TG Therapeutics Submits Biologics License Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Ublituximab as a Treatment for Patients with Relapsing Forms of Multiple Sclerosis
TG Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: TGTX) has submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the FDA for its investigational drug, ublituximab, to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS). This submission is based on the successful Phase 3 ULTIMATE I & II trials, which showed ublituximab significantly reduced the annualized relapse rate compared to teriflunomide. The trials enrolled 1,094 patients across 10 countries and were conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment with the FDA. This marks TG Therapeutics' first marketing application for an autoimmune indication.
- Submission of BLA for ublituximab represents a significant milestone as the first autoimmune indication for TG Therapeutics.
- ULTIMATE I & II trials demonstrated statistically significant efficacy of ublituximab, reducing the annualized relapse rate in RMS patients.
- There are risks that the FDA may not accept the BLA submission or approve ublituximab, impacting potential market entry.
- Clinical results may not support regulatory approval due to efficacy or safety concerns, affecting commercial viability.
NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TG Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: TGTX), today announced the submission of a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting approval of ublituximab, the Company’s investigational glycoengineered anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, as a treatment for patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS). The submission was based on the results of the ULTIMATE I & II trials, two identical Phase 3, randomized, global, multi-center, double-blinded, active-controlled trials evaluating ublituximab compared to teriflunomide in patients with RMS. The ULTIMATE I & II trials were conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreement with the FDA.
Michael S. Weiss, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TG Therapeutics stated, “The submission of this BLA for ublituximab to treat patients with RMS marks a major milestone for us, being our first submission of a marketing application for an autoimmune indication and rounds out our near-term U.S. regulatory submissions. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic and potentially disabling disease that affects nearly 1 million Americans. We believe ublituximab has the potential to offer an important new treatment option for these patients, and we look forward to working closely with the FDA on this submission.” Mr. Weiss continued, “We want to thank the patients and their families, as well as the physicians and their research teams, who participated in our ULTIMATE I and II trials.”
ABOUT THE ULTIMATE I & II PHASE 3 TRIALS
ULTIMATE I and ULTIMATE II are two independent Phase 3, randomized, double-blinded, active-controlled, global, multi-center studies evaluating the efficacy and safety/tolerability of ublituximab (450mg dose administered by one-hour intravenous infusion every 6 months, following a Day 1 infusion of 150mg over four hours and a Day 15 infusion of 450mg over one hour) versus teriflunomide (14mg oral tablets taken once daily) in subjects with relapsing forms of Multiple Sclerosis (RMS). The ULTIMATE I & II trials enrolled a total of 1,094 patients with RMS across 10 countries. These trials were led by Lawrence Steinman, MD, Zimmermann Professor of Neurology & Neurological Sciences, and Pediatrics at Stanford University and were conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As previously announced, both studies met their primary endpoint with ublituximab treatment demonstrating a statistically significant reduction in annualized relapse rate (ARR) compared to teriflunomide over a 96-week period (p<0.005 in each trial). Additional information on these clinical trials can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03277261; NCT03277248).
ABOUT UBLITUXIMAB
Ublituximab is an investigational glycoengineered monoclonal antibody that targets a unique epitope on CD20-expressing B-cells. When ublituximab binds to the B-cell it triggers a series of immunological reactions, including antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), leading to destruction of the cell. Additionally, ublituximab is uniquely designed to lack certain sugar molecules normally expressed on the antibody. Removal of these sugar molecules, a process called glycoengineering, has been shown to enhance the potency of ublituximab, especially the ADCC activity. Targeting CD20 using monoclonal antibodies has proven to be an important therapeutic approach for the management of B-cell malignancies and autoimmune disorders, both diseases driven by the abnormal growth or function of B-cells.
ABOUT MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) and includes people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) who continue to experience relapses. RRMS is the most common form of multiple sclerosis (MS) and is characterized by episodes of new or worsening signs or symptoms (relapses) followed by periods of recovery. It is estimated that nearly 1 million people are living with MS in the United States and approximately
ABOUT TG THERAPEUTICS, INC.
TG Therapeutics is a fully-integrated, commercial stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the acquisition, development and commercialization of novel treatments for B-cell malignancies and autoimmune diseases. In addition to an active research pipeline including five investigational medicines across these therapeutic areas, TG has received accelerated approval from the U.S. FDA for UKONIQ® (umbralisib), for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed/refractory marginal zone lymphoma who have received at least one prior anti-CD20-based regimen and relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma who have received at least three prior lines of systemic therapies. Currently, the Company has three programs in Phase 3 development for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS) and patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and several investigational medicines in Phase 1 clinical development. For more information, visit www.tgtherapeutics.com, and follow us on Twitter @TGTherapeutics and Linkedin.
UKONIQ® is a registered trademark of TG Therapeutics, Inc.
Cautionary Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. For those statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements regarding the submission of a Biologics License Application (BLA) for ublituximab for the treatment of relapsing forms of Multiple Sclerosis (RMS) and the commercial potential of ublituximab for the treatment of RMS if the BLA is approved.
Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release. In addition to the risk factors identified from time to time in our reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially include the following: the risk that FDA will not accept the BLA submission; the risk that the clinical results from the ULTIMATE I & II trials will not support regulatory approval of ublituximab to treat RMS for efficacy, safety or other issues or, if approved, that we will not receive regulatory approval within the timeline projected; the risk that if approved, ublituximab will not be commercially successful; the risk that the data from the ULTIMATE I & II trials that we announce or publish may change, or the perceived product profile may be impacted, as more data are analyzed; the risk that data may emerge from future clinical studies or from adverse event reporting that may affect the perceived safety and tolerability profile and commercial potential of ublituximab; our ability to expand our commercial infrastructure, and successfully launch, market and sell ublituximab in RMS if approved; the Company’s reliance on third parties for manufacturing, distribution and supply, and a range of other support functions for our commercial and clinical products, including ublituximab; the uncertainties inherent in research and development; and the risk that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated government control measures have an adverse impact on our research and development plans or commercialization efforts. Further discussion about these and other risks and uncertainties can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 and in our other filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements set forth in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We do not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. This press release and prior releases are available at www.tgtherapeutics.com. The information found on our website is not incorporated by reference into this press release and is included for reference purposes only.
CONTACT:
Investor Relations
Email: ir@tgtxinc.com
Telephone: 1.877.575.TGTX (8489), Option 4
Media Relations:
Email: media@tgtxinc.com
Telephone: 1.877.575.TGTX (8489), Option 6
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1. MS Prevalence. National Multiple Sclerosis Society website. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/About-the-Society/MS-Prevalence. Accessed October 26, 2020. 2. Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, 2013 via Datamonitor p. 236.
FAQ
What is the significance of TG Therapeutics' recent BLA submission for ublituximab?
What were the results of the ULTIMATE I & II trials for ublituximab?
What are the risks associated with the BLA submission for ublituximab?
How many patients were involved in the ULTIMATE I & II trials?
