Prothena Presents Phase 1 Study Results of PRX004 in Oral Presentation at AAN 2021

Rhea-AI Summary

Prothena Corporation (NASDAQ:PRTA) reported favorable outcomes from its Phase 1 study of PRX004, presented at AAN 2021. Notably, all 7 evaluable patients showed a mean change in Neuropathy Impairment Score (NIS) of +1.29 points, significantly better than the expected +9.2 points. Additionally, 3 patients experienced an improvement in neuropathy with a mean change of -3.33 points. All patients also demonstrated improved cardiac function, indicated by a decrease in global longitudinal strain (GLS). The treatment was found generally safe and well tolerated.

Positive

• Mean change in Neuropathy Impairment Score (NIS) improved by +1.29 points for all 7 evaluable patients, outperforming the expected +9.2 points.
• 3 out of 7 patients showed improvement in NIS with a mean change of -3.33 points.
• All 7 patients exhibited improvement in cardiac function with a mean change in GLS of -1.21%.
• PRX004 demonstrated a favorable safety and tolerability profile with no serious adverse events reported.

Negative

• None.

• Slowing of neuropathy progression for all 7 evaluable patients, evidenced by a +1.29 point mean change in NIS, was more favorable than expected progression of +9.2 points
• Improvement in neuropathy for 3 of these 7 evaluable patients demonstrated by a mean change in NIS of -3.33 points
• Improvement in cardiac function for all 7 evaluable patients demonstrated by a decrease in global longitudinal strain (GLS)
• Emerging Science Oral Presentation today at AAN 2021

DUBLIN, Ireland, April 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prothena Corporation plc (NASDAQ:PRTA) today presented positive results from the Phase 1 study of PRX004 as part of the Emerging Science Session at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting. PRX004 showed favorable results as demonstrated by slowing of neuropathy progression for all 7 evaluable patients at 9 months, including improvement in neuropathy in 3 of the 7 patients, and improved cardiac systolic function for all 7 patients. In this Phase 1 study, PRX004 was found to be generally safe and well tolerated across all dose levels. The positive results were presented by Dr. Ole Suhr, Senior Professor, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, gastroenterologist and internist who was a principal investigator in the study and were previously highlighted by Prothena on December 9, 2020.

For all of the evaluable patients, slowing of neuropathy progression was demonstrated by a mean change from baseline in Neuropathy Impairment Score (NIS) of +1.29 points at 9 months. This compares favorably to a calculated mean change in NIS of +9.2 points at 9 months in untreated and placebo-treated patients with hereditary ATTR peripheral neuropathy (hATTR-PN) based on analysis of published historical data. In addition, the change in NIS for each of these evaluable patients was more favorable than the published historical data. In this highly progressive disease, it was encouraging to see 3 of 7 patients demonstrate improvement in neuropathy with a mean change in NIS of –3.33 points at 9 months. These positive results were observed in patients with or without concomitant use of stabilizer therapy. PRX004 also demonstrated improvement in cardiac systolic function in each of the 7 evaluable patients, with a mean change in GLS of –1.21% at 9 months (centrally read). For the 3 patients who improved on NIS, GLS improvement was more pronounced, with a mean change of –1.51% at 9 months. Taken together, these positive clinical findings suggest PRX004’s depleter mechanism of action can result in benefits in both neuropathy and cardiac function.

“I was pleased to see evidence of both a slowing of disease progression as well as a rapid improvement in neuropathy in some patients after only 9 months of treatment with PRX004. Given the expected clinical progression in these patients, the more favorable than expected change in NIS for all 7 patients is an encouraging finding, as is PRX004’s favorable safety and tolerability profile,” stated Ole Suhr, MD. “These results demonstrate the potential of PRX004’s depleter mechanism to provide a new treatment paradigm that is highly needed to treat patients at high risk of early mortality due to amyloid deposition in vital organs.”

Today’s presentation at AAN 2021 will be made available on the Company’s website at www.prothena.com under the Investors tab in the Events and Presentations section.

PRX004 Phase 1 Study

The Phase 1, open-label, multicenter dose-escalation study (NCT03336580) enrolled 21 patients with hereditary ATTR Amyloidosis (hATTR) to receive PRX004 intravenously once every 28 days for up to 3 infusions in the dose escalation phase of the study. Patients were enrolled into 1 of the following 6 PRX004 dose cohorts: 0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg, starting with the lowest dose. Eligible patients who completed dose-escalation were provided the opportunity to enroll in the long-term extension (LTE) portion of the study. All 21 patients enrolled in the Phase 1 study successfully completed dose-escalation and 17 patients subsequently enrolled in the LTE.

In order to inform dose selection, a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model was developed and subsequently confirmed by observed reductions in free non-native TTR (transthyretin) in plasma of patients following PRX004 administration. Based on this model, dose levels ≥3 mg/kg were predicted to saturate (occupy ≥90%) amyloid deposits. Therefore, cohorts 4, 5 and 6 were considered equivalent, and efficacy was explored in these patients and pooled. Of the 12 patients in these cohorts, 7 patients (n=3 in cohort 4, n=3 in cohort 5 and n=1 in cohort 6) received all infusions through 9 months and were therefore considered evaluable for efficacy. The remaining 5 patients did not meet these criteria due to COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions.

