Humanigen Announces Peer-Reviewed Publication in The Journal of Medical Economics Demonstrating the Clinical and Economic Benefits of Lenzilumab

Rhea-AI Summary

Humanigen has announced a peer-reviewed publication in the Journal of Medical Economics, highlighting the economic benefits of lenzilumab in treating COVID-19 patients. The treatment, combined with standard care, is associated with an estimated $13,190 cost savings per patient and a net savings of $3,190 after accounting for lenzilumab's price. This publication underscores the importance of cost-effective treatments, especially amid rising COVID-19 cases despite increased vaccinations. Humanigen aims to commercialize lenzilumab as a one-day treatment if authorized.

Positive

• Estimated cost savings of $13,190 per patient when using lenzilumab with standard care.
• Potential net savings of $3,190 per patient after lenzilumab's assumed price.
• Demonstrated improvement in clinical outcomes for patients treated with lenzilumab in combination with standard care.

Negative

• None.

• Lenzilumab plus standard of care (SOC), resulted in an estimated cost savings of $13,190 per patient (net savings of $3,190, after an assumed price of $10,000 for lenzilumab) in those receiving remdesivir with baseline C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels <150 mg/L, and aged <85 years
• For COVID-19 patients requiring ICU admission and invasive mechanical ventilation, the average healthcare cost is $78,245 per patient
• Despite increasing vaccinations, the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths continues to increase, demonstrating the urgent need for both clinically effective and cost-effective variant-agnostic treatments for hospitalized patients

BURLINGAME, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Humanigen, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGEN) (“Humanigen”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on preventing and treating an immune hyper-response called ‘cytokine storm,’ today announced a peer-reviewed publication in the Journal of Medical Economics (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13696998.2022.2030148) citing the clinical and associated health economic benefits of lenzilumab. The publication demonstrated, in all cases, lenzilumab plus SOC improved all specified clinical outcomes compared with SOC alone. Lenzilumab plus SOC, resulted in an estimated cost savings of $13,190 per patient (net savings of $3,190, after an assumed price of $10,000 for lenzilumab) in those receiving remdesivir with baseline C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels <150 mg/L, and aged <85 years, the primary analysis population in the fully enrolled ACTIV-5/BET-B study. In other subpopulations, per-patient savings were also observed, including those aged <85 years with baseline CRP <150mg/L with or without remdesivir (cost savings = $11,858, net cost savings = $1,858) and within the subpopulation of Black/African American patients with baseline CRP <150mg/L (cost savings = $23,154, net cost savings = $13,154).

“This publication demonstrates the opportunity to realise significant cost savings for healthcare systems, while also improving outcomes for patients,” said Dr. Adrian Kilcoyne, Chief Medical Officer, Humanigen. “With the current omicron surge, the importance of variant-agnostic and both clinically effective and cost-effective therapies is paramount.”

This peer-reviewed publication highlights the significant costs of treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients and the economic benefits of potentially improving survival without ventilation, ventilator use, time to recovery, mortality, time in the ICU, and time to invasive mechanical ventilation, which may be associated with adding lenzilumab to standard of care from the US hospital perspective.

“During these unprecedented and challenging times, we are preparing to commercialize lenzilumab as a single day treatment which is variant-agnostic and, if authorized, a driver of clinical and economic value to patients and healthcare systems,” said Edward P. Jordan, Chief Commercial Officer, Humanigen.

About Humanigen

Lenzilumab is an investigational product and is not approved or authorized in any country.

Humanigen, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGEN) (“Humanigen”), is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on preventing and treating an immune hyper-response called ‘cytokine storm’. Lenzilumab is a first-in class antibody that binds to and neutralizes granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Results from preclinical models indicate GM-CSF is an upstream regulator of many inflammatory cytokines and chemokines involved in the cytokine storm. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, investigation showed high levels of GM-CSF secreting T cells were associated with disease severity and intensive care unit admission. Humanigen’s Phase 3 LIVE-AIR study suggests early intervention with lenzilumab may prevent consequences of a full-blown cytokine storm in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Humanigen is developing lenzilumab as a treatment for cytokine storm associated with COVID-19 and CD19-targeted CAR-T cell therapies and is also exploring the effectiveness of lenzilumab in other inflammatory conditions such as acute Graft versus Host Disease in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, eosinophilic asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. The PREACH-M study in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia being conducted at 5 centers in Australia has begun dosing patients. Both the SHIELD study in CAR-T and the RATinG study in acute Graft versus Host Disease (aGvHD) are planned to begin enrolling in the first half of 2022, in the US and the UK respectively. Additional COVID studies which will be completed or initiated in 2022 include the NIH-sponsored ACTIV-5/BET-B study in the US and Korea and the C-SMART study being conducted in Australia. All are late-stage, clinical studies. In addition, Humanigen is progressing a Phase 1 program focused on ifabotuzumab in solid tumors.

For more information, visit www.humanigen.com and follow Humanigen on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current knowledge, assumptions, judgment, and expectations regarding future performance or events. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such statements are reasonable, they give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct, and you should be aware that actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Words such as "will," "expect," "intend," "plan," "potential," "possible," "goals," "accelerate," "continue," and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential benefits of lenzilumab, if authorized or approved; statements regarding our clinical trial programs; and other statements regarding our plans relating to lenzilumab and ifabotuzumab.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risks inherent in our lack of profitability and need for additional capital to grow our business; our dependence on partners to further the development of our product candidates; the uncertainties inherent in the development, attainment of the requisite regulatory authorizations and approvals and launch of any new pharmaceutical product; the outcome of pending or future litigation; and the various risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" sections of our latest annual and quarterly reports and other filings with the SEC.

All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. You should not rely upon any forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, in each case, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220118005384/en/

Humanigen Investor Relations

Timothy E. Morris COO & CFO Humanigen, Inc.

tmorris@humanigen.com 650-400-6874

Source: Humanigen, Inc.

FAQ

What are the cost savings associated with lenzilumab for COVID-19 treatment?

Lenzilumab, when combined with standard care, provides estimated cost savings of $13,190 per patient.

How much is the net savings from lenzilumab after its assumed cost?

The net savings from lenzilumab, after assuming a price of $10,000, is $3,190 per patient.

What publication discusses the benefits of lenzilumab?

The benefits of lenzilumab are discussed in a peer-reviewed publication in the Journal of Medical Economics.

What is the significance of lenzilumab in COVID-19 treatment?

Lenzilumab is significant as it may improve clinical outcomes and offers economic benefits amidst rising COVID-19 cases.

What company is behind the lenzilumab treatment?

The company behind lenzilumab is Humanigen, which focuses on developing therapies for cytokine storms.