European Medicines Agency Grants BioMarin's Request for Accelerated Assessment of Valoctocogene Roxaparvovec for Treatment of Severe Hemophilia A

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. BMRN announced today that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted its request for accelerated assessment of valoctocogene roxaparvovec, for adults with severe hemophilia A. Accelerated assessment reduces the time frame for the EMA Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) and Committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT) to review a MAA for an Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP). A CHMP opinion is expected in the first half of 2022. 

"BioMarin is pleased that the EMA has granted accelerated assessment for the review of valoctocogene roxaparvovec, which acknowledges its therapeutic innovative potential, and the unmet medical need that exists" said Hank Fuchs, M.D., President, Worldwide Research and Development at BioMarin. "We continue to work closely with the EMA to make valoctocogene roxaparvovec, the potential first gene therapy to treat hemophilia A, available as soon as possible."

BioMarin plans to submit a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for valoctocogene roxaparvovec for the treatment of severe hemophilia A in June 2021. The submission will include 52 weeks of data from the Phase 3 GENEr8-1 study, as well as four and three years of follow-up from the respective dose cohorts in the ongoing Phase 1/2 dose escalation study. 

Applications are eligible for accelerated assessment if the CHMP and CAT decide the product is of major interest for public health, particularly from the point of view of therapeutic innovation. Evaluating a MAA under the EMA centralized procedure can take up to 210 days, not counting clock stops when applicants are requested to provide additional information. On request, the CHMP and CAT can reduce the time frame to 150 days if the applicant provides sufficient justification for an accelerated assessment, although an application initially designated for accelerated assessment can revert to the standard procedure during the review for a variety of reasons. The decision to grant accelerated assessment has no impact on the eventual CHMP and CAT opinion on whether a marketing authorization should be granted.

Regulatory Status

In addition to today's update, in the United States, BioMarin intends to submit two-year follow-up safety and efficacy data on all study participants from the GENEr8-1 study to support the benefit/risk assessment of valoctocogene roxaparvovec, as previously requested by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). BioMarin is targeting a Biologics License Application (BLA) resubmission in the second quarter of 2022 assuming favorable study results, followed by an expected six-month review procedure by the FDA.

The FDA granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation to valoctocogene roxaparvovec in March 2021. RMAT is an expedited program intended to facilitate development and review of regenerative medicine therapies, such as valoctocogene roxaparvovec, that are expected to address an unmet medical need in patients with serious conditions. The RMAT designation is complementary to Breakthrough Therapy Designation, which the Company received in 2017. 

In addition to the RMAT Designation and Breakthrough Therapy Designation, BioMarin's valoctocogene roxaparvovec also has received orphan drug designation from the FDA and EMA for the treatment of severe hemophilia A. The Orphan Drug Designation program is intended to advance the evaluation and development of products that demonstrate promise for the diagnosis and/or treatment of rare diseases or conditions. 

Robust Clinical Program

BioMarin has multiple clinical studies underway in its comprehensive gene therapy program for the treatment of hemophilia A. In addition to the global Phase 3 study GENEr8-1 and the ongoing Phase 1/2 dose escalation study, the Company is actively enrolling participants in a Phase 3b, single arm, open-label study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of valoctocogene roxaparvovec at a dose of 6e13 vg/kg with prophylactic corticosteroids in people with hemophilia A. The Company is running a Phase 1/2 Study with the 6e13kg/vg dose of valoctocogene roxaparvovec in approximately 10 participants with pre-existing AAV5 antibodies, as well as another Phase 1/2 Study with the 6e13 vg/kg dose of valoctocogene roxaparvovec in people with hemophilia A with active or prior FVIII inhibitors. 

About Hemophilia A

People living with hemophilia A lack sufficient functioning Factor VIII protein to help their blood clot and are at risk for painful and/or potentially life-threatening bleeds from even modest injuries. Additionally, people with the most severe form of hemophilia A (FVIII levels <1%) often experience painful, spontaneous bleeds into their muscles or joints. Individuals with the most severe form of hemophilia A make up approximately 50 percent of the hemophilia A population. People with hemophilia A with moderate (FVIII 1-5%) or mild (FVIII 5-40%) disease show a much-reduced propensity to bleed. The standard of care for adults with severe hemophilia A is a prophylactic regimen of replacement Factor VIII infusions administered intravenously up to two to three times per week or 100 to 150 infusions per year. Despite these regimens, many people continue to experience breakthrough bleeds, resulting in progressive and debilitating joint damage, which can have a major impact on their quality of life.

Hemophilia A, also called Factor VIII deficiency or classic hemophilia, is an X-linked genetic disorder caused by missing or defective Factor VIII, a clotting protein. Although it is passed down from parents to children, about 1/3 of cases are caused by a spontaneous mutation, a new mutation that was not inherited. Approximately 1 in 10,000 people have Hemophilia A.

About BioMarin

BioMarin is a global biotechnology company that develops and commercializes innovative therapies for patients with serious and life-threatening rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases. The company's portfolio consists of six commercialized products and multiple clinical and pre-clinical product candidates. For additional information, please visit www.biomarin.com. Information on BioMarin's website is not incorporated by reference into this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements about the business prospects of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BioMarin), including without limitation, statements about (i) the development of BioMarin's valoctocogene roxaparvovec program generally, (ii) BioMarin working closely with the European Medicines Agency to make valoctocogene roxaparvovec, the potential first gene therapy to treat hemophilia A, available as soon as possible, (iii) BioMarin's plans to submit a Marketing Authorization Application for valoctocogene roxaparvovec for the treatment of severe hemophilia A in June 2021, (iv) BioMarin's intention to submit to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) two-year follow-up safety and efficacy data on all study participants from the GENEr8-1 study to support the benefit/risk assessment of valoctocogene roxaparvovec, (v) BioMarin targeting resubmission of a Biologics License Application in the second quarter of 2022 assuming favorable study results, followed by an expected six-month review procedure by the FDA,  and (vi)the timing of the regulatory activities in the U.S and Europe, including validation and timing of potential approvals and the expected review procedures.  These forward-looking statements are predictions and involve risks and uncertainties such that actual results may differ materially from these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: results and timing of current and planned preclinical studies and clinical trials of valoctocogene roxaparvovec; additional data from the continuation of the Phase 1/2 trial and the Phase 3 trial, any potential adverse events observed in the continuing monitoring of the participants in the clinical trials; the content and timing of decisions by the FDA, the European Commission and other regulatory authorities; the content and timing of decisions by local and central ethics committees regarding the clinical trials; our ability to successfully manufacture valoctocogene roxaparvovec for the clinical trials and commercially, if approved; and those other risks detailed from time to time under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in BioMarin's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including BioMarin's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, and future filings and reports by BioMarin. BioMarin undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations.

BioMarin® is a registered trademark of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

SOURCE BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.