Alnylam Announces U.S. Food and Drug Administration Acceptance of Supplemental New Drug Application for Vutrisiran for the Treatment of ATTR Amyloidosis with Cardiomyopathy
− Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) Date Set for March 23, 2025 −
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 25, 2024-- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNY), the leading RNAi therapeutics company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the Company’s supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for vutrisiran, an investigational RNAi therapeutic in development for the treatment of ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). Based on the Company’s use of a Priority Review Voucher, the FDA has set an action date goal of March 23, 2025, under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA). The FDA has informed the Company that it is not planning to hold an advisory committee meeting at this time to review the application.
Vutrisiran is the generic name for AMVUTTRA®, which is currently approved by the FDA for the treatment of the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (hATTR-PN) in adults. By rapidly knocking down both mutant and wild‑type transthyretin (TTR), vutrisiran addresses the underlying cause of transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR). If approved, vutrisiran would become the first therapeutic approved in the U.S. to treat both the polyneuropathy manifestations of hATTR and cardiomyopathy manifestations of ATTR amyloidosis.
“We are pleased that the FDA has accepted our sNDA for vutrisiran for the treatment of ATTR with cardiomyopathy – a steadily progressing, debilitating and ultimately fatal disease,” said Pushkal Garg, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Alnylam. “In HELIOS-B, treatment with vutrisiran improved cardiovascular outcomes, survival, disease progression and quality of life, as compared to placebo, in a population reflective of today’s patients on substantial background treatment. We look forward to working with the FDA to support their review of the application and bring vutrisiran to patients with ATTR-CM in the U.S. early next year.”
The supplemental application to the FDA was based on positive results from HELIOS-B, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter global Phase 3 study in patients with ATTR-CM. The study demonstrated favorable effects of vutrisiran on outcomes of death and cardiovascular events, functional capacity and quality of life in patients with ATTR-CM. These treatment effects were seen on top of substantial background standard of care treatments. Vutrisiran demonstrated encouraging safety and tolerability consistent with the established profile of the drug. Detailed results from the study were presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress and simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine on August 30, 2024.
AMVUTTRA® (vutrisiran) U.S. Indication and Important Safety Information
Indication
AMVUTTRA is indicated for the treatment of the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis in adults.
Important Safety Information
Reduced Serum Vitamin A Levels and Recommended Supplementation
AMVUTTRA treatment leads to a decrease in serum vitamin A levels. Supplementation at the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin A is advised for patients taking AMVUTTRA. Higher doses than the RDA should not be given to try to achieve normal serum vitamin A levels during treatment with AMVUTTRA, as serum vitamin A levels do not reflect the total vitamin A in the body.
Patients should be referred to an ophthalmologist if they develop ocular symptoms suggestive of vitamin A deficiency (e.g., night blindness).
Adverse Reactions
The most common adverse reactions that occurred in patients treated with AMVUTTRA were pain in extremity (15%), arthralgia (11%), dyspnea (7%), and vitamin A decreased (7%).
For additional information about AMVUTTRA, please see the full U.S. Prescribing Information.
About AMVUTTRA® (vutrisiran)
AMVUTTRA® (vutrisiran) is an RNAi therapeutic that delivers rapid knockdown of mutant and wild-type transthyretin (TTR), addressing the underlying cause of transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis. Administered quarterly via subcutaneous injection, AMVUTTRA is approved and marketed in more than 15 countries for the treatment of the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (hATTR-PN) in adults. Vutrisiran is also in development for the treatment of ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), which encompasses both wild-type and hereditary forms of the disease. For more information about AMVUTTRA, including the full U.S. Prescribing Information, visit AMVUTTRA.com.
About ATTR
Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is an underdiagnosed, rapidly progressive, debilitating and fatal disease caused by misfolded transthyretin (TTR) proteins, which accumulate as amyloid deposits in various parts of the body, including the nerves, heart and gastrointestinal tract. Patients may present with polyneuropathy, cardiomyopathy, or both manifestations of disease. There are two different forms of ATTR – hereditary ATTR (hATTR), which is caused by a TTR gene variant and affects approximately 50,000 people worldwide, and wild-type ATTR (wtATTR), which occurs without a TTR gene variant and impacts an estimated 200,000 – 300,000 people worldwide.
