Vaso-occlusive crisis

PRESS RELEASE AB SCIENCE RECEIVES NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE FOR EUROPEAN PATENT COVERING MASITINIB UNTIL 2040 IN THE TREATMENT OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE THIS DECISION FURTHER STRENGTHENS MASITINIB’S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ADDING ONE MORE INDICATION WITH LONG TERM PROTECTION MASITINIB IS IN PHASE 2 IN SICKLE CELL DISEASE Paris, October 28, 2024, 5.45pm CET AB Science SA (Euronext - FR0010557264 - AB) today announced that the European Patent Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for a patent relating to methods of treating sickle cell disease (i.e. a medical use patent) with its lead compound masitinib, based on preclinical data. This new European patent provides intellectual property protection for masitinib in this indication until November 2040. Professor Olivier Hermine, President of the AB Science Scientific Committee and member of the French Academy of Sciences and Head of Hematology Department at Necker Hospital commented: “Masitinib represents a promising novel strategy for treating sickle cell disease and its serious complication of acute chest syndrome, which can lead to the development of chronic lung disease and is a common cause of hospitalization or even death. There is an increasing need in sickle cell disease with several new drugs being retrieved from market for lack of efficacy or toxicity; however, unlike masitinib, none of these drugs target mast cells”. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders, with masitinib being developed to treat the severest forms of the disease, accounting for about 65% of SCD. Severe SCD represents a major public health challenge and leads to early death. Treatment for SCD can be curative based on gene therapy (targets the HbS mutation), however, such an option remains extremely limited due to scarcity of donors, unresolved safety challenges, and very high costs. Standard treatment for SCD includes ​​red blood cell transfusions and treatment with hydroxyurea to manage complications, but significant unmet need remains. Mast cells, a major target for masitinib, appear to play a critical role for the severe forms of SCD and its complications, such as vaso-occlusive crises (VOC), acute chest syndrome (ACS), and pain [1-2]. Masitinib has demonstrated survival benefit in an SCD mouse model: all control SCD mice experienced VOC and 83% died in the first 3 hours, whereas SCD mice pretreated with masitinib for 4 days, experienced no VOCs and no death. Furthermore, lung histology and immune immunohistochemistry showed that masitinib protects from acute lung injuries and mast cell infiltration in an SCD mouse model. Masitinib clinical development in SCD is being conducted as part of the SICKMAST collaborative program, funded with 9.2 million euros [3], which aims to demonstrate in a phase 2 clinical trial the efficacy of masitinib in the treatment of acute and chronic complications of SCD in patients identified based on biomarkers. The Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) will be the promoter of these phase 2 studies. AB Science will mainly be involved in supplying masitinib and monitoring masitinib pharmacovigilance data. AB Science remains free to carry out, as it sees fit, any potential phase 3 development following the success of phase 2. Sickle cell disease Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an autosomal recessive disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. Although life expectancy has increased over the last 20 years, acute and chronic complications still result in comorbidities, high social burden and premature death at around 40 years. Approximately 1.1% of couples worldwide are at risk of having a child with a hemoglobin disorder (sickle cell disease or thalassemia), and 2.3 conceptions per 1,000 are affected by sickle cell disease. Estimates suggest that each year, around 300,000 children are born with sickle cell disease, and this number could reach 400,000 by 2050 [4]. Sickle cell disease affects over 100,000 children and adults in the United States. In France, approximately 26,000 patients are affected (50% children, 50% adults). Rationale for the use of masitinib in this indication Inflammation mediated by innate immune cells and promoting vaso-occlusion has recently been shown to play a major role in sickle cell disease. In particular, our clinical observations and experimental work in mice, have revealed the involvement of mast cells and basophils in complications associated with sickle cell disease: The degree of mast cell activation in patients with sickle cell disease may contribute to the heterogeneity of inflammation and chronic and acute complications.The potential role of basophils in sickle cell disease has not been studied, however, given their role in various diseases and their ability to release substance P and histamine, they could also play important roles in the pathophysiology of sickle cell disease. Masitinib is an inhibitor of KIT, LYN, and FYN, three major kinases involved in the activation of mast cells and basophils. Medical need The classic view of sickle cell disease pathophysiology involves polymerization of mutated hemoglobin (HbS) leading to red blood cell (RBC) sickling with subsequent hemolytic anemia, painful vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) and acute chest syndrome (ACS). Current treatment options such as hydroxycarbamide, chronic transfusion or anti-P-selectin antibodies, do not fully prevent life-threatening acute and chronic complications of sickle cell disease. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation and gene therapy are available only for a minority of patients, are associated with toxicity and are very expensive, which limits their use. There is a significant medical need to prevent the acute and chronic complications of sickle cell disease. References [1] Allali S, Lionnet F, Mattioni S, et al. Br J Haematol. 2019;186(1):125-129. [2] Allali S, Maciel TT, Hermine O, de Montalembert M. Haematologica. 2020;105(2):273-283. [3] AB Science Press Release, 27th November 2023. https://www.ab-science.com/the-clinical-development-of-masitinib-in-sickle-cell-disease-is-among-the-19-winning-projects-under-the-sixth-call-for-hospital-inuversity-research-in-health-rhu/ [4] Piel FB, Steinberg MH, Rees DC. Sickle Cell Disease. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(16):1561-1573. About AB Science Founded in 2001, AB Science is a pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and commercialization of protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs), a class of targeted proteins whose action are key in signaling pathways within cells. Our programs target only diseases with high unmet medical needs, often lethal with short term survival or rare or refractory to previous line of treatment. AB Science has developed a proprietary portfolio of molecules and the Company’s lead compound, masitinib, has already been registered for veterinary medicine and is developed in human medicine in oncology, neurological diseases, inflammatory diseases and viral diseases. The company is headquartered in Paris, France, and listed on Euronext Paris (ticker: AB). Further information is available on AB Science’s website: www.ab-science.com. Forward-looking Statements - AB Science This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates as well as the assumptions on which they are based, statements based on projects, objectives, intentions and expectations regarding financial results, events, operations, future services, product development and their potential or future performance. These forward-looking statements can often be identified by the words "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate" or "plan" as well as other similar terms. While AB Science believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of AB Science and which may imply that results and actual events significantly differ from those expressed, induced or anticipated in the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include the uncertainties related to product development of the Company which may not be successful or to the marketing authorizations granted by competent authorities or, more generally, any factors that may affect marketing capacity of the products developed by AB Science, as well as those developed or identified in the public documents published by AB Science. AB Science disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update the forward-looking information and statements, subject to the applicable regulations, in particular articles 223-1 et seq. of the AMF General Regulations. For additional information, please contact: AB Science Financial Communication & Media Relations investors@ab-science.com Attachment Sickle Cell Patent EPO vENG VF

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kind Pharmaceutical ("Hangzhou Andao Pharmaceutical Ltd. and Kind Pharmaceuticals LLC"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative medicines to treat hematological diseases and cancers, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Orphan Products Development has granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) to AND017 in the treatment of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). AND017 is being developed to treat various anemia indications associated with diseases including non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease (NDD-CKD) and dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (DD-CKD). The results for AND017's phase 1 in healthy subjects and phase 2 clinical trials in treatment of anemia in NDD-CKD and anemia in DD-CKD are currently being presented at the annual meeting of American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week in San Diego. The preclinical work supporting AND017's ODD in SCD will be presented in future scientific meeting and subsequently published in a scientific journal. Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a devasting genetic disease with US patient population around 120,000; SCD disproportionally affects Black and African Americans, comprising more than 98% of patients living with this disease. "The FDA's granting of ODD for AND017 underscores the urgent medical need for new therapies, particularly oral drugs to safely and effectively treat patients with SCD," said Dong Liu, Ph.D., Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Kind Pharmaceutical. "The granting of ODD also demonstrates the innovation capability and the vision of Kind Pharmaceutical." "Hydroxyurea and L-glutamine are the limited FDA-approved oral treatments for SCD, AND017 from Kind Pharmaceutical might not only provide a novel oral treatment with unique mechanism of action, but also an obvious better safety and efficacy profile." said Prof. Gang Huang at UT Health San Antonio, Kathryn Mays Johnson Distinguished Chair in Oncology, who is an expert in studies of hematology and various blood diseases, and involved in the preclinical studies of AND017 in SCD. "I am eager to see how a compound with such unbelievable preclinical safety and efficacy data will translate to real world SCD patients." FDA Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) is granted to a drug or biological product to prevent, diagnose or treat a rare disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. ODD qualifies KIND for incentives including tax credit for qualified clinical trials, exemption from user fees, and potential seven years of market exclusivity after AND017's approval for treatment of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). About Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) affects around 120,000 patients in US and more than 8,000,000 worldwide. As a genetic disease with a single amino acid mutation in the β-globin of mature adult hemoglobin, the hemoglobin molecules of in the red blood cells (RBCs) of SCD patients are prone to aggregate in the tissue after the dissociation of oxygen molecules, which would cause the RBCs sickling in the blood stream and eventually lead to hemolysis and occlusion of capillaries; therefore the hallmarks of SCD are hemolytic anemia and vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs); and SCD causes multiorgan failure and premature death. About AND017 AND017 is a first-in-class hemoglobin elevating agent (HbEA) that targets multiple stages of the red blood cell (RBC) life cycle and is being developed to treat anemia associated with dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (DD-CKD), non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease (NDD-CKD), cancer-related anemia (CRA), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) anemia, sickle cell disease (SCD), and β-thalassemia. About Kind Pharmaceutical ("Hangzhou Andao Pharmaceutical Ltd. and Kind Pharmaceuticals LLC") KIND is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative medicines to treat hematological diseases and cancers. The company's mission, "kind to human, humble to science, good to patients", drives its commitment to advancing current science to meet unmet medical need. KIND's lead clinical candidate, AND017, first-in-class hemoglobin elevating agent (HbEA), is being developed for treating anemia of various disorders, including dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease (DD-CKD) associated anemia, non-dialysis dependent (NDD) CKD associated anemia, cancer related anemia (CRA), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) anemia, sickle cell disease (SCD), and β-thalassemia. KIND's second clinical candidate, AND019, an orally available brain penetrant selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD), is being developed to treat ER+/Her2- breast cancer. KIND is also developing promising disruptive next generation ADC technologies. For details, please visit . Contact: Dong Liu, PhD, Chairman and CEO of Kind Pharmaceutical Email: [email protected] Tel: 650-315 6151 SOURCE KInd Pharmaceuticals WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

iStock/ YuLi4ka In the wake of Pfizer’s voluntary market withdrawal of the popular sickle cell disease therapy, BioSpace looks at five investigational drugs currently making their way through the pipeline. A recent fumble has left the sickle cell disease community reeling . Last month, Pfizer abruptly pulled Oxbryta from all global markets after new data showed a higher risk of deaths and complications in treated patients. “[Oxbryta] was one of four medications which we would describe as disease-modifying,” Clifford Takemoto, director of clinical hematology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, told BioSpace . Since the approval of Bristol Myers Squibb’s hydroxyurea for sickle cell disease (SCD) in 1998, only three disease-modifying medications have entered the market, he said. Oxbryta, which won FDA accelerated approval in November 2019, was one of these. Another, Novartis’ Adakveo, has also been called into question after failing to reduce vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) in people with SCD in a Phase III trial last year. EU regulators formally revoked Adakveo’s approval in August 2023, but it remains available in the U.S. “We were optimistic that things were changing,” Takemoto said. “People