Fitusiran, an Investigational RNAi Therapeutic Targeting Antithrombin for the Treatment of Hemophilia: Updated Results from a Phase 1 and Phase 1/2 Extension Study in Patients without Inhibitors

Margaret V. Ragni, Pencho Georgiev, Tim Mant, Michael Desmond Creagh, Toshko Lissitchkov, David Bevan, Steve Austin, C. R. M. Hay, Inga Hegemann, Rashid Kazmi,

Blood · 2016 · 24 citations · 0 references

Concepts

Abstract

Abstract Background: Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder characterized by a profound defect in the ability to generate sufficient thrombin for effective hemostasis. Fitusiran is a subcutaneously (SC) administered investigational RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic targeting the endogenous anticoagulant antithrombin (AT) as a means to improve thrombin generation and promote hemostasis in patients with hemophilia. Preliminary data from an ongoing Phase 1, four part (Part A: healthy volunteers; Parts B and C: patients with moderate to severe hemophilia A or B; Part D: patients with hemophilia A or B with inhibitors), multi-center, study showed that fitusiran was generally well tolerated and that administration of once-monthly SC doses of fitusiran led to dose-dependent AT lowering, thrombin generation increase, and decrease in bleeding frequency (Pasi KJ, et al. Haemophilia 2016, 22[Suppl 4]). The purpose of this abstract is to report the updated safety, pharmacodynamics (PD), and clinical activity of fitusiran in patients with hemophilia without inhibitors from the Phase 1 (Part C) as well as long term data from the Phase 1/2 extension study. Methods: We are conducting a multi-center Phase 1 study (NCT02035605) followed by a multi-center Phase 1/2 extension study (NCT02554773) in hemophilia A and B patients. Patients received SC administered, weekly (Part B) or once-monthly (Part C) weight-based or fixed doses of fitusiran. Primary endpoints include safety and tolerability; secondary endpoints include AT activity, thrombin generation and exploratory evaluation of bleed pattern. After receiving 3 monthly doses in the Phase 1 study, all patients were eligible to continue monthly dosing in the Phase 1/2 extension study. Standard replacement factor VIII or IX was utilized to manage any breakthrough bleeds. Results: Previously reported safety data demonstrated that fitusiran was generally well tolerated in hemophilia A or B patients without inhibitors (Phase 1, Parts B and C) and that there were no serious adverse events related to study drug and no thromboembolic events. In Phase 1, Part C, patients initially received weight-based doses ranging from 225 to 1800mcg/kg or a fixed dose of 80mg. Fitusiran dosing resulted in dose-dependent lowering of AT with a mean maximal AT lowering of 87 ± 1% at the 80mg fixed dose and mean thrombin generation increase of 289% relative to baseline with AT lowering >75%. Exploratory analysis of bleed events (Phase 1, Part C) showed a median annualized bleeding rate (ABR) of zero during the defined observation period. As of July 2016, a total of 25 non-inhibitor patients have been enrolled in the entire Phase 1 study and 16 of these patients have entered the ongoing Phase 1/2 extension study. All patients who enrolled in the Phase 1/2 extension study transitioned to a fixed monthly fitusiran dose of 50mg or 80mg. Updated safety, tolerability and clinical activity among all non-inhibitor patients will be presented. Conclusions: Emerging clinical data suggest that targeting AT is generally safe and could be a promising approach for promoting hemostasis in hemophilia. The potential for low volume SC administration, monthly dosing, and applicability to patients with hemophilia A and B with and without inhibitors make fitusiran a potentially encouraging investigational therapy. Disclosures Ragni: Tacere Benitec: Consultancy; Shire: Consultancy; Novo Nordisk: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; CSL Behring: Research Funding; Biomarin: Consultancy; Biogen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Baxalta: Research Funding; Alnylam Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding; OPKO: Research Funding; Vascular Medicine Institute: Research Funding; SPARK: Research Funding. Georgiev:Alnylam Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy. Chowdary:Sobi: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novo Nordisk: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; CSL Behring: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Biogen: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Baxalta: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bayer: Honoraria. Rangarajan:Novo Nordisk: Research Funding; Baxter: Research Funding; Baxalta, now part of Shire: Other: Investigator Clinical Studies, Research Funding; Biogen: Consultancy; Biotest: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Grifols: Consultancy, Research Funding. Soh:Alnylam Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Akinc:Alnylam Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Partisano:Alnylam: Employment, Equity Ownership. Sorenson:Alnylam Pharmaceuticals: Employment, Equity Ownership. Pasi:Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria; Octapharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; SOBI: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genzyme: Consultancy, Honoraria; Biogen: Consultancy, Honoraria.