Sobi (STO: SOBI) has filed an application for an EU Marketing Authorization with
the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for Kineret® (anakinra) for the indication
of cryopyrin associated periodic syndromes (CAPS).
The filing is based on positive safety and efficacy outcome data from a long-
term treatment study in children and adults with neonatal-onset multisystem
inflammatory disease (NOMID), the most severe form of CAPS. The EMA filing
follows the filing for Kineret for NOMID with the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) in July 2012, which has been granted priority review with
an expected approval date of 25 December 2012.
"The filing of Kineret for CAPS and NOMID in the EU and the US respectively are
important milestones on Sobi's journey to increase our support for the pediatric
rheumatology field as well as for the rare disease community as a whole," said
Dr. Geoffrey McDonough, CEO of Sobi. "In reaching these goals, we aim to provide
an important treatment option to benefit patients affected by IL-1-related
conditions."
Commenting on Sobi's decision to file, Dr. Marco Gattorno of Gaslini Children's
Hospital in Genova, Italy and Principal Investigator of the Eurofever Registry
for Autoinflammatory Diseases, stated: "CAPS is a life-long, severely
debilitating disease where patients suffer substantial pain and progressive
reduction in their quality of life. We need to find these patients early and to
provide demonstrated safe and effective treatment options to avoid disease
progression leading to organ damage. Each patient is different, and the addition
of new treatment alternatives would lead to increased flexibility and better
opportunities for optimal treatment for all patients."
About CAPS
Cryopyrin associated periodic syndromes (CAPS) consist of three rare, autosomal
dominant autoinflammatory conditions of varying severity and oftentimes
overlapping symptoms. At the milder end of the scale (FCAS), it is
characterized by life-long, cold-induced inflammatory episodes of fever, rash
and malaise. When of intermediate severity (Muckle Wells syndrome), it is
typically associated with more intense and enduring flares and morbidity,
including progressive hearing loss and kidney failure secondary to amyloidosis
(a condition where amyloid proteins are abnormally deposited in organs and/or
tissues). In the most severe form (NOMID/CINCA), it is associated with increased
mortality and nearly continuous rash, fevers, chronic aseptic meningitis,
sensorineural involvement, craniofacial abnormalities and bone lesions. The
incidence of CAPS is estimated to be 1:1,000,000 worldwide.
CAPS is characterized by uncontrolled overproduction of IL-1 beta. IL-1 induces
a number of inflammatory responses such as fever, pain sensitization, bone and
cartilage destruction and acute plasma protein response.
About Kineret (anakinra)
Kineret is a recombinant protein drug approved for the treatment of rheumatoid
arthritis (RA). Kineret blocks the biological activity of IL-1 by binding to the
interleukin-1 type 1 receptor, expressed in a wide variety of tissues and
organs. IL-1 is a key mediator of inflammation and driver of autoinflammatory
diseases in both adults and children. For more information on Kineret see the
Summary of Product Characteristics.
For further information, please contact:
Birgitte Volck, Senior Vice President Development, Chief Medical Officer
Tel: +46 8 697 20 94
About Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi)
Sobi is an international specialty healthcare company dedicated to rare
diseases. Our mission is to develop and deliver innovative therapies and
services to improve the lives of patients. The product portfolio is primarily
focused on inflammation and genetic diseases, with three late stage biological
development projects within hemophilia and neonatology. We also market more than
40 products for companies in the specialty and rare disease space. Sobi is a
pioneer in biotechnology with world-class capabilities in protein biochemistry
and biologics manufacturing. In 2011, Sobi had total revenues of SEK 1.9 billion
(€ 214 M) and about 500 employees. The share (STO: SOBI) is listed on NASDAQ OMX
Stockholm. More information is available at www.sobi.com.
[HUG#1659038]
