LONDON, Nov. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- GW Pharmaceuticals plc (AIM: GWP, Nasdaq: GWPH, “GW”) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug AdministratioSAN DIEGO, Nov. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CADX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, in-licensing, developing and commercializing proprietary products principally for use in the hospital setting, announced today that the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware has ruled in favor of Cadence in the company’s patent infringement lawsuit against Exela Pharma Sciences, LLC.
“We are very pleased with the Court’s decision, as it confirms our belief in the strength and validity of the patents covering OFIRMEV,” said Ted Schroeder, president and chief executive officer of Cadence. “Our focus remains on continuing to drive OFIRMEV’s strong performance. We continue to gain market share and posted year-over-year sales growth of more than 100% in each quarter of 2013. We remain confident in our franchise, and look forward to updating investors further on our progress.”
In August 2011, Cadence and SCR Pharmatop, the patent owner, filed suit against Exela for infringement of two patents covering OFIRMEV® (Acetaminophen) Injection, U.S. 6,028,222, which expires on August 5, 2017 (or February 5, 2018, if pediatric exclusivity is granted), and U.S. 6,992,218, which expires on June 6, 2021 (or December 6, 2021, if pediatric exclusivity is granted). The Court rejected Exela’s claims that these patents are invalid and found that Exela’s ANDA for a generic version of the product infringes both of these patents.
About OFIRMEV® (Acetaminophen) Injection
OFIRMEV (acetaminophen) injection (1000 mg / 100 mL, 10 mg / mL; for intravenous use only), Cadence Pharmaceuticals’ proprietary intravenous formulation of acetaminophen, is indicated for the management of mild to moderate pain, the management of moderate to severe pain with adjunctive opioid analgesics, and the reduction of fever. The FDA approval of OFIRMEV was based on data from clinical trials in approximately 1,020 adult and 355 pediatric patients. These trials included two studies evaluating the safety and effectiveness of OFIRMEV in the treatment of pain, and one study evaluating OFIRMEV in the treatment of fever. The effectiveness of OFIRMEV for the treatment of acute pain and fever has not been studied in pediatric patients less than 2 years of age.
Important Safety Information
RISK OF MEDICATION ERRORS AND HEPATOTOXICITY
Take care when prescribing, preparing, and administering OFIRMEV injection to avoid dosing errors which could result in accidental overdose and death.
OFIRMEV contains acetaminophen. Acetaminophen has been associated with cases of acute liver failure, at times resulting in liver transplant and death. Most of the cases of liver injury are associated with the use of acetaminophen at doses that exceed the recommended maximum daily limits, and often involve more than one acetaminophen-containing product.
OFIRMEV is contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic impairment, severe active liver disease or with known hypersensitivity to acetaminophen or to any of the excipients in the formulation. Acetaminophen should be used with caution in patients with the following conditions: hepatic impairment or active hepatic disease, alcoholism, chronic malnutrition, severe hypovolemia, or severe renal impairment. Rarely, acetaminophen may cause serious skin reactions such as acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), which can be fatal. Discontinue OFIRMEV immediately if symptoms associated with allergy or hypersensitivity occur, or at the first appearance of skin rash. Do not use in patients with acetaminophen allergy.
The most common adverse reactions in patients treated with OFIRMEV were nausea, vomiting, headache, and insomnia in adult patients and nausea, vomiting, constipation, pruritus, agitation, and atelectasis in pediatric patients. The antipyretic effects of OFIRMEV may mask fever in patients treated with postsurgical pain. OFIRMEV is approved for use in patients 2 years of age. Do not exceed the recommended maximum daily dose of OFIRMEV. OFIRMEV should be administered only as a 15-minute infusion.
For more information, please see the full OFIRMEV Prescribing Information, including the complete boxed warning, which is available at www.OFIRMEV.com or www.cadencepharm.com.
About Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Cadence Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, in-licensing, developing and commercializing proprietary products principally for use in the hospital setting. The current version of Cadence Pharmaceuticals’ corporate overview may be viewed on the Investors page of www.cadencepharm.com under “Events & Presentations” by selecting “Corporate Overview.”
