Vitamin a Deficiency

WAINUA™ approved with launch underway; on track for EU and Canada approval decisions this year Positive Phase 3 olezarsen and donidalorsen data, preparing regulatory submissions for FCS and HAE, respectively Olezarsen granted Breakthough Therapy designation by the FDA for FCS Ionis provides full year 2024 financial guidance CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IONS) (the "Company"), today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023. "This past year included many remarkable achievements as we continued to advance our vision to bring better futures to people with serious diseases. Ionis achieved two FDA approvals, delivered three positive Phase 3 data readouts, expanded our rich Phase 3 pipeline to nine medicines and advanced our next wave of wholly owned medicines as well as our technology," said Brett P. Monia, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Ionis. "In 2024, we anticipate building on our success with important catalysts and continued value creation. The WAINUA U.S. launch is underway for patients with hereditary ATTR polyneuropathy, and we expect additional approvals in other countries this year. We plan to present positive Phase 3 data for olezarsen in familial chylomicronemia syndrome and donidalorsen in hereditary angioedema, positioning Ionis to independently launch these two medicines. We also anticipate additional readouts from multiple mid-stage programs that, if positive, would advance into Phase 3 development, further strengthening our ability to deliver a steady cadence of potentially transformational medicines for years to come." Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Summary Financial Results(1): Financial Highlights Revenue more than doubled for the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in the prior year and increased 34% for the full year, driven by the successful progression of Ionis' pipeline and technology platform Operating expenses increased compared to the prior year, primarily due to strategic investments to bring eplontersen, olezarsen and donidalorsen to patients 2023 operating loss significantly improved over prior year due to substantial revenue earned during the year Cash and short-term investments of $2.3 billion as of December 31, 2023 enables continued investments to drive increasing value, including supporting our potential upcoming launches Recent Marketed Medicines Highlights WAINUA approved in the U.S., resulting in a $50 million milestone payment from AstraZeneca; launch underway for treatment of adults with polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (ATTRv-PN) SPINRAZA continued to be the global market leader for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) with global sales of $1.7 billion in 2023 Recent Late-Stage Pipeline Highlights Eplontersen granted Fast Track designation by the FDA for the treatment of patients with ATTR cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) Olezarsen granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA for the treatment of patients with familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) Olezarsen granted orphan drug designation by the FDA for the treatment of patients with FCS Achieved multiple milestones with donidalorsen for the treatment of patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE): Reported positive topline data from the Phase 3 OASIS-HAE study in patients treated every four weeks or every eight weeks; preparing to submit NDA Licensed European donidalorsen commercialization rights to Otsuka; Otsuka preparing to submit MAA Donidalorsen granted orphan drug designation by EMA Reported positive Phase 2 data from the open label extension study in patients with HAE treated for two years Bepirovirsen granted fast track designation by the FDA for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) Recent Other Pipeline Highlights Achieved multiple milestones with ION582 (BIIB121) for the treatment of patients with Angelman syndrome: Completed enrollment in the Phase 1/2 HALOS study in patients with Angelman syndrome; on track for data readout in mid-2024 Presented positive clinical update from ongoing HALOS study at the FAST (Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics) Summit Extended the long-term extension portion of HALOS study Sapablursen and ION356 granted fast track designation by the FDA for the treatment of patients with polycythemia vera (PV) and Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD), respectively Initiated the Phase 1/2 PrPro of ION717 in patients with Prion disease AstraZeneca licensed ION826 for the treatment of heart failure, resulting in a $36 million payment from AstraZeneca Recent Technology Advancement Highlights Licensed Vect-Horus' blood-brain barrier crossing technology for the development of RNA-targeted neurological disease medicines Fourth Quarter, Full Year 2023 Financial Results and 2024 Financial Guidance "In 2023, we earned substantial revenues due to continued success with our pipeline and technology. As a result, we exceeded our 2023 revenue guidance, which drove a smaller than anticipated operating loss," said Elizabeth L. Hougen, chief financial officer of Ionis. "In 2024, with WAINUA's launch for ATTRv-PN underway, we are adding a