REGENXBIO Reports Second Quarter 2018 Financial and Operating Results and Interim Data from Ongoing Clinical Trials for Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia
"We are very encouraged by the positive interim data for RGX-314 and the potential of NAV gene therapy as a one-time treatment for wet AMD, particularly as this is a non-rare patient population with a significant treatment burden," said
Interim Phase I Trial Update for RGX-314 for the Treatment of Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration
- Well-tolerated at all doses
- Dose-dependent protein expression levels
- Dose-dependent reduction in anti-VEGF injections, along with maintenance of retinal thickness and vision
- 50% of subjects treated in Cohort 3 are free of anti-VEGF injections at six months
- Company plans to proceed to Phase II clinical trial as soon as possible
- Current clinical trial expanded to include new Cohort 4 dose and the first subject has been dosed
- Additional data expected to be presented at AAO in
October 2018
In the Phase I trial, 18 subjects with wet AMD received a single administration of RGX-314 across three dose cohorts (six participants in each cohort). To qualify for inclusion in the trial, participants were required to have a history of frequent anti-VEGF treatment (including at least four anti-VEGF injections in the eight months preceding trial enrollment) and a documented history of response to anti-VEGF therapy. The trial design included doses of 3 x 10^9 (Cohort 1), 1 x 10^10 (Cohort 2) and 6 x 10^10 (Cohort 3) genome copies (GC)/eye. Subjects have been assessed every month to the six-month primary endpoint, with long-term follow-up continuing for 24 months.
The interim data update announced today includes safety and efficacy assessments as of July 27, 2018, and subjects have been followed for an average of 11 months for Cohort 1, nine months for Cohort 2 and six months for Cohort 3. Dose-dependent protein expression levels, dose-dependent reduction in anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections and maintenance of central retinal thickness (CRT) by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) have been reported across all cohorts. Additionally, through month six, Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) assessments for subjects in Cohort 3 have a mean improvement in visual acuity. Three subjects from Cohort 3 have been free of anti-VEGF injections since the administration of RGX-314.
The interim data for each cohort are summarized below based on data through
Safety
RGX-314 was well-tolerated by all subjects with no reported drug-related adverse events (AEs) or drug-related serious adverse events (SAEs). The most common AEs in all dose cohorts were assessed as mild (Grade 1, 83 percent), and there have been no observed immune responses, drug-related ocular inflammation or any post-surgical inflammation beyond what is expected following routine vitrectomy. Five SAEs that were not drug-related were reported among three subjects.1
Intraocular Protein Levels
RGX-314 protein expression has been detected in all subjects treated to date. Dose-dependent increases in RGX-314 protein expression levels, as measured from aqueous samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Protein Levels) at approximately one month after administration of RGX-314, have been observed (see Table 1).
Table 1: RGX-314 Protein Levels (ng/ml) of All Doses at One Month (N=18) |
|||
Dose |
Cohort 1 |
Cohort 2 |
Cohort 3 |
N |
6 |
6 |
6 |
Mean Protein |
2.4 |
12.8 |
160.2 |
Median Protein |
1.2 |
9.3 |
93.1 |
Anti-VEGF Injection Rate
Subjects in the study had received on average more than 35 anti-VEGF injections since diagnosis. The number of anti-VEGF injections required following the administration of RGX-314 through six months was lowest in Cohort 3 (see Table 2). We compared the number of anti-VEGF injections each subject had received during the six months prior to their most recent anti-VEGF injection preceding their enrollment in the study to the number of anti-VEGF injections received in the six months following RGX-314 administration to understand how the frequency of anti-VEGF injections changed among subjects within each cohort. In Cohort 3, the mean number of anti-VEGF injections received following RGX-314 administration was reduced by 53 percent when compared to this prior history (see Table 2). Additionally, 50 percent of subjects treated in Cohort 3 have been free of anti-VEGF injections since the administration of RGX-314.