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements included in this press release and Cadence’s conference call that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words such as “plans,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” and “will,” and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, and are based on Cadence’s current beliefs and expectations. Such statements include, without limitation, statements regarding: Cadence’s belief that OFIRMEV is continuing to gain market share; the company’s ongoing intellectual property litigation and related expenses; and the company’s guidance regarding anticipated net product revenue from sales of OFIRMEV for the twelve months ending December 31, 2013. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Cadence’s actual future results may differ materially from Cadence’s current expectations due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in its business. These risks include, but are not limited to: Cadence’s dependence on the successful commercialization of OFIRMEV, which is the company’s only product; Cadence’s ability to achieve broad market acceptance and generate revenues from sales of OFIRMEV; Cadence’s dependence on its contract manufacturers and its ability to ensure an adequate and continued supply of OFIRMEV to meet market demand; Cadence’s ability to successfully enforce its marketing exclusivities and intellectual property rights, and to defend the patents covering OFIRMEV, including in current intellectual property litigation with the parties that have submitted new drug applications (“NDAs”) or abbreviated new drug applications (“ANDAs”) for generic versions of OFIRMEV; the potential that Cadence may be required to continue intellectual property litigation for substantial lengths of time or file additional lawsuits to defend its patent rights from challenges by companies that have submitted NDAs or ANDAs for generic versions of OFIRMEV, and the substantial costs associated with such lawsuits; the potential introduction of generic competition to OFIRMEV in the event Cadence is unsuccessful in current or future intellectual property litigation, and the impact it may have on the sales and pricing of the product; Cadence’s dependence on its licensors for the maintenance and enforcement of its intellectual property rights; the potential product liability exposure associated with pharmaceutical products such as OFIRMEV and other products Cadence may in-license or acquire; Cadence’s ability to fully comply with numerous federal, state and local laws and regulatory requirements that apply to its commercial activities; public concern regarding the safety of drug products such as OFIRMEV, and the potential implementation by regulatory agencies of new requirements to include unfavorable information in the labeling for OFIRMEV; the risk that Cadence may not be able to raise sufficient capital when needed, or at all; and other risks detailed under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in Cadence’s periodic reports and other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, which is made under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and Cadence undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
Cadence® and OFIRMEV® are trademarks of Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Contact: William R. LaRue
SVP & Chief Financial Officer
Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Phone: 858-436-1400
SOURCE Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
n (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation for Epidiolex®, our product candidate that contains plant-derived Cannabidiol (CBD) as its active ingredient, for use in treating children with Dravet syndrome, a rare and severe form of infantile-onset, genetic, drug-resistant epilepsy syndrome. Epidiolex is an oral liquid formulation of a highly purified extract of CBD, a non-psychoactive molecule from the cannabis plant. Following receipt of this orphan designation, GW anticipates holding a pre-IND meeting with the FDA in the near future to discuss a development plan for Epidiolex in Dravet syndrome.
Dravet syndrome is a rare pediatric epilepsy syndrome with a distinctive but complex electroclinical presentation. Onset of Dravet syndrome occurs during the first year of life with clonic and tonic-clonic seizures in previously healthy and developmentally normal infants. Prognosis is poor and patients typically develop intellectual disability and life-long ongoing seizures. There are approximately 5,440 patients with Dravet in the United States and an estimated 6,710 Dravet patients in Europe. These figures may be an underestimate as this syndrome is reportedly underdiagnosed.
In addition to GW’s clinical development program for Epidiolex in Dravet syndrome, which is expected to commence in 2014, GW has also made arrangements to enable independent U.S. pediatric epilepsy specialists to treat high need pediatric epilepsy cases with Epidiolex immediately. To date in 2013, a total of seven “expanded access” INDs have been granted by the FDA to U.S. clinicians to allow treatment with Epidiolex of approximately 125 children with epilepsy. These children suffer from Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and other pediatric epilepsy syndromes. GW is aware of further interest from additional U.S. and ex-U.S. physicians to host similar INDs for Epidiolex. GW expects data generated under these INDs to provide useful observational data during 2014 on the effect of Epidiolex in the treatment of a range of pediatric epilepsy syndromes.
