Alnylam Presents New Pre-Clinical Data with Development Candidate for ALN-CC5, a Subcutaneously Administered RNAi Therapeutic Targeting Complement Component C5 in Development for the Treatment of Complement-Mediated Diseases
Jun 09, 2014
- ALN-CC5 Demonstrates Potent C5 Knockdown of up to 98.7% and Inhibition of Complement Activity of up to 96.8% in Non-Human Primates (NHP) -
- RNAi-Mediated Knockdown of C5 Shown to be as Effective as Anti-C5 Monoclonal Antibody in Reducing Clinical Disease Activity in Mouse Arthritis Model -
- Company On Track to File Investigational New Drug (IND) Application in Late 2014 and Now Guides to Report Initial Clinical Results in Mid-2015 -
"These new pre-clinical data with our recently selected Development
Candidate for ALN-CC5 demonstrate potent C5 knockdown and robust
inhibition of complement activity in NHPs with weekly subcutaneous
dosing. We believe that these are promising results since an over 80%
inhibition of complement activity has been shown to be associated with
clinical benefit. Further, comparative studies in a mouse arthritis
model showed ALN-CC5 to be as effective as an anti-C5 antibody in
reducing disease activity, demonstrating a necessary and sufficient role
for liver-expressed C5 in localized complement-mediated disease," said
In a presentation titled "RNAi-Mediated C5 Silencing for Complement Inhibition," Alnylam scientists presented new pre-clinical data with ALN-CC5. In NHP studies, weekly subcutaneous doses of ALN-CC5 at 5 mg/kg led to serum C5 knockdown of up to 98.7% (mean of 97.9 +/- 0.7%), as well as inhibition of complement activity of up to 91.3% (mean of 84.9 +/- 7.1%) by serum hemolytic activity assay and up to 96.8% (mean of 94.6. +/- 1.8%) by complement alternative pathway (CAP) ELISA. Based on early human translational data for ESC-GalNAc conjugates, weekly dosing at less than 1 mg/kg is expected to result in similar effects in humans. The observed inhibitory effect toward complement activity is notable since an over 80% level of complement inhibition has been shown to yield clinical benefit in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) based on published data with eculizumab, an intravenously administered monoclonal antibody that binds to serum C5 (Hillmen et al., N Engl J Med 2004, 350:552-559). The company is continuing dosing in the primate study to explore twice-monthly and once-monthly subcutaneous dosing regimens, and expects to report additional pre-clinical data later this year. In addition, in vitro reconstitution studies in human serum were performed to evaluate the potential anti-C5 monoclonal antibody (anti-C5 mAb) dose sparing effects of ALN-CC5. Specifically, in serum in which C5 was reduced to 5% of normal (i.e., a level corresponding to 95% C5 knockdown with RNAi), the concentration of anti-C5 mAb required to achieve 80% inhibition of hemolytic activity was found to be reduced approximately 20-fold. This lower concentration requirement could reduce frequent dose requirements and the high costs of anti-C5 antibody therapy. Finally, results were presented from a study comparing subcutaneous doses of ALN-CC5 to a high, intravenously administered dose of an anti-C5 mAb in a mouse anti-collagen antibody induced arthritis (CAIA) model. Results showed that C5 knockdown with ALN-CC5 was as effective as the anti-C5 antibody in reducing clinical disease activity, with both treatments resulting in an approximately 80% reduction in clinical disease activity score. Moreover, ALN-CC5 maintained its knockdown effect toward C5 following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment, showing the ability of RNAi to blunt induction of C5 as part of an inflammatory response. These results demonstrate that knockdown of liver-derived C5 should be fully sufficient to achieve a therapeutic effect, and show the absence of a significant role for local complement production in this disease model.
"The complement system evolved as part of the innate immune system and
plays a key role in host defenses. Dysregulation of the complement
system can lead to serious complications in a wide range of human
diseases including paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, atypical
hemolytic uremic syndrome, and neuromyelitis optica," said Anita Hill,
MBChB (Hons), MRCP, FRCPath, Ph.D., Consultant Haematologist for
About ALN-CC5
ALN-CC5 is an RNAi therapeutic targeting the C5 component of the complement pathway for the treatment of complement-mediated diseases. The complement system plays a central role in immunity as a protective mechanism for host defense, but its dysregulation results in life-threatening complications in a broad range of human diseases including paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome (aHUS), myasthenia gravis, neuromyelitis optica, amongst others. Complement component C5, which is predominantly expressed in liver cells, is a genetically and clinically validated target; loss of function human mutations are associated with an attenuated immune response against certain infections and intravenous anti-C5 monoclonal antibody therapy has demonstrated clinical activity and tolerability in a number of complement-mediated diseases. A subcutaneously administered RNAi therapeutic that silences C5 represents a novel approach to the treatment of complement-mediated diseases. ALN-CC5 utilizes Alnylam's ESC-GalNAc conjugate technology, which enables subcutaneous dosing with increased potency and durability and a wide therapeutic index.
About GalNAc Conjugates and Enhanced Stabilization Chemistry (ESC)-GalNAc Conjugates
GalNAc-siRNA conjugates are a proprietary Alnylam delivery platform and are designed to achieve targeted delivery of RNAi therapeutics to hepatocytes through uptake by the asialoglycoprotein receptor. Alnylam's Enhanced Stabilization Chemistry (ESC)-GalNAc-conjugate technology enables subcutaneous dosing with increased potency and durability, and a wide therapeutic index. This delivery platform is being employed in several of Alnylam's genetic medicine programs, including programs in clinical development.