Table 2: Summary and Comparison of Mean Anti-VEGF Injections (N=18) |
||||
Before RGX-314 |
After RGX-314 |
|||
Dose |
N |
Mean (median, SD) |
Mean (median, SD) |
Percent Change in |
Cohort 1 |
6*** |
3.3 (3.0, 0.8) |
4.7 (4.5, 1.2) |
+40 |
Cohort 2 |
6 |
4.2 (4.0, 0.8) |
3.8 (5.0, 2.6) |
-8 |
Cohort 3 |
6 |
2.8 (2.5, 1.0) |
1.3 (1.0, 1.6) |
-53 |
* Number of anti-VEGF injections reported between a day before the first anti-VEGF injection preceding Day 1 visit and six months prior. |
||||
** Number of anti-VEGF injections reported between RGX-314 administration date and six-month visit. |
||||
*** One subject in Cohort 1 discontinued from the study at four months with four injections and was imputed as requiring six injections through six months. |
Retinal Thickness
Maintenance of CRT, as measured by SD-OCT, from baseline to six months has been observed in the three dosing cohorts. In Cohort 3, the mean CRT decreased by -14 µm from baseline to six months (see Table 3), with this cohort also receiving fewer anti-VEGF injections on average than Cohorts 1 and 2.
Table 3: Change from Baseline in Mean CRT at Six Months (N=17) |
|||
Dose |
Cohort 1 |
Cohort 2 |
Cohort 3 |
N |
5* |
6 |
6 |
Mean Change in CRT (µm) |
-14 |
+26 |
-14 |
Median Change in CRT (µm) |
+22 |
+23 |
-16 |
Range (low, high) |
(-181, +92) |
(-7, +62) |
(-27, +7) |
* One subject in Cohort 1 discontinued from the study at four months. |
Best Corrected Visual Acuity
BCVA (as measured by Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters) from baseline to six months was maintained across all cohorts. Subjects in Cohort 3 experienced a mean gain of +8 ETDRS letters (see Table 4), with this cohort also receiving fewer anti-VEGF injections on average than Cohorts 1 and 2.
Table 4: Change from Baseline in Mean BCVA (ETDRS Letters) at Six Months (N=17) |
|||
Dose |
Cohort 1 |
Cohort 2 |
Cohort 3 |
N |
5* |
6 |
6 |
Mean Change in BCVA |
-2 |
+7 |
+8 |
Median in BCVA |
-3 |
+9 |
+4 |
Range (low, high) |
(-8, +10) |
(-4, +15) |
(0, +21) |
* One subject in Cohort 1 discontinued from the study at four months. |
Summary of Cohort 3
Positive signals from clinical measures in Cohort 3 at six months indicate that this may be a clinically meaningful dose, which
Through six months, 50 percent of subjects treated from Cohort 3 were free of anti-VEGF intravitreal injections and have evidence of clinically meaningful measures in mean CRT (-21 μm) and mean BCVA (+8 ETDRS letters) at six months versus baseline and generally higher Protein Levels, as measured at one month.
"This is the first reported wet AMD gene therapy study to detect intraocular protein being made in the eyes of all subjects. I am encouraged by the dose-dependent increases in protein and biological effect seen in the study that correlated with signals of efficacy," said Dr.
"This study enrolled the hardest to treat wet AMD patients and the promising signals of safety and efficacy released today indicate the potential of a gene therapy to maintain the outcomes of frequent anti-VEGF injections with a one-time intervention," said Dr.
Phase I Trial Dose Expansion
Based on RGX-314 being well-tolerated and the dose-dependent effects observed on protein expression, reductions in anti-VEGF injections and improvements in visual acuity,
Additionally, an independent Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) granted clearance to proceed to dosing a fourth cohort based on their assessment of the safety and tolerability data of the first three cohorts. Based on this clearance, the first subject in Cohort 4 was dosed this week.
Phase II Study and Regulatory Status
"We are encouraged by the positive signals we are seeing in Cohort 3 in these hard-to-treat wet AMD subjects with long-standing disease. We are excited to have initiated dosing at a higher dose in Cohort 4 to further evaluate the dose response and look forward to starting a Phase II trial next year," said Dr.
