Company to Evaluate Potential for Submission of a Tivozanib MAA for the Treatment of RCC
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AVEO Oncology (NASDAQ:AVEO) today announced that it has received written confirmation from the European Medicine Agency (EMA) that tivozanib is eligible for submission of an application for a European Union Marketing Authorization under the Agency’s centralized procedure. Confirmation of eligibility was given in response to the submission of a letter of intent enabling the Company to evaluate the opportunity for submitting a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for tivozanib with the EMA for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Tivozanib is an oral, potent, selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGF TKI) with a long half-life and activity against all three VEGF receptors. Tivozanib has previously been granted orphan drug designation in Europe for the treatment of RCC.
The letter of intent, which must be filed at least seven months prior to submission of a MAA, initiates the process to address a number of pre-submission requirements, including the assignment of a Rapporteur and Co-Rapporteur, who are two appointed members of the Committee for Human Medicinal Products (CHMP). The CHMP is the committee responsible for preparing opinions on questions concerning human medicines. Confirmation of eligibility for submission is not predictive of the EMA’s approval of a MAA.
“Our letter of intent and the subsequent confirmation of eligibility by the EMA are first steps in evaluating the potential for submission of a tivozanib MAA in Europe for the treatment of RCC,” said Michael Bailey, president and chief executive officer of AVEO. “AVEO and its global RCC clinical advisors continue to believe that tivozanib has the potential to offer RCC patients an alternative to existing therapies. With the European rights to tivozanib recently regained, we now have the opportunity to work with the EMA to fully evaluate the potential for a MAA submission.”
AVEO remains encouraged by the clinical outcomes from its Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies in RCC and the efficacy and tolerability profile that tivozanib may offer to patients suffering from this challenging disease. AVEO recently entered into an option agreement with Ophthotech to investigate tivozanib for the potential treatment of non-oncologic diseases of the eye, and the Company is actively pursuing partnerships to advance the development of tivozanib in solid tumors.
About Renal Cell Carcinoma
Advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the ninth most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and women in the U.S.1 Worldwide it is estimated that more than 250,000 people are diagnosed and more than 100,000 people die from the disease each year.2 RCC is the seventh most common cancer in Europe, with more than 115,000 new cases diagnosed in 2012 (3% of the total).3 RCC accounts for more than 90 percent of all kidney cancers.4
About Tivozanib
Tivozanib is an oral, once-daily, investigational vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). It is a potent, selective and long half-life inhibitor of all three VEGF receptors and is designed to optimize VEGF blockade while minimizing off-target toxicities, potentially resulting in improved efficacy and minimal dose modifications. Tivozanib has been evaluated in several tumors types, including renal cell, colorectal and breast cancers.
About AVEO
AVEO Oncology (NASDAQ: AVEO) is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing targeted therapies through biomarker-driven insights to provide substantial improvements in patient outcomes where significant unmet medical needs exist. AVEO’s proprietary Human Response Platform™ has delivered unique insights into cancer and related disease biology that are being leveraged in the clinical development of its therapeutic candidates. For more information, please visit AVEO’s website at www.aveooncology.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements of AVEO within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “target,” “potential,” “could,” “should,” “seek,” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements about AVEO’s plans to evaluate filing a MAA in Europe for the treatment of RCC, the potential benefits of tivozanib to RCC patients, AVEO’s plans to work with the EMA to evaluate the opportunity for approval in Europe, and its plans to secure partnerships to advance tivozanib. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements that AVEO makes due to a number of important factors, including risks relating to: AVEO’s ability to successfully implement and manage its recently announced restructuring and obtain the benefits it expects to derive from the reduction in its workforce and internal research functions; AVEO’s ability to execute on its business strategy and enter into and maintain new strategic partnerships and collaboration agreements, including with respect to tivozanib; AVEO’s ability to successfully enroll and complete clinical trials and preclinical studies of its product candidates; AVEO’s ability to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the FDA, EMA or other equivalent foreign regulatory agencies, the safety, efficacy and clinically meaningful benefit of its product candidates; AVEO’s ability to achieve and maintain compliance with all regulatory requirements applicable to its product candidates; AVEO’s ability to obtain and maintain adequate protection for intellectual property rights relating to its product candidates and technologies; developments and expenses related to AVEO’s ongoing shareholder litigation and SEC inquiry; AVEO’s ability to raise the substantial additional funds required to achieve its goals; unplanned capital requirements; adverse general economic and industry conditions; competitive factors; and those risks discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” included in AVEO’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in its other filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements in this press release represent AVEO’s views as of the date of this press release. AVEO anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. However, while AVEO may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing AVEO’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
References
1 U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2007 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Cancer Institute; 2010. Available at: www.cdc.gov/uscs
2 Cancer Research UK. Available at: http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/world/the-global-picture/#Common; http://publications.cancerresearchuk.org/downloads/Product/cs_pdf_worldwide_2011.pdf
3 Cancer Research UK. Available at: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/types/kidney/incidence/uk-kidney-cancer-incidence-statistics#geog
4 American Cancer Society. Available at: http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/KidneyCancer/OverviewGuide/kidney-cancer--adult--renal-cell-carcinoma-overview-what-is-kidney-cancer
Contacts
Company, Media and Investor Contact:
Argot Partners
David Pitts, 212-600-1902
aveo@argotpartners.com
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