Auris Medical Announces Positive Results From Second Phase 1 Clinical Trial With Intranasal Betahistine


  • Bioavailability significantly higher than with oral administration
  • Treatment safe and multiple dosing well tolerated
  • Company to move forward with planned proof-of-concept studies in acute vertigo and olanzapine-induced weight gain

Zug, Switzerland, October 17, 2018 - Auris Medical Holding AG (NASDAQ: EARS), a clinical-stage company dedicated to developing therapeutics that address important unmet medical needs in neurotology and mental health supportive care, today announced positive results from the second Phase 1 trial evaluating intranasal betahistine in healthy volunteers. The study results demonstrated superior bioavailability over a range of four intranasal betahistine doses compared to oral betahistine, with plasma exposure being 6 to 29 times higher (p-value between 0.056 and p<0.0001). Further, it confirmed the good safety profile of intranasal betahistine and showed that the treatment was well tolerated when administered three times daily for three days.

"The results from the phase 1 trial with intranasal betahistine appear very promising", commented Elias Michaelides, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery, Otolaryngology and Director of the Hearing and Balance Program at the Yale School of Medicine. "While oral betahistine can be quite useful in vertigo management, its therapeutic potential is clearly restrained by poor bioavailability. Intranasal betahistine seems to address and overcome this limitation very effectively."

"We are very pleased by the positive outcomes of the second Phase 1 trial as they confirm and validate the cornerstone of our intranasal betahistine program, which is superior bioavailability", commented Thomas Meyer, Auris Medical's founder, Chairman and CEO. "At the same time, the study demonstrated that repeated dosing is safe, well tolerated and feasible. Based on these results, we look forward to moving ahead with our planned proof-of-concept studies in acute vertigo and olanzapine-induced weight gain."

The randomized double blind placebo controlled Phase 1 trial with dose escalation enrolled a total of 72 healthy volunteers. One group of study participants received a single dose of intranasal betahistine or placebo and, following a wash-out period, three doses daily for three days. Single doses were escalated up to 60 mg, and repeated doses up to 40 mg. For the latter, the maximum tolerated dose based on local tolerability was determined at 40 mg. The other group of study participants received oral betahistine or placebo for reference. Pharmacokinetic parameters in blood plasma were determined for betahistine and its metabolites, and relative bioavailability for intranasal betahistine was calculated compared to oral betahistine 48 mg, which is the maximum approved daily dose as marketed world-wide (ex US).

The Company plans to initiate two randomized double blind placebo controlled proof-of-concept studies with intranasal betahistine in the first quarter of 2019. In the Phase 2 "TRAVERS" clinical trial (program AM-125), the Company will enroll patients suffering from acute vertigo following vestibular schwannoma resection. In the next step for the AM-201 program, the Company will conduct a Phase 1 pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic study in healthy volunteers to evaluate intranasal betahistine in the prevention of olanzapine-induced weight gain.  

Conference Call & Webcast Information

Auris Medical will host a conference call and webcast to review the top-line results from the Phase 1 trial with intranasal betahistine and provide an update on the AM-125 and AM-201 programs today, October 17, 2018, at 8:00 am Eastern Time (2:00 pm Central European Time). To participate in this conference call, dial 1-877-407-0312 (toll free) or +1 201-389-0899, and enter passcode 13684198. A live webcast of the conference call can be accessed in the Investor Relations section of the Auris Medical website at www.aurismedical.com. A replay will be available approximately two hours following the live call.

About Auris Medical

Auris Medical is a Swiss biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing therapeutics that address important unmet medical needs in neurotology and mental health supportive care. The company is focused on the development of intranasal betahistine for the treatment of vertigo (AM-125) and for the treatment of antipsychotic-induced weight gain and somnolence (AM-201). This program is currently in Phase 1. In addition Auris Medical has two Phase 3 programs under development: AM-111 for acute inner ear hearing loss and Keyzilen® (AM-101) for acute inner ear tinnitus. The Company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland. The shares of Auris Medical Holding AG trade on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol "EARS."

Forward-looking Statements

This press release may contain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are statements other than historical facts and may include statements that address future operating, financial or business performance or Auris Medical's strategies or expectations. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may", "might", "will", "should", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "projects", "potential", "outlook" or "continue", or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, Auris Medical's need for and ability to raise substantial additional funding to continue the development of its product candidates, the ability to pursue strategic partnering and non-dilutive funding for its Phase 3 programs, the results of Auris Medical's review of strategic options and the outcome of any action taken as a result of such review, the timing and conduct of clinical trials of Auris Medical's product candidates, the clinical utility of Auris Medical's product candidates, the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, Auris Medical's intellectual property position and Auris Medical's financial position, including the impact of any future acquisitions, dispositions, partnerships, license transactions or changes to Auris Medical's capital structure, including future securities offerings. These risks and uncertainties also include, but are not limited to, those described under the caption "Risk Factors" in Auris Medical's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2017, and in Auris Medical's other filings with the SEC, which are available free of charge on the Securities Exchange Commission's website at: www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated. All forward-looking statements and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Auris Medical or to persons acting on behalf of Auris Medical are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to these risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Auris Medical does not undertake any obligation to update them in light of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable law.

Investor contact:
Joseph Green / Andrew Gibson
Edison Advisors for Auris Medical
646-653-7030 / 7719
jgreen@edisongroup.com / agibson@edisongroup.com

Or

investors@aurismedical.com