Manufacturing
All investigational drug product required to complete dosing of the Phase I clinical trial has been produced and released, inclusive of investigational drug product to support dosing of subjects in Cohort 4. Manufacturing of Phase II product in support of the continuing clinical development program is on track, with bulk drug successfully produced.
Interim Phase I/II Trial Update for RGX-501 for the Treatment of Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia
- Transaminase elevations observed in Cohort II
- Administration of steroid appears to mitigate transaminase elevations and related effects
- Clinical trial protocol expected to be amended to enroll additional subjects using steroid prophylaxis
- Additional data expected to be presented in oral presentation in the fourth quarter of 2018
In the Phase I/II trial, a total of six subjects with HoFH received a single administration of RGX-501 across two dose cohorts (three participants in each) at doses of 2.5 x 10^12 (Cohort I) and 7.5 x 10^12 (Cohort II) GC/kg body weight, respectively.
The interim data update announced today includes safety and efficacy assessments as of
Safety
As of
All three subjects in Cohort II experienced an elevation in transaminases 4-6 weeks post-dosing. The peak ALTs were 165, 388 and 1469 IU/L in the three subjects. All three subjects were asymptomatic and responded rapidly to the initiation of prednisone followed by a slow taper, with normalization of the transaminases.
Transaminase elevations have been observed in other AAV-mediated gene transfer trials (e.g., hemophilia) and were attributed to a T-cell response. In these trials, transgene expression was preserved by the administration of steroids after mild to moderate increases in transaminases and contributed to sustained transgene expression. Similarly, a T-cell response may be the cause of the transaminase elevations observed in the three subjects in Cohort II of the RGX-501 trial.
LDL-C Levels
At 12 weeks, the three subjects in Cohort I did not show a clinically meaningful change in LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) levels.
Plans for Phase I/II Trial Protocol Amendment and Dose Expansion
After review of the interim data from both cohorts with an independent DSMB, a protocol amendment is expected to be submitted to regulatory agencies that includes changes such as introduction of steroid prophylaxis and the primary evaluation of LDL-C at a later time point, such as 26 weeks, to ensure that steroid therapy has been discontinued. Based on the protocol amendment,
Manufacturing
Other Recent Operational Highlights
Subject recruitment has started in the Phase I clinical trial evaluating RGX-111 for the treatment of Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I (MPS I). Dosing of the first subject in the clinical trial is now expected in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Subject recruitment has started in the Phase I/II clinical trial evaluating RGX-121 for the treatment of Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II (MPS II). Dosing of the first subject in the clinical trial is now expected in the fourth quarter of 2018.
- In
May 2018 ,Novartis AG announced the closing of its$8.7 billion acquisition ofAveXis, Inc. As a result of the change of control of AveXis,REGENXBIO received accelerated license payments of$100 million . - In
July 2018 ,Novartis announced that after a successful second quarter 2018 pre-Biologics License Application (BLA) meeting with theFDA , it remained on track to file the BLA for AVXS-101 in the third quarter of 2018. The Phase I data in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type 1 will be the basis for the BLA submission with some data from the on-going Phase III STR1VE study. AVXS-101 uses the NAV AAV9 vector. - In
July 2018 ,Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. announced that the first subject was dosed in the Phase I/II clinical trial for DTX401 for the treatment of glycogen storage disease type 1a. DTX401 uses the NAV AAV8 vector. - In
August 2018 ,Audentes Therapeutics announced an update to its positive interim data from its Phase I/II clinical trial for AT132 for the treatment of X-linked myotubular myopathy and that it expects to proceed with dose escalation per protocol in the coming weeks. AT132 uses the NAV AAV8 vector. - In
August 2018 ,Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical announced that the IND for DTX201 for the treatment of Hemophilia A, which is being developed in partnership withBayer AG , is active. DTX201 uses the NAV AAVhu37 vector.
"We are pleased to enhance and expand our capabilities with the appointment of Dr. Ram Palanki as Senior Vice President of Commercial Strategy and Operations. We also expect several key developments in the second half of the year, including presenting data from our ongoing HoFH study, providing additional clarity on the development path for the RGX-501 program and initiating dosing in our first clinical trials in RGX-111 for MPS I and RGX-121 for MPS II," said Mr. Mills.
