Eiger Receives Positive CHMP Opinion for Zokinvy as a Treatment for Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome and Processing-Deficient Progeroid Laminopathies
- If authorized, Zokinvy® (lonafarnib) will be the first and only treatment approved in
Europe to treat Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome and processing-deficient progeroid laminopathies - collectively known as progeria. - CHMP based its opinion on the results of data demonstrating Zokinvy increased survival by 4.3 years in children and young adults with HGPS.
- Zokinvy was approved by the
U.S. FDA as the first and only treatment for progeria inNovember 2020 .
HGPS and PL are devastating, ultra-rare, and fatal pediatric diseases that cause dramatically accelerated aging and premature death. The main cause of death from these conditions is heart attack or stroke due to severe hardening of the arteries. Without Zokinvy treatment, children with HGPS die at an average age of 14.5 years.
The CHMP based its decision on the results of two clinical trials which showed that Zokinvy, a disease-modifying agent, lowered the risk of death in children with HGPS by 72%. Zokinvy extended life by an average of 4.3 years in children and young adults with HGPS. The science and innovation for Zokinvy spans 13 years of clinical research, including clinical trials involving almost 100 children diagnosed with progeria from 37 different countries across six continents. The
"If authorised, Zokinvy will represent the only therapeutic option that has been proven to meaningfully extend the lives of children with HGPS – with the significant effect of extending their average life span by nearly one third," said Prof.
"Today's positive opinion from the CHMP brings us one step closer to making Zokinvy available to help HGPS patients in
Based on the CHMP recommendation, a decision by the
"On behalf of the progeria community of children, families, and healthcare providers across
Zokinvy was approved in the U.S. in November 2020 to reduce the risk of death in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, and to treat processing-deficient progeroid laminopathies. It is indicated for adults and children over 12 months of age. This month,
ABOUT PROGERIA AND PROGEROID LAMINOPATHIES
Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, and progeroid laminopathies are separate and distinct ultra-rare, fatal, genetic premature aging diseases that accelerate mortality in young patients. It is estimated that there are 400 children and young adults worldwide with HGPS and 200 with PL, with approximately 20 children and young adults identified across
HGPS is caused by a point mutation in the LMNA gene, yielding the farnesylated aberrant protein, progerin. Progeroid laminopathies are genetic conditions of accelerated aging caused by a constellation of mutations in the LMNA and/or ZMPSTE24 genes yielding farnesylated proteins that are distinct from progerin.
Without Zokinvy therapy, children with HGPS commonly die of the same heart disease that affects millions of normally aging adults (arteriosclerosis), by an average age of 14.5 years. Disease manifestations include severe failure to thrive, scleroderma–like skin, global lipodystrophy, alopecia, joint contractures, skeletal dysplasia, global accelerated atherosclerosis with cardiovascular decline, and debilitating strokes.
ABOUT ZOKINVY® (LONAFARNIB)
Zokinvy blocks the accumulation of defective, permanently farnesylated proteins which form tight associations with the nuclear envelope, leading to cellular instability and premature aging in children and young adults with progeria and processing-deficient progeroid laminopathies.
Zokinvy is a first-in-class disease-modifying agent that has demonstrated a statistically significant survival benefit in children and young adults with HGPS. In clinical trials, Zokinvy reduced the incidence of mortality by 72% and increased average survival time by at least 4.3 years in patients with HGPS. The most commonly reported adverse reactions were gastrointestinal (vomiting, diarrhea, nausea), and most were mild or moderate (Grade 1 or 2) in severity. Many progeria patients have received continuous Zokinvy therapy for more than 10 years.
Eiger licensed exclusive worldwide rights to lonafarnib from Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada. Merck will not receive any milestone payments for the development of lonafarnib for the treatment of progeria and has waived royalty obligations from Eiger for a specified quantity of lonafarnib.
For more information including prescribing information for Zokinvy in the U.S. please go to www.zokinvy.com. Zokinvy is not currently approved for any indication in Europe or
In the
- To reduce the risk of mortality in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS)
- For the treatment of processing-deficient Progeroid Laminopathies with either:
- Heterozygous LMNA mutation with progerin-like protein accumulation
- Homozygous or compound heterozygous ZMPSTE24 mutations
LIMITATIONS OF USE
ZOKINVY is not indicated for use in patients with non-HGPS Progeroid Syndromes or with Progeroid Laminopathies known to be processing-proficient. Based upon its mechanism of action, ZOKINVY would not be expected to be effective in these populations.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
- Strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitors or inducers
- Midazolam
- Lovastatin, simvastatin, and atorvastatin
- The most common adverse reactions are vomiting (90%), diarrhea (81%), infection (78%), nausea (56%), decreased appetite (53%), fatigue (51%), upper respiratory tract infection (51%), abdominal pain (48%), musculoskeletal pain (48%), electrolyte abnormalities (43%), headache (37%), decreased weight (37%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (35%), myelosuppression (35%), cough (33%), decreased blood bicarbonate (33%), hypertension (29%), and increased alanine aminotransferase (27%).