had hoped that these medications would make a difference.” SCD affects more than 100,000 people in the U.S. and 8 million worldwide. With so few treatment options, it remains a seriously underserved population . Takemoto said the Oxbryta withdrawal has left some patients a “bit angry” and distrustful of new medications, and the question for the community remains: “What’s next?” For Takemoto, the ultimate hope for SCD treatment lies in next-gen transplantation and gene therapy. With the approval of bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia and Vertex and CRISPR Therapeutics’ Casgevy, the potential for gene therapies in SCD is there, even if the rollout is slow and for most, not very accessible, he said. St. Jude is developing its own gene therapy, which the research hospital hopes to move into clinical trials sometime next year. Takemoto also pointed to work being done in bone marrow transplantation intended to reduce toxicity and improve success rates. St. Jude is working on a process that will utilize a “half match,” where a parent’s bone marrow can be used instead of a sibling. These treatments could be transformative, Takemoto said. Here, BioSpace looks at five investigational therapies making their way through the SCD pipeline. Pfizer’s Inclacumab and Osivelotor Oxbryta is not the only SCD asset Pfizer brought onboard with its 2022 acquisition of Global Blood Therapeutics . Two other investigational therapies, inclacumab and osivelotor, were also part of the deal. Inclacumab, a P-selectin inhibitor, is currently being assessed in a Phase III trial to determine its safety and efficacy in reducing VOC. The drug works by binding to P-selectin, a cell adhesion molecule found on platelets. According to Pfizer, this prevents platelets from aggregating, which in turn, is expected to help maintain normal blood flow. Like Oxbryta, osivelotor is a sickle hemoglobin polymerization inhibitor, but with a next-generation design. The asset is currently being studied in a Phase II/III study slated for completion in 2028. While Pfizer has not stated whether the recent findings related to Oxbryta will impact the development of osivelotor, Leerink Partners noted that a Phase II study raised safety concerns, with treatment-emergent adverse events seen in 8 out of 35 patients. Agios Pharmaceuticals’ Mitapivat Agios Pharmaceuticals is developing mitapivat, a pyruvate kinase (PK) activator that is already approved for the treatment of hemolytic anemia in adults with PK deficiency, for SCD. Red blood cells require the PK enzyme for energy, Takemoto explained. In December 2023, the company presented positive data from the Phase II portion of its pivotal RISE UP study. The annualized rate of sickle cell pain crises for patients in the higher dose treatment arm was 0.51 compared to 1.71 for participants in the placebo arm. Takemoto said the oral medication seems to benefit red blood cell health in general and noted that the data look favorable for patients with SCD and other hemolytic anemias. But not everyone is as convinced. Leerink Partners analysts wrote last month of concerns that similar physiological effects could be seen with both Oxbryta and mitapivat. A Phase III readout is expected next year, and the company is targeting a label expansion in 2026. Novo Nordisk’s Etavopivat In 2022, Novo Nordisk paid $1.1 billion to acquire Forma Therapeutics, gaining a lead SCD asset, etavopivat, in the deal. Like mitapivat, etavopivat is also a PK activator, but Novo’s candidate comes with a potential advantage —once daily dosing, versus mitapivat’s twice daily regimen. Etavopivat is currently being studied in a Phase III trial slated for completion in 2026. Phase I data presented by Forma at the American Society of Hematology’s annual meeting in 2021 showed a “sustained increase in hemoglobin and improvement in biomarkers of hemolysis and red blood cell health.” The results, from 15 patients dosed for up to 12 weeks, also showed a trend toward decreasing VOC compared to the 12 months prior to their entering the trial. Takemoto said the candidate “looks very promising” so far but acknowledged that “there are things we don’t know about it. We may learn new side effects as it’s used.” St. Jude will serve as a site for the Phase III trial. Fulcrum Therapeutics’ Pociredir Fulcrum Therapeutics ’ pociredir, a polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) inhibitor, is designed to induce expression of fetal hemoglobin to compensate for the mutated hemoglobin that occurs in SCD. The development path for pociredir has not been without bumps. In February 2023, the FDA slapped Fulcrum with a clinical hold based on previously submitted preclinical data and non-clinical and clinical evidence of hematological malignancies observed with other PRC2 inhibitors. The hold was released six months later. The small molecule, which is currently being studied in a Phase Ib trial, has been well-tolerated in people with SCD with no treatment-related adverse events reported after up to three months exposure, according to a press release announcing the lifted clinical hold.