Asthma UK

Sanofi and Regeneron’s Dupixent (dupilumab) has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as an add-on maintenance treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The regulator’s decision specifically applies to adults with uncontrolled COPD, characterised by raised blood eosinophils, and makes Dupixent the first-ever targeted biologic for uncontrolled COPD in the UK. Patients eligible for the therapy will also already be receiving a combination of an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS), a long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA) and a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), or a LABA/LAMA combination if ICS is not appropriate. The marketing authorisation, which comes just two months after Dupixent was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the same indication, was supported by positive results from the late-stage BOREAS and NOTUS trials of the therapy in adults with uncontrolled COPD and evidence of type 2 inflammation. All patients were on background maximal standard-of-care inhaled therapy, with nearly all on triple therapy. Dupixent demonstrated a 30% and 34% reduction in annualised moderate or severe COPD exacerbations compared to placebo over one year in BOREAS and NOTUS, respectively. Improvements in lung function were seen as early as weeks two and four in Dupixent-treated patients and were sustained at one year in both studies. The therapy was also shown to improve health-related quality of life, as assessed by the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire. Approximately 1.4 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with COPD, a chronic respiratory disease that causes progressive lung function decline and results in symptoms such as persistent cough, excessive mucus production and a shortness of breath. Already approved for a range of indications, Dupixent is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits the signalling of the interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 pathways, shown in the Dupixent development programme to be central drivers of the type 2 inflammation that plays a major role in multiple related diseases, including COPD. Rippon Ubhi, country lead, Sanofi UK and Ireland, said the latest Dupixent authorisation “represents a significant shift in the longstanding treatment landscape for COPD patients”. She continued: “[Dupixent] has been clinically shown to reduce COPD exacerbations and improve lung function, and it is our priority to work with regulatory bodies to ensure patients in the UK can access this important treatment option as soon as possible.” Also commenting on the approval, Henry Gregg, director of external affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “In recent years little progress has been made in finding new treatments for COPD. It is therefore incredibly positive for some people affected by uncontrolled COPD that [Dupixent] has been approved by the MHRA.” He continued: “[Dupixent] has already been approved by the EMA, so it’s good to see the UK follow suit and approve access to this new biologic treatment, which could make a real difference to the lives of people living with COPD. It will now be up to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to see if the use of [Dupixent] will be recommended for use by the NHS.”

NGN-401 is one of only three CBER programs chosen by FDA NGN-401 was selected based on potential for clinical benefits and clinical development program readiness START Program provides sponsors enhanced communications with FDA to accelerate development of rare disease therapies NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Neurogene Inc. (NASDAQ: NGNE), a clinical-stage company founded to bring life-changing genetic medicines to patients and families affected by rare neurological diseases, today announced that its NGN-401 gene therapy for Rett syndrome has been selected to participate in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Support for Clinical Trials Advancing Rare Disease Therapeutics (START) Pilot Program. As part of the START Program, Neurogene will have opportunities for enhanced communications with the FDA, with the aim to further accelerate the pace of NGN-401’s development. These opportunities are designed to provide frequent advice and regular ad-hoc conversations to address product-specific development issues, including, but not limited to, clinical study design, choice of control group and fine-tuning the choice of patient population. “We are honored that NGN-401 gene therapy for Rett syndrome has been chosen as one of only three CBER programs for FDA’s START Pilot Program and are grateful that the FDA has committed to investing significant Agency resources to accelerate development of NGN-401,” said Rachel McMinn, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Neurogene. “We are pleased our application demonstrated the potential clinical benefits of NGN-401, one of the factors evaluated by the FDA in making its selection. We look forward to participating in this landmark effort with the FDA as we seek to rapidly advance NGN-401 toward a potential registrational study for the patients and families who live with this devastating disease.” Two dose levels of NGN-401 are being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial. The trial is assessing safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of a one-time intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of NGN-401 in female pediatric patients with Rett syndrome. Neurogene recently presented favorable safety data from the first three patients dosed with NGN-401, and the Company remains on track to report interim efficacy data from the trial in the fourth quarter of 2024. The milestone-driven START Program was launched to help further accelerate development of novel drug and biological product candidates intended to address rare diseases through more frequent communication and rapid interactions with the FDA. START Program applications required clinical, CMC (chemistry, manufacturing and controls), and non-clinical development plans as well as an update on the current status of development. The FDA reported that it would be considering multiple factors in selecting participants, including potential clinical benefits of the product candidate, the alignment of clinical development and CMC plans, and the ability to move the program forward toward a marketing application. Selected sponsors