Acadia Pharmaceuticals Announces August 4, 2022 Action Date for Resubmitted Supplemental New Drug Application for NUPLAZID® (pimavanserin) for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease Psychosis

Rhea-AI Summary

Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACAD) announced that the FDA has set a target action date of August 4, 2022 for its resubmitted supplemental New Drug Application for pimavanserin, aimed at treating hallucinations and delusions associated with Alzheimer’s disease psychosis. An FDA Advisory Committee meeting is also planned as part of the review process. With around 30% of Alzheimer's patients experiencing psychosis, the approval could address a critical unmet need in this area, enhancing the lives of patients and caregivers.

Positive

• FDA target action date of August 4, 2022, for pimavanserin's application.
• Potential to address significant unmet need for Alzheimer's disease psychosis treatment.

Negative

• None.

The Food and Drug Administration Plans to Hold Advisory Committee Meeting

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: ACAD) announced today that it has received a target action date of August 4, 2022 from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its resubmitted supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for pimavanserin for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with Alzheimer’s disease psychosis (ADP). The FDA’s Division of Psychiatry has also advised the company that it is planning to hold an Advisory Committee meeting in connection with its review.

“We look forward to working with the Division during the course of their review and in preparation for the advisory committee meeting,” said Steve Davis, Chief Executive Officer. “With no FDA approved drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease psychosis, the hallucinations and delusions that Alzheimer’s patients endure represent a highly significant unmet need, dramatically altering the lives of both Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers. We look forward to advancing our resubmission through the review process and potentially bringing this important new therapy to these families.”

About Alzheimer’s Disease Psychosis
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, approximately six million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).^1-2 Approximately 30% of patients with AD experience psychosis, commonly consisting of hallucinations and delusions.³ These symptoms may be frequent and severe and may recur over time.⁴ A hallucination is defined as a perception-like experience that occurs without an external stimulus and is sensory (seen, heard, felt, tasted, sensed, smelled) in nature. A delusion is defined as a false, fixed belief despite evidence to the contrary. Serious consequences have been associated with psychosis in patients with dementia, such as increased likelihood of nursing home placement, more severe dementia, and increased risk of morbidity and mortality.^5-6 There is no FDA-approved drug for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease psychosis.

About Pimavanserin
Pimavanserin is a selective serotonin inverse agonist and antagonist preferentially targeting 5-HT_2A receptors. These receptors are thought to play an important role in neuropsychiatric disorders. In vitro, pimavanserin demonstrated no appreciable binding affinity for dopamine (including D2), histamine, muscarinic, or adrenergic receptors. Pimavanserin was approved for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April 2016 under the trade name NUPLAZID^®. NUPLAZID is not approved for Alzheimer’s disease psychosis. In addition, Acadia is developing pimavanserin in other neuropsychiatric conditions.

About Acadia Pharmaceuticals
Acadia is advancing breakthroughs in neuroscience to elevate life. For more than 25 years we have been working at the forefront of healthcare to bring vital solutions to people who need them most. We developed and commercialized the first and only approved therapy for hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis. Our late-stage development efforts are focused on treating psychosis in patients with dementia, the negative symptoms of schizophrenia and Rett syndrome. Our early-stage development efforts are focused on novel approaches to pain management, cognition and neuropsychiatric symptoms in central nervous system disorders. For more information, visit us at www.acadia-pharm.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Important Safety Information and Indication for NUPLAZID^® (pimavanserin)

Indication

NUPLAZID is indicated for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis.

Important Safety Information

WARNING: INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS

• Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death.
• NUPLAZID is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis unrelated to the hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis.

Contraindication: NUPLAZID is contraindicated in patients with a history of a hypersensitivity reaction to pimavanserin or any of its components. Rash, urticaria, and reactions consistent with angioedema (e.g., tongue swelling, circumoral edema, throat tightness, and dyspnea) have been reported.

Warnings and Precautions: QT Interval Prolongation

• NUPLAZID prolongs the QT interval. The use of NUPLAZID should be avoided in patients with known QT prolongation or in combination with other drugs known to prolong QT interval including Class 1A antiarrhythmics or Class 3 antiarrhythmics, certain antipsychotic medications, and certain antibiotics.
• NUPLAZID should also be avoided in patients with a history of cardiac arrhythmias, as well as other circumstances that may increase the risk of the occurrence of torsade de pointes and/or sudden death, including symptomatic bradycardia, hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia, and presence of congenital prolongation of the QT interval.

Adverse Reactions: The common adverse reactions (≥2% for NUPLAZID and greater than placebo) were peripheral edema (7% vs 2%), nausea (7% vs 4%), confusional state (6% vs 3%), hallucination (5% vs 3%), constipation (4% vs 3%), and gait disturbance (2% vs <1%).

Drug Interactions:

• Coadministration with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole) increases NUPLAZID exposure. Reduce NUPLAZID dose to 10 mg taken orally as one tablet once daily.
• Coadministration with strong or moderate CYP3A4 inducers reduces NUPLAZID exposure. Avoid concomitant use of strong or moderate CYP3A4 inducers with NUPLAZID.

Dosage and Administration

Recommended dose: 34 mg capsule taken orally once daily, without titration.

NUPLAZID is available as 34 mg capsules and 10 mg tablets.

Please read the full Prescribing Information including Boxed WARNING.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. These statements include but are not limited to statements regarding the timing of future events. These statements are only predictions based on current information and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in any of such statements due to various factors, including the risks and uncertainties inherent in drug development, approval and commercialization. For a discussion of these and other factors, please refer to Acadia’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 as well as Acadia’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and Acadia undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by law.

References
1	Alzheimer’s Association. 2021 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Alzheimers Dement. 2021; 16(3): 391.
2	Rajan, KB et al. Population estimate of people with clinical Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment in the United States (2020-2060). Alzheimer’s and Dementia. 2021: 1-10.
3	Cummings J et al. Criteria for Psychosis in Major and Mild Neurocognitive Disorders: International Psychogeriatric Associations (IPA) Consensus Clinical and Research Definition. Am J of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2020; 28(12): 1256-1269.
4	Ballard C et al. A prospective study of psychotic symptoms in dementia sufferers: psychosis in dementia. Int Psychogeriatr. 1997; 9(1): 57-64.
5	Scarmeas N et al. Delusions and hallucinations are associated with worse outcome in Alzheimer Disease. Arch Neurol. 2005; 62(10): 1601-1608.
6	Peters ME et al. Neuropsychiatric symptoms as predictors of progression to severe Alzheimer’s dementia and death: the Cache County Dementia Progression study. Am J Psychiatry. 2015; 172(5): 460-465.

 

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Media Contact:

Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Deb Kazenelson

818-395-3043

media@acadia-pharm.com



Investor Contact:

Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Mark Johnson, CFA

(858) 261-2771

ir@acadia-pharm.com

Source: Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc.

FAQ

What is the FDA target action date for Acadia Pharmaceuticals' pimavanserin?

The FDA has set a target action date of August 4, 2022, for Acadia Pharmaceuticals' pimavanserin.

What condition is pimavanserin being developed to treat by Acadia Pharmaceuticals?

Pimavanserin is being developed to treat hallucinations and delusions associated with Alzheimer's disease psychosis.

What percentage of Alzheimer's patients experience psychosis?

Approximately 30% of Alzheimer's patients experience psychosis.

Is there an FDA-approved treatment for Alzheimer's disease psychosis?

There is currently no FDA-approved drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease psychosis.