new stream of royalty revenue to our substantial and sustained revenues. We will continue to deploy our capital resources toward growth opportunities that can enable Ionis to unlock next-level value. This includes continuing to make significant investments in near-term commercial opportunities, the expansion of our wholly owned pipeline, and advancing our technology, all of which should empower future growth." Revenue Ionis' revenue was comprised of the following: Commercial revenues in 2023 were comparable to 2022. Commercial revenue for 2023 included $240 million from SPINRAZA royalties, which was comparable to 2022. Ionis' commercial revenue in 2023 also included royalties from QALSODY U.S. product sales. R&D revenue significantly increased in 2023 compared to 2022 primarily due to continued success with Ionis' pipeline and technology. As a result, Ionis earned significant partner payments, including $50 million from AstraZeneca for the FDA approval of WAINUA for ATTRv-PN in the U.S., $36 million from AstraZeneca for licensing ION826 and payments from Ionis' new collaborations with Otsuka, Roche and Novartis. Operating Expenses Ionis' operating expenses increased for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022 primarily due to certain one-time costs, including a non-cash charge associated with a lease exit and the license fee Ionis paid to Vect-Horus. As Ionis advanced its robust pipeline, study costs increased compared to the same periods in 2022 as many of the Company's Phase 3 studies are either fully enrolled or approaching full enrollment, resulting in higher R&D expenses year over year. R&D expenses for the fourth quarter of 2023 were lower compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, primarily due to the $80 million upfront payment Ionis paid to Metagenomi in 2022. Ionis' SG&A expenses increased year over year primarily due to launch preparation activities for WAINUA, olezarsen and donidalorsen. Balance Sheet As of December 31, 2023, Ionis' cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments increased to $2.3 billion compared to $2.0 billion at December 31, 2022 primarily due to the $500 million Ionis received from Royalty Pharma in January 2023 and significant partner payments throughout 2023. Ionis' working capital also increased over the same period primarily due to the Company's higher cash and short-term investments balance. In 2023, the Company recorded a long-term liability for future royalties due to Royalty Pharma. In June 2023, Ionis issued $575 million of senior convertible notes due in June 2028 with an interest rate of 1.75%. The Company used the majority of the proceeds to repurchase $504 million of its 0.125% convertible notes. 2024 Financial Guidance The Company's 2024 guidance reflects its plan to deploy its capital resources toward growth opportunities, including continued investments in its near-term commercial opportunities, expanding its wholly owned pipeline and advancing its technology platform. Additionally, the Company expects to continue earning substantial revenue from its commercial portfolio and partnered programs. Webcast Management will host a conference call and webcast to discuss Ionis' fourth quarter and full year 2023 results at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, February 21, 2024. Interested parties may access the webcast here. A webcast replay will be available for a limited time at the same address. To access the Company's fourth quarter and full year 2023 earnings slides click here. For more information about SPINRAZA and QALSODY, visit and , respectively. QALSODY is approved under accelerated approval based on reduction in plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) observed in patients treated with QALSODY. Continued approval may be contingent upon verification of clinical benefit in confirmatory trial(s). INDICATION for WAINUA™ (eplontersen) WAINUA injection, for subcutaneous use, 45 mg is indicated for the treatment of the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis in adults. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION for WAINUA™ (eplontersen) WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Reduced Serum Vitamin A Levels and Recommended Supplementation WAINUA leads to a decrease in serum vitamin A levels. Supplement with recommended daily allowance of vitamin A. Refer patient to an ophthalmologist if ocular symptoms suggestive of vitamin A deficiency occur. ADVERSE REACTIONS Most common adverse reactions (≥9% in WAINUA-treated patients) were vitamin A decreased (15%) and vomiting (9%). Please see link to U.S. Full Prescribing Information for WAINUA. About Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. For three decades, Ionis has invented medicines that bring better futures to people with serious diseases. Ionis currently has five marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology, and other areas of high patient need. As the pioneer in RNA-targeted medicines, Ionis continues to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing. A deep understanding of disease biology and industry-leading technology propels our work, coupled with a passion and urgency to deliver life-changing advances for patients. To learn more about Ionis, visit Ionispharma.com and