DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Horizon Therapeutics plc (Nasdaq: HZNP) today announced the availability of an expanded access program for its investigational medicine teprotumumab. Developed in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the expanded access program may provide access to teprotumumab for people living with active thyroid eye disease (TED) who meet protocol criteria. The expanded access program will be available for a limited time while the FDA reviews Horizon’s Biologics License Application (BLA) for teprotumumab. Teprotumumab is an investigational medicine and its safety and efficacy have not been established.
According to the FDA, expanded access programs – sometimes called “compassionate use” – provide a pathway for a patient to receive an investigational medicine for a serious disease or condition. They are often made available when there are no comparable or satisfactory alternative therapies to treat the disease or condition; patient enrollment in clinical trials is not possible; potential patient benefit justifies the potential risk of treatment and providing the investigational medicine will not interfere with investigational trials that could support the medicine’s marketing approval for the treatment indication.
Requests for expanded access to teprotumumab must be made by a U.S. licensed, treating physician. Physicians can learn more about the teprotumumab expanded access program protocol at ClinicalTrials.gov and can request access for a patient by sending an e-mail to medicalinformation@horizontherapeutics.com.
About Thyroid Eye Disease
TED is a serious, progressive and vision-threatening autoimmune disease with a limited window of active disease during which it may respond to medical intervention.1,2,3 While TED often occurs in people living with hyperthyroidism or Graves’ disease, it is a distinct disease that is caused by autoantibodies activating an IGF-1R-mediated signaling complex on cells within the orbit.4,5 This leads to a cascade of negative effects, which may cause long-term, irreversible damage. Active TED lasts for up to three years and is characterized by inflammation and tissue expansion behind the eye.6,1 As TED progresses, it causes serious damage – including proptosis (eye bulging), strabismus (misalignment of the eyes), and diplopia (double vision) – and in some cases can lead to blindness.2,7 Thyroid eye disease has only been shown to respond to pharmacotherapy while the disease is active and inflammation is ongoing.8 Currently, patients must live with Active TED until the disease becomes inactive – often left with permanent and sight-impairing consequences.6,1 There are currently no FDA-approved treatments for Active TED.
About Teprotumumab
Teprotumumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody (mAb) and a targeted inhibitor of the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R). Horizon submitted a BLA to the FDA for teprotumumab for the treatment of active thyroid eye disease (TED) on July 10, 2019. Teprotumumab has received Orphan Drug, Fast Track, and Breakthrough Therapy designations from the FDA. The clinical development program for teprotumumab in the treatment of TED includes positive results from the Phase 3 OPTIC confirmatory clinical trial as well as positive Phase 2 results which were published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The OPTIC trial was conducted at leading centers in the U.S., Germany and Italy, with co-principal investigators Raymond Douglas, M.D., Ph.D., Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; and George Kahaly, M.D., Ph.D., Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center. Horizon is also conducting the OPTIC‐X extension trial to gather further insight into the long-term efficacy and safety of teprotumumab.
About Horizon
Horizon is focused on researching, developing and commercializing medicines that address critical needs for people impacted by rare and rheumatic diseases. Our pipeline is purposeful: we apply scientific expertise and courage to bring clinically meaningful therapies to patients. We believe science and compassion must work together to transform lives. For more information on how we go to incredible lengths to impact lives, please visit www.horizontherapeutics.com, follow us @HorizonNews on Twitter, like us on Facebook or explore career opportunities on LinkedIn.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the potential availability of teprotumumab through Horizon’s expanded access program. These forward-looking statements are based on management expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release, and actual results may differ materially from those in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. These factors include whether the FDA continues to allow teprotumumab to be administered through the expanded access program, the timing of review of the teprotumumab BLA, as well as those described in Horizon’s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including those factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in those filings. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and Horizon does not undertake any obligation to update or revise these statements, except as may be required by law.
References
- Graves’ Ophthalmopathy: VISA versus EUGOGO Classification, Assessment, and Management. Journal of Ophthalmology. 2015. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/joph/2015/249125/cta/. Accessed Feb 22, 2019.
- The 2016 European Thyroid Association/European Group on Graves’ Orbitopathy Guidelines for the Management of Graves’ Orbitopathy. European Thyroid Journal.2 March 2016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27099835. Accessed Feb 22, 2019.
- Shan SJ, Douglas RS. The Pathophysiology of Thyroid Eye Disease. Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology. 2014; 34: 177-185.
- Graves’ Ophthalmopathy. The New England Journal of Medicine. 25 February 2010. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra0905750. Accessed Feb 22, 2019.
- Igs from patients with Graves’ disease induce the expression of T cell chemoattractants in their fibroblasts. The Journal of Immunology. 15 January 2002. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11777993. Accessed Feb 22, 2019.
- Update on thyroid eye disease and management. Clinical Ophthalmology. 19 October 2009. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2770865/. Accessed Feb 22, 2019.
- Clinical features of dysthyroid optic neuropathy: a European Group on Graves’ Orbitopathy (EUGOGO) survey. British Journal of Ophthalmology. 11 October 2006. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17035276. Accessed Feb 22, 2019.
- Mamoojee Y, Pearce SHS. Natural History. In: Wiersinga WM, Kahaly GJ (eds): Graves’ Orbitopathy: A Multidisciplinary Approach – Questions and Answers. Basel, Karger. 2017:93-104.
Contacts
Tina Ventura
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations
Investor-relations@horizontherapeutics.com
Ruth Venning
Executive Director, Investor Relations
Investor-relations@horizontherapeutics.com
U.S. Media Contact:
Rachel Vann
Associate Director, Product Communications
media@horizontherapeutics.com
Ireland Media Contact:
Gordon MRM
Ray Gordon
ray@gordonmrm.ie