About RNAi
RNAi (RNA interference) is a revolution in biology, representing a breakthrough in understanding how genes are turned on and off in cells, and a completely new approach to drug discovery and development. Its discovery has been heralded as "a major scientific breakthrough that happens once every decade or so," and represents one of the most promising and rapidly advancing frontiers in biology and drug discovery today which was awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. RNAi is a natural process of gene silencing that occurs in organisms ranging from plants to mammals. By harnessing the natural biological process of RNAi occurring in our cells, the creation of a major new class of medicines, known as RNAi therapeutics, is on the horizon. Small interfering RNA (siRNA), the molecules that mediate RNAi and comprise Alnylam's RNAi therapeutic platform, target the cause of diseases by potently silencing specific mRNAs, thereby preventing disease-causing proteins from being made. RNAi therapeutics have the potential to treat disease and help patients in a fundamentally new way.
About
Alnylam is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics
based on RNA interference, or RNAi. The company is leading the
translation of RNAi as a new class of innovative medicines with a core
focus on RNAi therapeutics as genetic medicines, including programs as
part of the company's "Alnylam 5x15TM" product strategy.
Alnylam's genetic medicine programs are RNAi therapeutics directed
toward genetically defined targets for the treatment of serious,
life-threatening diseases with limited treatment options for patients
and their caregivers. These include: patisiran (ALN-TTR02), an
intravenously delivered RNAi therapeutic targeting transthyretin (TTR)
for the treatment of TTR-mediated amyloidosis (ATTR) in patients with
familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP); ALN-TTRsc, a subcutaneously
delivered RNAi therapeutic targeting TTR for the treatment of ATTR in
patients with TTR cardiac amyloidosis, including familial amyloidotic
cardiomyopathy (FAC) and senile systemic amyloidosis (SSA); ALN-AT3, an
RNAi therapeutic targeting antithrombin (AT) for the treatment of
hemophilia and rare bleeding disorders (RBD); ALN-CC5, an RNAi
therapeutic targeting complement component C5 for the treatment of
complement-mediated diseases; ALN-AS1, an RNAi therapeutic targeting
aminolevulinic acid synthase-1 (ALAS-1) for the treatment of hepatic
porphyrias including acute intermittent porphyria (AIP); ALN-PCS, an
RNAi therapeutic targeting PCSK9 for the treatment of
hypercholesterolemia; ALN-AAT, an RNAi therapeutic targeting alpha-1
antitrypsin (AAT) for the treatment of AAT deficiency-associated liver
disease; ALN-TMP, an RNAi therapeutic targeting TMPRSS6 for the
treatment of beta-thalassemia and iron-overload disorders; ALN-ANG, an
RNAi therapeutic targeting angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) for the
treatment of genetic forms of mixed hyperlipidemia and severe
hypertriglyceridemia; ALN-AC3, an RNAi therapeutic targeting
apolipoprotein C-III (apoCIII) for the treatment of
hypertriglyceridemia; and other programs yet to be disclosed. As part of
its "Alnylam 5x15" strategy, as updated in early 2014, the company
expects to have six to seven genetic medicine product candidates in
clinical development - including at least two programs in Phase 3 and
five to six programs with human proof of concept - by the end of 2015.
Alnylam is also developing ALN-HBV, an RNAi therapeutic targeting the
hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome for the treatment of HBV infection. The
company's demonstrated commitment to RNAi therapeutics has enabled it to
form major alliances with leading companies including Merck, Medtronic,
Novartis, Biogen Idec, Roche, Takeda, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Cubist,
GlaxoSmithKline, Ascletis, Monsanto, The Medicines Company, and Genzyme,
a Sanofi company. In
About "Alnylam 5x15™" and Genetic Medicines
The "Alnylam 5x15" strategy, launched in
Alnylam Forward-Looking Statements
Various statements in this release concerning Alnylam's future
expectations, plans and prospects, including without limitation,
Alnylam's views with respect to the potential for RNAi therapeutics,
including ALN-CC5 for the treatment of complement mediated diseases, its
expectations with respect to timing of regulatory filings and the
reporting of initial data from a clinical trial for ALN-CC5, the
potential therapeutic opportunities for ALN-CC5, its expectations
regarding its "Alnylam 5x15" product strategy, and its plans regarding
commercialization of RNAi therapeutics, including ALN-CC5, constitute
forward-looking statements for the purposes of the safe harbor
provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these
forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors,
including, without limitation, Alnylam's ability to manage operating
expenses, Alnylam's ability to discover and develop novel drug
candidates and delivery approaches, successfully demonstrate the
efficacy and safety of its drug candidates, the pre-clinical and
clinical results for its product candidates, which may not support
further development of product candidates, actions of regulatory
agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing and progress of
clinical trials, obtaining, maintaining and protecting intellectual
property, Alnylam's ability to enforce its patents against infringers
and defend its patent portfolio against challenges from third parties,
obtaining regulatory approval for products, competition from others
using technology similar to Alnylam's and others developing products for
similar uses, Alnylam's ability to obtain additional funding to support
its business activities and establish and maintain strategic business
alliances and new business initiatives, Alnylam's dependence on third
parties for development, manufacture, marketing, sales and distribution
of products, the outcome of litigation, and unexpected expenditures, as
well as those risks more fully discussed in the "Risk Factors" filed
with Alnylam's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the
Vice
President, Investor Relations and
or
Spectrum
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