follow us on X (Twitter) and LinkedIn. Ionis' Forward-looking Statement This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding Ionis' business, financial guidance and the therapeutic and commercial potential of our commercial medicines, additional medicines in development and technologies. Any statement describing Ionis' goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions or beliefs is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties including those inherent in the process of discovering, developing and commercializing medicines that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics, and in the endeavor of building a business around such medicines. Ionis' forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove correct, could cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Ionis' forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by Ionis. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements for any reason. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning Ionis' programs are described in additional detail in Ionis' annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, and most recent Form 10-Q, which are on the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these and other documents are available from the Company. In this press release, unless the context requires otherwise, "Ionis," "Company," "we," "our" and "us" all refer to Ionis Pharmaceuticals and its subsidiaries. Ionis Pharmaceuticals® is a registered trademark of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Akcea Therapeutics® is a registered trademark of Akcea Therapeutics, Inc. TEGSEDI® is a registered trademark of Akcea Therapeutics, Inc. WAYLIVRA® is a registered trademark of Akcea Therapeutics, Inc. QALSODYTM is a trademark of Biogen. SPINRAZA® is a registered trademark of Biogen. WAINUATM is a registered trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies. *In October 2022, Ionis entered into a sale and leaseback transaction for several of its real estate assets. As a result, the Company recognized a $150 million gain on sale of real estate assets in the fourth quarter of 2022. The Company excluded the gain on sale of real estate assets and the related tax effect from its non-GAAP amounts for the applicable periods. Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Basis As illustrated in the Selected Financial Information in this press release, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP income (loss) from operations, and non-GAAP net income (loss) were adjusted from GAAP to exclude compensation expense related to equity awards and the related tax effects. Compensation expense related to equity awards are non-cash. In 2022, Ionis' non-GAAP net loss excluded the gain on real estate assets related to the sale and leaseback transaction and the related tax effects. These measures are provided as supplementary information and are not a substitute for financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Ionis reports these non-GAAP results to better enable financial statement users to assess and compare its historical performance and project its future operating results and cash flows. Further, the presentation of Ionis' non-GAAP results is consistent with how Ionis' management internally evaluates the performance of its operations. Key 2024 Value Driving Events(1) Company Codes: NASDAQ-NMS:IONS

CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IONS) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to Ionis and AstraZeneca's eplontersen, an investigational therapy for the treatment of transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) in adults. The FDA grants development programs Fast Track designation to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs that demonstrate the potential to treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. "Receiving Fast Track designation from the FDA reinforces our belief that eplontersen has the potential to be a transformational treatment for patients with ATTR-CM, which remains a progressive and fatal condition for hundreds of thousands of people worldwide despite available treatment options," said Eugene Schneider, M.D., executive vice president and chief clinical development officer, Ionis. "CARDIO-TTRansform is the largest, most comprehensive study ever conducted in ATTR-CM patients, with results expected as early as next year." Sarah Walters, vice president, U.S. cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, AstraZeneca said: "We are committed to accelerating innovation and addressing the spectrum of unmet patient needs in amyloidosis. Together with our partner Ionis, AstraZeneca is building on our heritage in cardiovascular disease and RNA-targeted therapeutics to bring a potential best-in-class treatment for people living with ATTR-CM." In December 2023, eplontersen was approved in the U.S. for the treatment of the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis in adults, commonly referred to as hATTR-PN or ATTRv-PN, under the brand name WAINUA™ (eplontersen). As part of a global development and commercialization agreement, AstraZeneca and Ionis are commercializing WAINUA for the treatment of ATTRv-PN in the U.S. and are seeking regulatory approval in Europe and other parts