are expected to receive more frequent advice from FDA staff with the goal of facilitating program development and an expectation of generating high quality and reliable data to support a potential future marketing application. About NGN-401 NGN-401 is an investigational AAV9 gene therapy being developed as a one-time treatment for Rett syndrome. It is the first clinical candidate to deliver the full-length human MECP2 gene under the control of Neurogene’s EXACT technology. The EXACT technology utilized in NGN-401 is an important advancement in gene therapy for Rett syndrome, specifically because the disorder requires a treatment approach that enables targeted levels of MECP2 transgene expression without causing overexpression-related toxic effects associated with conventional gene therapy. NGN-401 was one of three Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) programs selected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its START Pilot Program. NGN-401 previously received orphan drug designation, Fast Track designation and rare pediatric designation from the FDA. Neurogene was previously granted an INTERACT meeting with the FDA regarding the EXACT technology. NGN-401 also received orphan designation and advanced therapy medicinal product designation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Innovative Licensing and Application Pathway (ILAP) designation from the United Kingdom (UK) Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). About Neurogene The mission of Neurogene is to treat devastating neurological diseases to improve the lives of patients and families impacted by these rare diseases. Neurogene is developing novel approaches and treatments to address the limitations of conventional gene therapy in central nervous system disorders. This includes selecting a delivery approach to maximize distribution to target tissues and designing products to maximize potency and purity for an optimized efficacy and safety profile. The Company’s novel and proprietary EXACT transgene regulation platform technology allows for the delivery of therapeutic levels while limiting transgene toxicity associated with conventional gene therapy. Neurogene has constructed a state-of-the-art gene therapy manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas. CGMP production of NGN-401 was conducted in this facility and is expected to support pivotal clinical development activities. For more information, visit . Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and hereby are identified as, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, results of operations or financial condition, or otherwise, based on current expectations and beliefs of the management of Neurogene, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management of Neurogene, including, but not limited to, statements regarding: the safety and tolerability pro NGN-401; trial designs, clinical development plans and timing of the presentation of clinical trial data for NGN-401 and its advancement into a registrational study, and the anticipated benefits of participation in the FDA’s START Program. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict with regard to timing, extent, likelihood, and degree of occurrence, which could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results and many of which are outside of Neurogene’s control. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, among other things: risks related to the timing and success of enrolling patients in our Phase 1/2 clinical trial of NGN-401 for the treatment of Rett syndrome; the expected timing and results of dosing of patients in our NGN-401 clinical; the risk that we may not be able to report our data on the predicted timeline; risks related to our ability to obtain regulatory approval for, and ultimately commercialize, our product candidates, including NGN-401; and other risks and uncertainties identified under the heading "Risk Factors" included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 18, 2024, or our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, and other filings that the Company has made and may make with the SEC in the future. Nothing in this communication should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that the contemplated results of any such forward-looking statements will be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this communication speak only as of the day they are made and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the cautionary statements herein. Except as required by applicable law, Neurogene undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This communication contains hyperlinks to information that is not deemed to be incorporated by reference into this communication.

Hub will focus on supporting global use of new treatments that effectively treated drug-resistant TB in 98% of Filipino participants MANILA, Australia, March 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TB Alliance's new Peer-to-Peer Learning for Innovative Cures (PeerLINC) Knowledge Hub launched today in Manila, with funding from the Australian Government through the Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative. PeerLINC, operating in partnership between TB Alliance and the Tropical Disease Foundation, Inc. (TDF), and in close collaboration with the Department of Health, Philippines, will help countries implement best practices in the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) to help speed the worldwide programmatic implementation of innovative, more effective treatments for the disease, starting with the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended six-month, all-oral BPaL/M regimens, composed of the antibiotics bedaquiline (B), pretomanid (Pa), and linezolid (L), with or without moxifloxacin (M). PeerLINC will provide practical training and technical assistance to countries to support this objective, via experts from the Philippines and the Department of Health, including Lung Center of the Philippines and the National TB Reference Laboratory (NTRL). The Philippines has successfully and rapidly deployed new treatments through participation in TB Alliance's Leveraging Innovation for Faster TB Treatment (LIFT-TB) initiative. "TB Alliance works to minimize the gap between research and access, ensuring people anywhere in the world can have access to new treatments as soon as possible, maximizing the number of lives and livelihoods saved," said Sandeep Juneja, Senior