporfin is approved as a treatment for wet AMD in China, and it is only approved for the subpopulation of patients with predominantly classic wet AMD," said Kemal Malik, M.D., Head of Global Development and member of the Bayer HealthCare Executive Committee. "After reporting positive data from our large VIEW program in wet AMD, we look forward to potentially bringing this new treatment to patients with wet AMD in China."
About the SIGHT Program
The SIGHT (VEGF Trap-Eye: Investigation of Efficacy and Safety in Chinese patients with wet AMD) program consists of a randomized, double-masked, Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating EYLEA (known in the scientific literature as VEGF Trap-Eye) in the treatment of the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). EYLEA will be evaluated for its effect on improving and maintaining vision when dosed as an intravitreal injection on a schedule of 2 milligrams (mg) every two months (following three initial monthly doses), as compared with Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) with verteporfin. After assessment of the primary endpoint at week 28, all patients, including those on PDT, will receive EYLEA treatment until the end of the study at week 52. The SIGHT study plans to randomize 300 patients.
About Wet AMD
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of acquired blindness. Macular degeneration is diagnosed as either dry (non-exudative) or wet (exudative). In wet AMD, new blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak blood and fluid. This leakage causes disruption and dysfunction of the retina creating blind spots in central vision, and it can account for blindness in wet AMD patients. Wet AMD is the leading cause of blindness for people over the age of 65 in the U.S. and Europe. In China, there were an estimated 540,000 newly diagnosed wet AMD patients over the age of 50 in 2010.
About EYLEA™ (aflibercept) Injection For Intravitreal Injection
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is a naturally occurring protein in the body. Its normal role in a healthy organism is to trigger formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) supporting the growth of the body's tissues and organs. However, in certain diseases, such as wet age-related macular degeneration, it is also associated with the growth of abnormal new blood vessels in the eye, which exhibit abnormal increased permeability that leads to edema. Scarring and loss of fine-resolution central vision often results.
EYLEA, known in the scientific literature as VEGF Trap-Eye, is a recombinant fusion protein, consisting of portions of human VEGF receptors 1 and 2 extracellular domains fused to the Fc portion of human IgG1 and formulated as an iso-osmotic solution for intravitreal administration. EYLEA acts as a soluble decoy receptor that binds VEGF-A and placental growth factor (PlGF) and thereby can inhibit the binding and activation of these cognate VEGF receptors.
IMPORTANT PRESCRIBING INFORMATION
In this U.S. EYLEA is indicated for the treatment of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD).
The recommended dose for EYLEA is 2 mg administered by intravitreal injection every four weeks (monthly) for the first 12 weeks (3 months), followed by 2 mg once every eight weeks (2 months). Although EYLEA may be dosed as frequently as 2 mg every four weeks (monthly), additional efficacy was not demonstrated when EYLEA was dosed every four weeks compared to every eight weeks.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
EYLEA is contraindicated in patients with ocular or periocular infections, active intraocular inflammation, or known hypersensitivity to aflibercept or to any of the excipients in EYLEA.
Intravitreal injections, including those with EYLEA, have been associated with endophthalmitis and retinal detachments. Proper aseptic injection technique must always be used when administering EYLEA. Patients should be instructed to report any symptoms suggestive of endophthalmitis or retinal detachment without delay and should be managed appropriately.
Acute increases in intraocular pressure have been seen within 60 minutes of intravitreal injection, including with EYLEA. Sustained increases in intraocular pressure have also been reported after repeated intravitreal dosing with VEGF inhibitors. Intraocular pressure and the perfusion of the optic nerve head should be monitored and managed appropriately.
There is a potential risk of arterial thromboembolic events (ATEs) following use of intravitreal VEGF inhibitors, including EYLEA, defined as nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or vascular death (including deaths of unknown cause). The incidence of ATEs with EYLEA in clinical trials was low (1.8%).
Serious adverse reactions related to the injection procedure have occurred in less than 0.1% of intravitreal injections with EYLEA including endophthalmitis, traumatic cataract, and increased intraocular pressure.
The most common adverse reactions (greater than or equal to 5%) reported in patients receiving EYLEA were conjunctival hemorrhage, eye pain, cataract, vitreous detachment, vitreous floaters, and increased intraocular pressure.
Please see the full Prescribing Information for EYLEA, available online at www.regeneron.com/EYLEA-fpi.pdf.
About the EYLEA™ (aflibercept) Injection Global Collaboration
Regeneron is collaborating with Bayer HealthCare on the global development of EYLEA. Bayer submitted an application for marketing authorization in Europe for wet AMD in June 2011.
Bayer HealthCare will market EYLEA outside the United States, where the companies will share equally the profits from any future sales of EYLEA. Regeneron maintains exclusive rights to EYLEA in the United States.
About Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Regeneron is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company that discovers, invents, develops, manufactures, and commercializes medicines for the treatment of serious medical conditions. Regeneron markets two products, ARCALYST® (rilonacept) Injection For Subcutaneous Use and EYLEA™ (aflibercept) Injection. Regeneron also has completed several Phase 3 studies and is conducting an additional Phase 3 clinical trial for the product candidate ZALTRAP® (aflibercept) Concentrate for Intravenous Infusion. Additional therapeutic candidates developed from proprietary Regeneron technologies for creating fully human monoclonal antibodies are in earlier stage development programs in rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, pain, cholesterol reduction, allergic and immune conditions, and cancer. Additional information about Regeneron and recent news releases are available on the Regeneron web site at www.regeneron.com.
About Bayer HealthCare
The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare, a subgroup of Bayer AG with annual sales of EUR 16.913 billion (2010), is one of the world's leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Medical Care and Pharmaceuticals divisions. Bayer HealthCare's aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Bayer HealthCare has a global workforce of 55,700 employees (Dec 31, 2010) and is represented in more than 100 countries. Find more information at www.bayerhealthcare.com.
To learn more about wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), please visit www.bayerpharma.com/en/AMD
Regeneron Forward-Looking Statement
This news release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties relating to future events and the future performance of Regeneron, and actual events or results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. These statements concern, and these risks and uncertainties include, among others, the nature, timing, and possible success and therapeutic applications of EYLEA and Regeneron's product candidates and research and clinical programs now underway or planned, the likelihood and timing of possible regulatory approval and commercial launch of Regeneron's late-stage product candidates, determinations by regulatory and administrative governmental authorities which may delay or restrict Regeneron's ability to continue to develop or commercialize EYLEA and other products and drug candidates, competing drugs that may be superior to EYLEA and Regeneron's products and drug candidates, uncertainty of market acceptance of EYLEA and Regeneron's products and drug candidates, unanticipated expenses, the availability and cost of capital, the costs of developing, producing, and selling products, the potential for any license or collaboration agreement, including Regeneron's agreements with Sanofi and Bayer HealthCare, to be canceled or terminated without any product success, and risks associated with third party intellectual property and pending or future litigation relating thereto. A more complete description of these and other material risks can be found in Regeneron's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2011. Regeneron does not undertake any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, unless required by law.
Bayer Forward-Looking Statement
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
Your Contact at Bayer:
Doreen Schroeder, Tel. +49 30 468-11399
E-Mail: [email protected]
Your Investor Relations Contact at Regeneron:
Michael Aberman, MD., Tel. +1 (914) 847-7799
E-Mail: [email protected]
Your Media Contact at Regeneron:
Peter Dworkin, Tel. +1 (914) 847-7640
E-Mail: [email protected]
SOURCE Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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