of the world. WAINUA was granted Orphan Drug Designation in the U.S. and in the EU for the treatment of transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (ATTR). The global CARDIO-TTRansform Phase 3 study of eplontersen in adults with ATTR-CM is fully enrolled with more than 1,400 patients – making it the largest study in this patient population to date. The company plans to share data from the CARDIO-TTRansform study as early as 2025. More information on the CARDIO-TTRansform study (NCT04136171) is available at . About Transthyretin-Mediated Amyloid Cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) Transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is an underdiagnosed and potentially fatal disease. It is caused by the accumulation of misfolded TTR protein in the cardiac muscle. Patients experience ongoing debilitating heart damage resulting in progressive heart failure, which results in death within three to five years from disease onset. ATTR-CM includes both the genetic and wild-type form of the disease. Worldwide, there are an estimated 300,000 – 500,000 patients with ATTR-CM.1,2,3 About Eplontersen Eplontersen is a LIgand- Conjugated Antisense (LICA) medicine designed to inhibit the production of transthyretin, or TTR protein. The investigational medicine is currently being evaluated in the Phase 3 CARDIO-TTRansform study for hereditary or wild-type transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), a progressive and fatal condition that typically leads to progressive heart failure and often death within three-to-five years from disease onset. The CARDIO-TTRansform Phase 3 study is fully enrolled with more than 1,400 patients – making it the largest study in this patient population to date. Eplontersen was recently approved in the U.S. for the treatment of the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis in adults, commonly referred to as hATTR-PN or ATTRv-PN under the brand name WAINUA™ (eplontersen). Please see full Prescribing Information. INDICATION for WAINUA™ (eplontersen) WAINUA injection for subcutaneous use 45 mg is indicated for treatment of the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis in adults. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION for WAINUA™ (eplontersen) WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Reduced Serum Vitamin A Levels and Recommended Supplementation WAINUA leads to a decrease in serum vitamin A levels. Supplement with recommended daily allowance of vitamin A. Refer patient to an ophthalmologist if ocular symptoms suggestive of vitamin A deficiency occur. ADVERSE REACTIONS Most common adverse reactions (≥9% in WAINUA-treated patients) were vitamin A decreased (15%) and vomiting (9%). Please see link to U.S. Full Prescribing Information for WAINUA. About Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. For three decades, Ionis has invented medicines that bring better futures to people with serious diseases. Ionis currently has five marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology, and other areas of high patient need. As the pioneer in RNA-targeted medicines, Ionis continues to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing. A deep understanding of disease biology and industry-leading technology propels our work, coupled with a passion and urgency to deliver life-changing advances for patients. To learn more about Ionis, visit Ionis.com and follow us on X (Twitter) and LinkedIn. Ionis' Forward-looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding eplontersen, Ionis' business, and the therapeutic and commercial potential of Ionis' commercial medicines, additional medicines in development and technologies. Any statement describing Ionis' goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions, or beliefs is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those related to our commercial products and the medicines in our pipeline, and particularly those inherent in the process of discovering, developing and commercializing medicines that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics, and in the endeavor of building a business around such medicines. Ionis' forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove correct, could cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Ionis' forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by Ionis. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning Ionis' programs are described in additional detail in Ionis' annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2022, and most recent Form 10-Q, which are on file with the SEC. Copies of these and other documents are available at . Ionis Pharmaceuticals® is a registered trademark of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. WAINUA™ is a trademark of AstraZeneca plc. 1 Mohamed-Salem L, et al. Prevalence of wild type ATTR assessed as myocardial uptake in bone scan in the elderly population. Int J Cardiol. 2018 Nov 1;270:192-196. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2018.06.006. 2 Cuscaden C, et al. Estimation of prevalence of transthyretin (ATTR) cardiac amyloidosis in an Australian subpopulation using bone scans with echocardiography and clinical correlation. J Nucl Cardiol. 