NEW YORK, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has reached agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) on the design of a Phase 3 trial for its PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor, KRX-0401 (perifosine), in relapsed or relapsed / refractory multiple myeloma patients previously treated with bortezomib (VELCADE((R))). The SPA provides agreement that the Phase 3 study design adequately addresses objectives in support of a regulatory submission. The trial, entitled, "A Phase 3 Randomized Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Perifosine Added to the Combination of Bortezomib and Dexamethasone in Multiple Myeloma Patients Previously Treated with Bortezomib" will be a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial comparing the efficacy and safety of KRX-0401 vs. placebo when combined with bortezomib and dexamethasone. The trial, powered at 90%, will enroll approximately 400 patients with relapsed or relapsed / refractory multiple myeloma. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival and secondary endpoints include overall response rate, overall survival and safety.
Dr. Paul Richardson, Clinical Director of the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Study Chairman for the KRX-0401 Phase 3 trial, added, "Perifosine has shown considerable activity when combined with bortezomib and dexamethasone in heavily pre-treated patients with relapsed and refractory disease. Given this positive data and our favorable experience overall with perifosine in this setting, we are hopeful that the upcoming Phase 3 trial will demonstrate clinical benefit for our patients with less advanced myeloma."
Phase 3 Design
The Phase 3 trial is a randomized (1:1), double-blind trial comparing the efficacy and safety of KRX-0401 to placebo when combined with bortezomib and dexamethasone in approximately 400 patients with relapsed or relapsed / refractory multiple myeloma. Patients must have been previously treated with both bortezomib (VELCADE((R))) and an immunomodulatory agent (REVLIMID((R)) or THALIDOMID((R))), and been previously treated with one to four prior lines of therapy. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival and secondary endpoints include overall response rate, overall survival and safety.
About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cell, is an incurable but treatable disease. Multiple myeloma is the second most-common hematologic cancer, representing 1% of all cancer diagnoses and 2% of all cancer deaths. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2009 there will be an estimated 20,580 new cases of multiple myeloma and an estimated 10,500 deaths from multiple myeloma in the United States. To date, several FDA approved therapies exist for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Despite this progress, patients continue to relapse, become refractory to prior treatments and eventually die from their disease. Thus, new therapies are needed to treat these patients and extend their survival.
Final marketing approval depends on the results of efficacy, the adverse event profile and an evaluation of the benefit/risk of treatment demonstrated in the Phase 3 trial. The SPA agreement may only be changed through a written agreement between the sponsor and the FDA, or if the FDA becomes aware of a substantial scientific issue essential to product efficacy or safety. For more information on Special Protocol Assessment, please visit: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/ucm080571.pdf
Cautionary Statement
Some of the statements included in this press release, particularly those anticipating future clinical trials and business prospects for KRX-0401, may be 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. Among the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially are the following: our ability to successfully and cost-effectively complete clinical trials for KRX-0401; the risk that the data (both safety and efficacy) from the Phase 3 study will not coincide with the data analyses from the Phase 1 / 2 previously reported by the Company; and other risk factors identified from time to time in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 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 http://www.keryx.com. The information found on our website and the FDA website is not incorporated by reference into this press release and is included for reference purposes only.
Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