About RNAi
RNAi (RNA interference) is a natural cellular process of gene silencing that represents one of the most promising and rapidly advancing frontiers in biology and drug development today. Its discovery has been heralded as “a major scientific breakthrough that happens once every decade or so,” and was recognized with the award of the 2006 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. By harnessing the natural biological process of RNAi occurring in our cells, a new class of medicines known as RNAi therapeutics is now a reality. Small interfering RNA (siRNA), the molecules that mediate RNAi and comprise Alnylam’s RNAi therapeutic platform, function upstream of today’s medicines by potently silencing messenger RNA (mRNA) – the genetic precursors that encode for disease-causing or disease pathway proteins – thus preventing them from being made. This is a revolutionary approach with the potential to transform the care of patients with genetic and other diseases.
About Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Alnylam (Nasdaq: ALNY) has led the translation of RNA interference (RNAi) into a whole new class of innovative medicines with the potential to transform the lives of people afflicted with rare and prevalent diseases with unmet need. Based on Nobel Prize-winning science, RNAi therapeutics represent a powerful, clinically validated approach yielding transformative medicines. Since its founding in 2002, Alnylam has led the RNAi Revolution and continues to deliver on a bold vision to turn scientific possibility into reality. Alnylam’s commercial RNAi therapeutic products are ONPATTRO® (patisiran), AMVUTTRA® (vutrisiran), GIVLAARI® (givosiran), OXLUMO® (lumasiran), and Leqvio® (inclisiran), which is being developed and commercialized by Alnylam’s partner, Novartis. Alnylam has a deep pipeline of investigational medicines, including multiple product candidates that are in late-stage development. Alnylam is executing on its “Alnylam P5x25” strategy to deliver transformative medicines in both rare and common diseases benefiting patients around the world through sustainable innovation and exceptional financial performance, resulting in a leading biotech profile. Alnylam is headquartered in Cambridge, MA. For more information about our people, science and pipeline, please visit www.alnylam.com and engage with us on X (formerly Twitter) at @Alnylam, or on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram.
Alnylam Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements other than historical statements of fact regarding Alnylam’s expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or prospects including, without limitation, Alnylam’s expectations regarding the safety and efficacy of vutrisiran for the treatment of ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy, including the safety, tolerability and favorable effects of vutrisiran on outcomes of death and cardiovascular events, functional capacity and quality of life in patients with ATTR-CM; whether the FDA will convene an advisory committee in connection with the FDA’s review of Alnylam’s supplemental application for approval of vutrisiran for the treatment of patients with ATTR-CM; the potential for vutrisiran to obtain FDA approval for the treatment of patients with ATTR-CM, and the anticipated timing of such FDA approval; and the potential for Alnylam to achieve its Alnylam P5x25 vision of becoming a leading biopharma company should be considered forward-looking statements. Actual results and future plans may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties relating to: Alnylam’s ability to successfully execute on its “Alnylam P5x25” strategy; Alnylam’s ability to successfully demonstrate the efficacy and safety of its product candidates; the pre-clinical and clinical results for Alnylam’s product candidates, including vutrisiran; actions or advice of regulatory agencies and Alnylam’s ability to obtain regulatory approval for its product candidates, including vutrisiran, as well as favorable pricing and reimbursement; successfully launching, marketing and selling Alnylam’s approved products globally; and any delays, interruptions or failures in the manufacture and supply of Alnylam’s product candidates or its marketed products; as well as those risks more fully discussed in the “Risk Factors” filed with Alnylam’s 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as may be updated from time to time in Alnylam’s subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in its other SEC filings. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent Alnylam’s views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Alnylam explicitly disclaims any obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update any forward-looking statements.