PRX004 demonstrated a PK profile consistent with an lgG1 monoclonal antibody and exposures increased proportionally with dose.

Monthly intravenous (IV) infusions of PRX004 were generally safe and well tolerated at all dose levels tested, with 233 separate infusions and up to 17 infusions per patient in the study. No drug-related serious adverse events (SAEs), drug-related ≥ grade 3 adverse events, deaths or dose-limiting toxicities were reported. The most frequent treatment-emergent AEs (≥10%) were fall, anemia, upper respiratory tract infection, back pain, constipation, diarrhea and insomnia. No clinically relevant anti-drug antibodies were observed. Consistent with the proposed mechanism of action, PRX004 administration did not impact levels of native, normal tetrameric TTR.

About ATTR Amyloidosis

Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR amyloidosis) is a rare, progressive and fatal disease characterized by deposition of abnormal, non-native forms of TTR protein (amyloid) in vital organs. ATTR amyloidosis can be hereditary (hATTR) when caused by a mutation in the TTR gene, or wild-type (wtATTR) when it occurs sporadically. Patients can experience a spectrum of clinical manifestations due to deposition of amyloid that can affect multiple organs, most commonly the heart and/or nervous system. It is estimated that between 400,000 to 1.4 million patients suffer from ATTR-cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). Within this population, between 130,000 to 490,000 patients are estimated to be moderate-to-advanced and categorized as New York Heart Association Class III and IV. TTR protein is produced primarily in the liver, pancreas and choroid plexus and in its native tetrameric form serves as a carrier for thyroxin and retinol binding protein (a transporter for vitamin A) and has been proposed to have neuroprotective effects.

About PRX004 and Depleter Mechanism of Action

PRX004 is an investigational humanized monoclonal antibody designed to deplete amyloid associated with disease pathology that underlies hereditary and wild type ATTR amyloidosis (hATTR and wtATTR, respectively), without affecting the native, normal tetrameric form of the protein.

It is generally accepted that at the time of diagnosis, affected organs in ATTR patients contain extracellular amyloid deposits. These deposits, together with prefibrillar species, are believed to cause organ dysfunction. PRX004 has been shown in preclinical studies to promote clearance of insoluble amyloid fibrils through antibody-mediated phagocytosis and inhibit amyloid formation. This depleter mechanism of action has the potential to provide benefit for ATTR patients at high risk for early mortality due to amyloid deposition in vital organs.

About Prothena

Prothena Corporation plc is a late-stage clinical company with expertise in protein dysregulation and a pipeline of novel investigational therapeutics with the potential to change the course of devastating rare peripheral amyloid and neurodegenerative diseases. Fueled by its deep scientific expertise built over decades of research, Prothena is advancing a pipeline of therapeutic candidates for a number of indications and novel targets for which its ability to integrate scientific insights around neurological dysfunction and the biology of misfolded proteins can be leveraged. Prothena’s pipeline includes both wholly-owned and partnered programs being developed for the potential treatment of diseases including AL amyloidosis, ATTR amyloidosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and a number of other neurodegenerative diseases. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.prothena.com and follow the Company on Twitter @ProthenaCorp.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to, among other things, the treatment potential, design and proposed mechanism of action of PRX004; and the design and capabilities of our misTTR assay for hereditary ATTR. These statements are based on estimates, projections and assumptions that may prove not to be accurate, and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including but not limited to the effects on our business of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and the risks, uncertainties and other factors described in the “Risk Factors” sections of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 26, 2021, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in our subsequent filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or changes in our expectations.

Contacts:

Media:
Ellen Rose, Head of Communications
650-922-2405, ellen.rose@prothena.com

Investors:
Jennifer Zibuda, Director, Investor Relations & Communications
650-837-8535, jennifer.zibuda@prothena.com

 

FAQ

What were the results of Prothena's Phase 1 study of PRX004 presented at AAN 2021?

The Phase 1 study results showed a mean NIS change of +1.29 points for all 7 patients, which is significantly better than the historical +9.2 points.

How many patients improved in the Phase 1 study of PRX004?

In the Phase 1 study, 3 out of 7 evaluable patients demonstrated an improvement in neuropathy with a mean NIS change of -3.33 points.

What impact did PRX004 have on cardiac function in the study?

All 7 patients in the study showed improvement in cardiac function, evidenced by a decrease in global longitudinal strain (GLS) averaging -1.21%.

Was PRX004 safe during the study?

Yes, PRX004 was generally safe and well tolerated; no serious adverse events or dose-limiting toxicities were reported.

What is PRX004 designed to treat?

PRX004 is designed to deplete amyloid associated with hereditary and wild-type ATTR amyloidosis.