GASTROINTESTINAL ADVERSE REACTIONS
- Gastrointestinal adverse reactions were the most frequently reported adverse reactions. Of the 57 patients (90%) that experienced vomiting, 30 (53%) patients had mild vomiting, 26 (46%) patients had moderate vomiting, and 1 (2%) patient had severe vomiting.
- Of the 35 patients (56%) that experienced nausea, 34 (97%) patients had mild nausea and 1 (3%) patient had moderate nausea.
- Of the 51 patients (81%) that experienced diarrhea, the majority of patients (92%) experienced mild or moderate diarrhea; 38 (75%) patients reported mild diarrhea and 9 (18%) patients reported moderate diarrhea. Four (8%) patients reported severe diarrhea.
- Loss of fluids and dehydration can be severe, leading to hospitalization. As a result, patients should receive therapy for diarrhea at the earliest signs in order to avoid possible severe complications.
ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE AND ASPARTATE AMINOTRANSFERASE ELEVATIONS
- Increased alanine aminotransferase was commonly reported (17 [27%] patients). Of the 17 patients with increased alanine aminotransferase, 14 (82%) patients had mild increases, 1 (6%) patient had moderate increases, and 2 (12%) patients had severe increases.
- Increased aspartate aminotransferase was also commonly reported (22 [35%] patients). Of the 22 patients with increased aspartate aminotransferase, 21 (95%) patients had mild increases and 1 (5%) patient had a severe increase.
HYPERTENSION
- Increases in blood pressure have been documented in patients treated with ZOKINVY. At baseline 22 (35%) patients had either a systolic blood pressure or a diastolic blood pressure or both above the 95th percentile. Over the course of the trials, 18 (29%) patients had hypertension based on systolic blood pressure or diastolic blood pressure measurements above the 95th percentile on 3 or more occasions. Five (8%) patients who were normotensive at baseline had either systolic blood pressure or diastolic blood pressure above the 95th percentile at the end of treatment.
OPHTHALMIC ADVERSE REACTIONS
- Lonafarnib caused retinal toxicity in monkeys at 3.7 times the human dose based on plasma drug exposure, but not at 2.1 times the human dose.
LABORATORY ABNORMALITIES
Some patients treated with ZOKINVY developed laboratory abnormalities. These included:
- Electrolyte abnormalities (43%), such as hyperkalemia, hypokalemia, hyponatremia, or hypercalcemia
- Myelosuppression (35%), such as reductions in absolute neutrophil count, white blood cell counts, lymphopenia, hemoglobin, or hematocrit
- Increased liver enzymes, such as aspartate aminotransferase (35%), or alanine aminotransferase (27%)
These laboratory abnormalities often improved while continuing ZOKINVY, but it is not possible to exclude ZOKINVY as a cause of the abnormalities. Periodically monitor electrolytes, complete blood counts, and liver enzymes, and manage abnormalities accordingly.
NEPHROTOXICITY
- Lonafarnib caused nephrotoxicity in rats at plasma drug exposures approximately equal to that achieved with the human dose. Monitor renal function at regular intervals during ZOKINVY therapy.
RETINAL TOXICITY
- Lonafarnib caused rod-dependent, low-light vision decline in monkeys at plasma drug exposures similar to that achieved with the human dose. Perform ophthalmological evaluation at regular intervals and at the onset of any new visual changes during ZOKINVY therapy.
IMPAIRED FERTILITY
- Lonafarnib caused impaired fertility in female rats at 1.2 times the human dose based on plasma drug exposure.
- Lonafarnib caused impaired fertility and testicular toxicity in male rats at 1.5 times the human dose based on plasma drug exposure, and toxicity in the male reproductive tract in monkeys at doses lower than the human dose based on plasma drug exposure.
ABOUT
Eiger is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative therapies to treat and cure hepatitis delta virus (HDV) and other serious diseases. The Eiger HDV platform includes two first-in-class therapies in Phase 3 that target critical host processes involved in viral replication.
All five Eiger rare disease programs have been granted FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation: lonafarnib and peginterferon lambda for HDV, Zokinvy for progeria, and avexitide for both congenital hyperinsulinism and post-bariatric hypoglycemia.
For additional information about Eiger and its clinical programs, please visit www.eigerbio.com.
ABOUT PROGERIA FAMILY CIRCLE
For more information, please visit www.progeriafamilycircle.blogspot.com.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the
CONTACTS:
Investors:
[email protected]
Media:
SVP, Corporate Affairs
[email protected]
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eiger-receives-positive-chmp-opinion-for-zokinvy-as-a-treatment-for-hutchinson-gilford-progeria-syndrome-and-processing-deficient-progeroid-laminopathies-301552018.html
SOURCE