Financial Results
Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were
Revenues were
Research and development expenses were
General and administrative expenses were
Net income was
Financial Guidance
Based on its current operating plan,
Conference Call and Webcast Information
In connection with this announcement,
About
About RGX-314
RGX-314 is being developed as a one-time subretinal treatment for wet AMD. It includes the NAV AAV8 vector encoding an antibody fragment which inhibits VEGF, modifying the pathway for formation of new leaky blood vessels which lead to retinal fluid accumulation and vision loss. In preclinical animal models with conditions similar to macular degeneration, significant and dose-dependent reduction of blood vessel growth and prevention of disease progression was observed after a single subretinal dose of RGX-314.
About Wet AMD
Wet AMD is characterized by loss of vision due to new leaky blood vessel formation in the retina. This results in fluid leakage that can manifest in physical changes in the structure of the retina and loss of vision. Wet AMD is a significant cause of vision loss in
Current anti-VEGF therapies have significantly changed the landscape for treatment of wet AMD, becoming the standard of care due to their ability to improve vision and retinal fluid in the majority of patients. These therapies, however, require repetitive and inconvenient intraocular injections, typically ranging from every four to eight weeks in frequency, to maintain efficacy. Patients often experience a decline in the initial vision gain from therapy with reduced frequency of treatment over time.
About RGX-501
RGX-501 is being developed as a novel, one-time intravenous treatment for HoFH. RGX-501 is designed to use the NAV AAV8 vector to deliver a functional copy of the LDLR gene to liver cells. This may enable liver cells to make the LDLR protein they need to process elevated levels of LDL-C. The liver is a preferred target for HoFH gene therapy as it is the most important organ for expressing LDLRs, and contributes to greater than 90 percent of the capture and breakdown of LDL-C. RGX-501 has received orphan drug product designation from the
About HoFH
HoFH occurs when people inherit an abnormal copy of the LDLR gene from each of their parents. Individuals with HoFH have very low levels of – or are completely missing – LDLR, resulting in high levels of LDL-C in the blood. High levels of LDL-C (or "bad" cholesterol) are associated with premature and aggressive buildup of plaque in arteries, life-threatening coronary artery disease and an increase in the risk of a heart attack or stroke. If untreated, individuals with HoFH can suffer serious cardiac events before the age of 30. Current treatments do not provide a cure and may not lower cholesterol to optimal levels.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements express a belief, expectation or intention and are generally accompanied by words that convey projected future events or outcomes such as "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "design," "intend," "expect," "could," "plan," "potential," "predict," "seek," "should," "would" or by variations of such words or by similar expressions. The forward-looking statements include statements relating to, among other things,
1 Three SAEs are attributed to one subject in Cohort 1 and the events were assessed as not related to RGX-314. Five months after the administration of RGX-314, this subject was hospitalized after developing symptoms related to a pre-existing condition that led to the subject's death. One SAE was a procedure-related peripheral retinal detachment that occurred, was repaired with a scleral buckle and resolved without significant sequelae. The other SAE was assessed as mild in severity with no relationship to RGX-314.
