Agios Provides Update on PKR Program
- Development of
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- Company to Host Conference Call and Webcast Today at
“We share the FDA’s commitment to patient safety and believe this is the right decision to ultimately help people with PK deficiency,” said
DRIVE PK is an ongoing global Phase 2, open-label safety and efficacy trial and the first study evaluating AG-348 in adult, transfusion-independent patients with PK deficiency. The study target enrollment has been reached with a total of 52 patients. In total, 124 patients and healthy volunteers have been treated with AG-348 since studies were initiated in 2014. As of the
AG-519 was evaluated in a Phase 1 healthy volunteer study in the
Conference Call and Webcast Information
Agios will host a conference call and live webcast today at
About Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency and Genetic Background
PK deficiency is a rare inherited disease that presents as hemolytic anemia, which is the accelerated destruction of red blood cells. The inherited mutations in PKR enzymes cause a deficit in cellular energy within the red blood cell, as evidenced by lower pyruvate kinase enzyme activity and a decline in ATP levels and a build-up of upstream metabolites, including 2,3-DPG.
The current standard of care for PK deficiency is supportive, including blood transfusions, splenectomy, chelation therapy to address iron overload and/or interventions for other treatment- and disease-related morbidities. There is no approved therapy to treat the underlying cause of PK deficiency.
PK deficiency is an autosomal recessive disease whereby all patients inherit two mutations, one from each parent. More than 250 different mutations have been identified to date. The mutations observed in PK deficiency patients are classified in two main categories. A missense mutation causes a single amino acid change in the protein, generally resulting in some functional protein. A non-missense mutation is any mutation other than a missense mutation, generally resulting in little functional protein. It is estimated that 53 percent of patients with PK deficiency have two missense mutations, 25 percent have one missense and one non-missense mutation, and 22 percent have two non-missense mutations1.
Boston Children’s Hospital, in collaboration with Agios, is conducting a Natural History Study to better understand the symptoms and complications of PK deficiency, identify patients and treatment centers, and capture other clinical data, including quality of life measures and genetic information.
About AG-348
Agios discovered AG-348, a novel, first-in-class, oral activator of both wild-type (normal) and mutated pyruvate kinase-R (PKR) enzymes. AG-348 has achieved proof-of-concept in an ongoing Phase 2 study (DRIVE-PK) of patients with pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency, a rare, potentially debilitating, congenital anemia. Agios retains worldwide development and commercialization rights to AG-348.
About Agios
Agios is focused on discovering and developing novel investigational medicines to treat cancer and rare genetic metabolic disorders through scientific leadership in the field of cellular metabolism. In addition to an active research and discovery pipeline across both therapeutic areas, Agios has multiple first-in-class investigational medicines in clinical and/or preclinical development. All Agios programs focus on genetically identified patient populations, leveraging our knowledge of metabolism, biology and genomics. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.agios.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include those regarding: the potential benefits of AG-348; Agios’ plans for the further clinical development of AG-348; and Agios’ strategic plans and prospects. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “would,” “could,” “potential,” “possible,” “hope” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Such statements are subject to numerous important factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from Agios' current expectations and beliefs. For example, there can be no guarantee that AG-348 or any other product candidate Agios is developing will successfully commence or complete necessary preclinical and clinical development phases; that positive safety and efficacy findings observed in early stage clinical trials will be replicated in later stage trials; or that development of any of Agios' product candidates will successfully continue. There can be no guarantee that any positive developments in Agios' business will result in stock price appreciation. Management's expectations and, therefore, any forward-looking statements in this press release could also be affected by risks and uncertainties relating to a number of other important factors, including: Agios' results of clinical trials and preclinical studies, including subsequent analysis of existing data and new data received from ongoing and future studies; the content and timing of decisions made by the U.S.
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1 Bianchi P et al. poster, 2015 ASH Annual Meeting
Contacts Investors:Kendra Adams , 617-844-6407 Senior Director, Investor & Public Relations Kendra.Adams@agios.comRenee Leck , 617-649-8299 Senior Manager, Investor & Public Relations Renee.Leck@agios.com