Vice President of Market Access at TB Alliance. "PeerLINC will make training and knowledge on new treatments available swiftly and efficiently to ensure their rapid adoption and roll out. We are proud to launch PeerLINC in the Philippines with DOH and TDF and establish the first Knowledge Hub on the introduction of new DR-TB regimens, and we are grateful for the support of Australia in helping make this a reality." "It is important for the Philippines to share our knowledge and experience in using the BPaL/M regimens," said Dr. Mamel Quelapio, TDF Board of Trustees member and Programmatic Implementation Lead at PeerLINC. "DOH's leadership through the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau in partnership with TDF and TB Alliance in the LIFT-TB initiative has led to improved outcomes and treatment experiences for people. We are eager to help new treatments reach far and wide." The BPaL/M regimens combine the antibiotics bedaquiline (B), pretomanid (Pa), linezolid (L) with or without moxifloxacin (M). The BPaL regimen was first clinically studied by TB Alliance and the BPaL/M regimens are now recommended by WHO as the standard of care treatment for the vast majority of people with DR-TB. Prior to the initial study of the BPaL regimen, global treatment success rates for DR-TB were less than 50% and treatment options were limited, expensive, toxic, and lengthy – requiring individuals to take more than 14,000 pills over the course of treatment, which could last from nine months to two years or longer. Data to date reveals treatment success rates of 90% or higher with BPaL/M, in addition to reduced treatment duration and approximately 95% lower pill burden. TB Alliance's LIFT-TB initiative, which is co-funded by GDEF/KOICA, the South Korean Development agency, helped accelerate implementation of the regimen in the Philippines, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Interim data from these countries shows an average success rate of 92.5%, with the Philippines program reporting a 98% cure rate. Several key high-burden countries around the world, including the early adopting LIFT-TB countries, are now rolling out BPaL/M in their national programs. However, some countries have moved more slowly. Leveraging a group of experts and the experience garnered from those who have rapidly and successfully implemented the BPaL/M regimens, PeerLINC will focus on assisting other countries in doing the same. "In the Philippines, the new regimen exceeded all expectations," said Dr. Irene Flores, Medical Officer of the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Medical Center and Head of PeerLINC. "Every country with drug-resistant TB can benefit from widespread implementation of the best available TB treatment. With BPaL/M, we see a path toward transforming DR-TB treatment for everybody, anywhere in the world." "I tried everything before I was given BPaL as part of the research program," said Joegene Mangilaya, a participant from the Philippines who was treated with the BPaL regimen. "I was losing hope that I'd be cured, but shortly after I started on this new regimen, my body felt stronger and I had a new hope for my health and future. It is important to speed the availability of life-saving new therapies everywhere they are needed – the work of PeerLINC will help save lives." PeerLINC will offer support such as advice, assistance, training materials, tools, guides, and other materials to TB programs, clinicians, lab specialists, and community organizations, all delivered through peer-to-peer learning models. Trainings will be provided in-person in the Philippines or in the beneficiary country or remotely through virtual meetings. The expert team from PeerLINC will continue to guide countries after trainings, as they work to implement the regimens. A delegation from Peru is scheduled to visit PeerLINC in April 2024 and will be the first to receive training on BPaL/M from PeerLINC and its partners in the DOH. "We are excited to visit the PeerLINC Knowledge Hub and work with experts from the early implementers of the short, highly effective treatments for drug-resistant tuberculosis," said Dr. Valentina Alarcón, Executive Director at the Directorate of Tuberculosis Prevention and Control - MINSA Peru. "The communities affected by resistant tuberculosis in Peru deserve the best possible experiences and treatment schemes and we are taking measures to access the BPaL and BPaL/M regimens and make them available to people throughout Peru in a timely and rapid manner. Our experience with PeerLINC will help us achieve those goals." About TB TB is a difficult infection to cure, requiring patients to take a combination of medicines for at least four to six months. Even after symptoms disappear, medicines still need to be taken so that the disease can be fully eradicated. The scope and intensity of TB globally is in large part fueled by antiquated and inadequate TB drugs. Novel drug regimens are urgently needed to bring the TB pandemic under control. About BPaL The BPaL regimen—which combines the antibiotics bedaquiline (B), pretomanid (Pa), and linezolid (L)—was first designed and clinically studied by TB Alliance. Pretomanid, as part of the BPaL regimen, received its first regulatory approval in August 2019 for use against highly drug-resistant strains of TB. Prior to the initial BPaL clinical trial, less than one-third of drug-resistant TB patients around the world were being successfully treated. Treatment options were limited, expensive, toxic, and lengthy – requiring patients to take more than 20 pills per day for 9-20 months. About TB Alliance TB Alliance is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to finding faster-acting and affordable drug regimens to fight TB. Through innovative science and with partners around the globe, we aim to ensure equitable access to faster, better TB cures that will advance global health and prosperity. TB Alliance operates with support from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (United Kingdom), Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research through KfW, Global Disease Eradication Fund (South Korea), Global Health Innovative Technology Fund, Irish Aid, Korea International Cooperation Agency, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Unitaid, and the United States Agency for International Development. For more information, please visit: . Contact: Jessica Wiggs, +1 (646) 616-8613 / [email protected] SOURCE TB Alliance