2020 May 8. doi: 10.1007/s12350-020-02152-x. 3 Columbia University Irving Medical Center [Internet]. Drug Reduces Death from Underdiagnosed Form of Heart Failure [last accessed 5 February 2024]. Available from: . SOURCE Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Particles for Humanity has assembled an advisory board of global leaders to guide the company as it approaches commercialization of its lead product, PFH-VAP, and as it expands its research and development pipeline to include new applications for PFH-VAP. The four-person advisory board brings significant experience in the fields of malnutrition, food fortification, global health, entrepreneurship, and African markets, which will strengthen the company's strategic plans. Members of the Advisory Board bring a diverse skill set from long careers working throughout Africa, Asia, and more. Advisory Board members include: Kul Chandra Gautam is the former Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations. Over three decades, he served with UNICEF in leadership positions in New York, Haiti, and throughout Asia. He has extensive experience in international diplomacy, development cooperation, and humanitarian assistance. He is the former Chair of Nutrition International (previously Micronutrient Initiative), and a former board member at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI). Currently, Gautam serves on the boards and advisory committees of several organizations dealing with poverty reduction, inter-faith cooperation, global health, education, and women's and children's rights. M.G. Venkatesh Mannar's leadership on iodization and multiple fortification of salt has been scaled to benefit billions worldwide. He is the former President of Nutrition International (previously the Micronutrient Initiative), where he directed work on cost-effective and sustainable solutions to address micronutrient deficiencies. Mannar focuses on food fortification, vitamin A supplementation, and scaling biofortified foods. He has co-authored over 100 articles in leading nutrition journals and is the co-editor of 'Food Fortification in a Globalized World'. Mannar is an Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Global Engineering at the University of Toronto. Mannar was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, one of the country's greatest civilian honors, for his leadership in the global fight against micronutrient deficiency. Uwa Osa-Oboh is the Head, Corporate Development at Capital Alliance Nigeria, a member of the African Capital Alliance (ACA) group, an investment management firm working across Africa. Throughout her career, she has worked as a lawyer, banker, and management consultant. Formerly, she was CEO of ReStraL, a research, strategy and leadership-development consulting firm working with corporations and government agencies. Osa-Oboh is on the board of the Africa Venture Philanthropy Alliance; the Impact Investors Foundation of Nigeria; and the African Leadership Initiative – West Africa (ALI-WA). She is also a fellow of ALI-WA, an offshoot of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Adedotun Sulaiman has served on or chaired many boards, including Absa (formerly Barclays) Nigeria, SecureID Ltd, Interswitch Ltd, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Sundry Foods Limited, and Parthian Partners Limited. The Nigeria government appointed him as Chairman of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, where he oversaw the development of the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance in 2018. He had a long career at Accenture Nigeria, retiring as Chairman and Country Managing Director. He is active in venture capital investing, acting as an adviser to promising young entrepreneurs. He is a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) of Nigeria, a national honor awarded to individuals who have shown remarkable service and commitment to Nigeria. "It is a privilege to welcome these brilliant individuals onto the Particles for Humanity Advisory Board. We look forward to learning from them and being inspired by their passion for helping the communities and countries we hope to serve with PFH-VAP," said Sherri C. Oberg, CEO of Particles for Humanity. PFH-VAP is a more stable form of vitamin A currently in development for use in large scale food fortification, an intervention that can combat many types of malnutrition including vitamin A deficiency. In hot and humid conditions, like those found in many parts of Africa, vitamin A is unstable and much of it is lost before reaching consumers. PFH-VAP is 4x as stable as a leading commercial vitamin A when tested in bouillon in these conditions. Adding PFH-VAP into foods could help get more vitamin A to the 19 million pregnant women and 190 million preschool age children who suffer from vitamin A deficiency globally. Particles for Humanity transforms early-stage medical technology into products for people living in low and lower-middle income countries. It is developing a portfolio of products with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mulago Foundation, and King Philanthropies. Its rigorous product development process is based on end-user input and is focused on financially sustainable product opportunities. Visit or contact [email protected]. SOURCE Particles for Humanity