CHMP Recommends Evrysdi® for Babies Under Two Months Old with Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Following ratification by the European Commission, Evrysdi will be available to treat all spinal muscular atrophy patients, including babies from birth -
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J., July 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTCT) today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion for the extension of the Evrysdi® (risdiplam) marketing authorization to include infants under two months of age in the European Union (EU). A final decision regarding the approval is expected from the European Commission later this year.
"The CHMP opinion represents another important milestone in the development of Evrysdi," said Matthew B. Klein, M.D., Chief Executive Officer, PTC Therapeutics. "Presymptomatic babies are an important patient group that deserve access to oral, at-home administered treatments early in the disease."
The CHMP opinion is based on the RAINBOWFISH interim analysis (n=18), which included six babies with two or three copies of the SMN2 gene who completed at least one year of study assessments. Of these, 100% (6/6) were able to sit after one year of treatment with Evrysdi, 67% (4/6) could stand and 50% (3/6) could walk independently. All infants were alive at 12 months without permanent ventilation.
Evrysdi was based on PTC's splicing platform. Evrysdi is marketed by Roche and in the United States by Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. Roche leads the clinical development of Evrysdi as part of a collaboration with the SMA Foundation and PTC Therapeutics.
About Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a severe, progressive neuromuscular disease that can be fatal. It affects approximately 1 in 10,000 babies and when untreated is the leading genetic cause of infant mortality. SMA is caused by a mutation of the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene, which leads to a deficiency of SMN protein. This protein is found throughout the body and is essential to the function of nerves that control muscles and movement. Without it, nerve cells cannot function correctly, leading to progressive muscle weakness over time. Depending on the type of SMA, an individual's physical strength and their ability to walk, eat or breathe can be significantly diminished or lost.
About Evrysdi® (risdiplam)
Evrysdi is a survival motor neuron 2 (SMN2)-directed RNA splicing modifier designed to treat SMA caused by mutations in chromosome 5q that lead to SMN protein deficiency. Evrysdi is designed to distribute evenly to all parts of the body, including the central nervous system (CNS), and it is administered daily at home in liquid form by mouth or feeding tube.
Evrysdi is designed to treat SMA by increasing and sustaining the production of the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral tissues. SMN protein is found throughout the body and is critical for maintaining healthy motor neurons and movement.
Evrysdi was granted PRIME designation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2018 and Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA in 2017. In 2021, Evrysdi was awarded Drug Discovery of the Year by the British Pharmacological Society, as well as the Society for Medicines Research Award for Drug Discovery. Evrysdi is currently approved in 100 countries. Evrysdi is marketed in the United States by Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, and marketed in rest of world by Roche.
About RAINBOWFISH
RAINBOWFISH (NCT03779334) is an open-label, single-arm, multicenter study, investigating the efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of Evrysdi in babies (~n=25), from birth to six weeks of age (at first dose) with genetically diagnosed SMA who are not yet presenting with symptoms. The study is fully enrolled.
About PTC Therapeutics, Inc.
PTC is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of clinically differentiated medicines that provide benefits to patients with rare disorders. PTC's ability to innovate to identify new therapies and to globally commercialize products is the foundation that drives investment in a robust and diversified pipeline of transformative medicines. PTC's mission is to provide access to best-in-class treatments for patients who have little to no treatment options. PTC's strategy is to leverage its strong scientific and clinical expertise and global commercial infrastructure to bring therapies to patients. PTC believes this allows it to maximize value for all its stakeholders. To learn more about PTC, please visit us at www.ptcbio.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter at @PTCBio.
For More Information:
Investors:
Kylie O'Keefe
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kokeefe@ptcbio.com
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Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this release, other than statements of historic fact, are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding: advancement of PTC's joint collaboration program in SMA, including the commercialization of any products therein or royalty or milestone payments; the future expectations, plans and prospects for PTC, including with respect to the expected timing of clinical trials and studies, availability of data, regulatory submissions and responses, licensing or commercialization of its products and products candidates and other matters; PTC's strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs; and the objectives of management. Other forward-looking statements may be identified by the words, "guidance", "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "target," "potential," "will," "would," "could," "should," "continue," and similar expressions.
PTC's actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements it makes as a result of a variety of risks and uncertainties, including those related to: the outcome of pricing, coverage and reimbursement negotiations with third party payors for PTC's products or product candidates that PTC commercializes or may commercialize in the future; expectations with respect to the commercialization of Evrysdi under our SMA collaboration; significant business effects, including the effects of industry, market, economic, political or regulatory conditions; changes in tax and other laws, regulations, rates and policies; the eligible patient base and commercial potential of PTC's products and product candidates; PTC's scientific approach and general development progress; and the factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of PTC's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as any updates to these risk factors filed from time to time in PTC's other filings with the SEC. You are urged to carefully consider all such factors.
As with any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products. There are no guarantees that any product will receive or maintain regulatory approval in any territory, or prove to be commercially successful, including Evrysdi.
The forward-looking statements contained herein represent PTC's views only as of the date of this press release and PTC does not undertake or plan to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in plans, prospects, assumptions, estimates or projections, or other circumstances occurring after the date of this press release except as required by law.
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SOURCE PTC Therapeutics, Inc.