REGENXBIO INC. |
||||||||
June 30, 2018 |
December 31, 2017 |
|||||||
Assets |
||||||||
Current assets |
||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ |
106,889 |
$ |
46,656 |
||||
Marketable securities |
179,605 |
114,122 |
||||||
Accounts receivable |
739 |
473 |
||||||
Prepaid expenses |
3,690 |
5,334 |
||||||
Other current assets |
2,347 |
1,412 |
||||||
Total current assets |
293,270 |
167,997 |
||||||
Marketable securities |
19,795 |
15,616 |
||||||
Accounts receivable |
4,485 |
— |
||||||
Property and equipment, net |
16,698 |
13,977 |
||||||
Restricted cash |
225 |
225 |
||||||
Other assets |
1,514 |
862 |
||||||
Total assets |
$ |
335,987 |
$ |
198,677 |
||||
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity |
||||||||
Current liabilities |
||||||||
Accounts payable |
$ |
4,230 |
$ |
4,832 |
||||
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities |
12,023 |
9,605 |
||||||
Deferred revenue |
600 |
— |
||||||
Total current liabilities |
16,853 |
14,437 |
||||||
Deferred rent, net of current portion |
1,192 |
1,211 |
||||||
Other liabilities |
720 |
— |
||||||
Total liabilities |
18,765 |
15,648 |
||||||
Stockholders' equity |
||||||||
Preferred stock; $0.0001 par value; 10,000 shares authorized, |
— |
— |
||||||
Common stock; $0.0001 par value; 100,000 shares authorized |
3 |
3 |
||||||
Additional paid-in capital |
386,110 |
371,497 |
||||||
Accumulated other comprehensive loss |
(771) |
(715) |
||||||
Accumulated deficit |
(68,120) |
(187,756) |
||||||
Total stockholders' equity |
317,222 |
183,029 |
||||||
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity |
$ |
335,987 |
$ |
198,677 |
REGENXBIO INC. |
||||||||||||||||
Three Months Ended June 30, |
Six Months Ended June 30, |
|||||||||||||||
2018 |
2017 |
2018 |
2017 |
|||||||||||||
Revenues |
||||||||||||||||
License revenue |
$ |
40,031 |
$ |
6,555 |
$ |
172,422 |
$ |
7,010 |
||||||||
Other revenues |
— |
7 |
— |
7 |
||||||||||||
Total revenues |
40,031 |
6,562 |
172,422 |
7,017 |
||||||||||||
Expenses |
||||||||||||||||
Costs of revenues |
||||||||||||||||
Licensing costs |
3,872 |
1,311 |
6,280 |
1,402 |
||||||||||||
Other |
— |
6 |
— |
6 |
||||||||||||
Research and development |
21,486 |
13,917 |
41,036 |
30,536 |
||||||||||||
General and administrative |
8,318 |
6,355 |
16,698 |
12,977 |
||||||||||||
Other operating expenses |
5 |
29 |
33 |
74 |
||||||||||||
Total operating expenses |
33,681 |
21,618 |
64,047 |
44,995 |
||||||||||||
Income (loss) from operations |
6,350 |
(15,056) |
108,375 |
(37,978) |
||||||||||||
Other Income |
||||||||||||||||
Interest income from licensing |
6,898 |
— |
8,253 |
— |
||||||||||||
Investment income |
1,196 |
583 |
2,055 |
1,512 |
||||||||||||
Total other income |
8,094 |
583 |
10,308 |
1,512 |
||||||||||||
Income (loss) before income taxes |
14,444 |
(14,473) |
118,683 |
(36,466) |
||||||||||||
Income Tax Expense |
(3,850) |
— |
(3,850) |
— |
||||||||||||
Net income (loss) |
$ |
10,594 |
$ |
(14,473) |
$ |
114,833 |
$ |
(36,466) |
||||||||
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) |
||||||||||||||||
Unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities, |
132 |
(74) |
(56) |
(613) |
||||||||||||
Total other comprehensive income (loss) |
132 |
(74) |
(56) |
(613) |
||||||||||||
Comprehensive income (loss) |
$ |
10,726 |
$ |
(14,547) |
$ |
114,777 |
$ |
(37,079) |
||||||||
Net income (loss) applicable to common stockholders |
$ |
10,594 |
$ |
(14,473) |
$ |
114,833 |
$ |
(36,466) |
||||||||
Net income (loss) per share: |
||||||||||||||||
Basic |
$ |
0.33 |
$ |
(0.47) |
$ |
3.60 |
$ |
(1.27) |
||||||||
Diluted |
$ |
0.30 |
$ |
(0.47) |
$ |
3.29 |
$ |
(1.27) |
||||||||
Weighted-average common shares outstanding: |
||||||||||||||||
Basic |
32,082 |
30,662 |
31,858 |
28,678 |
||||||||||||
Diluted |
35,272 |
30,662 |
34,884 |
28,678 |
CONTACT:
Investors
natalie@argotpartners.com
Media
apawluk@jpa.com
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