“I, together with many colleagues in the U.S. who specialize in the treatment of childhood epilepsy, very much welcome the opportunity to investigate Epidiolex in the treatment of Dravet syndrome. The FDA’s timely approval of the orphan drug designation for Epidiolex in Dravet syndrome is a key milestone that comes after many years of reported clinical cases that suggest encouraging evidence of efficacy for CBD in this intractable condition,” stated Dr. Orrin Devinsky, Professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry in New York City. “With GW now making plans to advance Epidiolex through an FDA development program, we have the prospect for the first time of fully understanding the science of CBD in epilepsy with a view to making an appropriately tested and approved prescription medicine available in the future for children who suffer from this debilitating disease.”
“GW is proud to be at the forefront of this important new program to treat children with Dravet Syndrome and potentially other forms of intractable childhood epilepsy. For families in these circumstances, their lives are significantly impacted by constant and often times very severe seizures in children where all options to control these seizures have been exhausted,” stated Dr. Stephen Wright, GW’s R&D Director. “GW intends to advance a full clinical development program for Epidiolex in Dravet syndrome as quickly as possible, whilst at the same time helping families in the short term through supporting physician-led INDs to treat intractable cases. Through its efforts, GW aims to provide the necessary evidence to confirm the promise of CBD in epilepsy and ultimately enabling children to have access to an FDA-approved prescription CBD medicine.”
“This orphan program for Epidiolex in childhood epilepsy is an important corporate strategic priority for GW. Following receipt of today’s orphan designation, GW now intends to commence discussions with the FDA regarding the U.S. regulatory pathway for Epidiolex,” stated Justin Gover, GW’s Chief Executive Officer. “GW intends to pursue this development in-house and retains full commercial rights to Epidiolex.”
About Orphan Drug Designation
Under the Orphan Drug Act, the FDA may grant orphan drug designation to drugs intended to treat a rare disease or condition generally a disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 individuals in the U.S. The first NDA applicant to receive FDA approval for a particular active ingredient to treat a particular disease with FDA orphan drug designation is entitled to a seven-year exclusive marketing period in the U.S. for that product, for that indication.
About GW Pharmaceuticals plc
Founded in 1998, GW is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel therapeutics from its proprietary cannabinoid product platform in a broad range of disease areas. GW commercialized the world’s first plant-derived cannabinoid prescription drug, Sativex®, which is approved for the treatment of spasticity due to multiple sclerosis in 22 countries. Sativex is also in Phase 3 clinical development as a potential treatment of pain in people with advanced cancer. This Phase 3 program is intended to support the submission of a New Drug Application for Sativex in cancer pain with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and in other markets around the world. GW has established a world leading position in the development of plant-derived cannabinoid therapeutics and has a deep pipeline of additional clinical-stage cannabinoid product candidates targeting epilepsy (including an orphan pediatric epilepsy program), Type 2 diabetes, ulcerative colitis, glioma and schizophrenia. For further information, please visit www.gwpharm.com.
Forward-looking statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements that reflect GWs current expectations regarding future events, including statements regarding the therapeutic and commercial value of the company’s compounds, the development and commercialization of Epidiolex®, plans and objectives for product development, plans and objectives for present and future clinical trials and results of such trials, plans and objectives for regulatory approval. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors, including (inter alia), the success of the GW’s research strategies, the applicability of the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion of uncertainties related to the regulatory process, and the acceptance of Sativex® and other products by consumer and medical professionals. A further list and description of risks, uncertainties and other risks associated with an investment in GW can be found in GW’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the prospectus related to the NASDAQ offering filed by GW with the SEC on May 1, 2013. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. GW undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.
SOURCE GW Pharmaceuticals plc
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