10-K
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
For the fiscal year ended:December 31, 2023
For the transition period from to
Commission file number: 001-36167
KARYOPHARM THERAPEUTICS INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
85 Wells Avenue, 2ndFloor, Newton, Massachusetts02459
(Address of principal executive offices) (zip code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (617) 658-0600
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which listed
Common Stock, $0.0001 par value KPTI Nasdaq Global Select Market
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T(§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☐ Accelerated filer ☒
Non-accelerated filer ☐ Smaller reporting company ☐
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
The aggregate market value of the registrant’s voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant (without admitting that any person whose shares are not included in such calculation is an affiliate) computed by reference to the price at which the common stock was last sold on June 30, 2023 was approximately $201.1 million. Shares of common stock held by each executive officer and director and by each holder of 10% or more of the outstanding common stock have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes.
Number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s Common Stock as of February 23, 2024: 115,067,083.
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Documents incorporated by reference:
Portions of the registrant’s Proxy Statement for its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which the registrant intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the registrant’s fiscal year end of December 31, 2023, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page No.
PART I 5
Item 1. Business 5
Item 1A. Risk Factors 49
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 94
Item 1C. Cybersecurity 94
Item 2. Properties 96
Item 3. Legal Proceedings 96
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 96
Item 6. [Reserved] 98
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk 106
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 106
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 106
Item 9B. Other Information 109
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 109
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 110
Item 11. Executive Compensation 110
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 110
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 111
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Forward-Looking Information
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements regarding the expectations of Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc., herein referred to as “Karyopharm,” the “Company,” “we,” or “our,” with respect to the possible achievement of discovery and development milestones, our future discovery and development efforts, including regulatory submissions and approvals, our commercialization efforts, our partnerships and collaborations with third parties, our future operating results and financial position, our business strategy, and other objectives for future operations. We often use words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “continue,” and other words and terms of similar meaning to help identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. You also can identify these forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. There are a number of important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in “Part I—Item 1A. Risk Factors” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and under the heading “Summary of Risk Factors” below. As a result of these and other factors, we may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, expectations or results disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures or investments we may make. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
References to XPOVIO® (selinexor) also refer to NEXPOVIO® (selinexor) when discussing its approval and commercialization in certain countries or territories outside of the U.S.
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Summary of Risk Factors
Below is a summary of the principal factors that make an investment in our common stock speculative or risky. This summary does not address all of the risks that we face. Additional discussion of the risks summarized in this risk factor summary, and other risks that we face, can be found below under the heading “Risk Factors” and should be carefully considered, together with other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other filings with the SEC, before making an investment decision regarding our common stock.
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If we or our collaborators are unable to successfully commercialize current and future indications of XPOVIO or other products or product candidates, our business, financial condition and future profitability will be materially harmed.
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XPOVIO faces substantial competition.
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If our clinical trials fail to demonstrate safety and effectiveness to the satisfaction of regulatory authorities or do not otherwise produce positive results, we may incur additional costs, experience delays or be unable to complete the development of such product candidates.
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We may be unable to successfully enroll patients in our ongoing and planned clinical trials in a reasonable timeframe, or at all.
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Serious adverse or unacceptable side effects related to XPOVIO, our product candidates or future products may delay or prevent their regulatory approval, cause us to suspend or discontinue clinical trials, or limit the commercial value of our approved indications.
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The results of previous clinical trials may not be predictive of future trial results and interim or top-line data may be subject to change or qualification.
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We may not be successful in our efforts to identify or discover additional potential product candidates, or our decisions to prioritize the development of certain product candidates over others may later prove wrong.
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We may not be able to maintain or expand our sales, marketing and distribution capabilities in order to successfully commercialize XPOVIO or any of our products or product candidates, if approved.
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Any business that we or our collaborators conduct outside of the U.S. may be adversely affected by international risks and uncertainties.
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We or our collaborators may not receive regulatory approvals for the commercialization of some or all of our or their product candidates, including necessary companion diagnostic devices, in a timely manner, or at all.
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We or our collaborators may not be able to utilize accelerated development pathways to obtain regulatory approval, orphan drug exclusivity or certain other designations for our or their product candidates, which may result in delays receiving necessary marketing approvals.
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Our or our collaborators’ ability to commercialize our or their products may be limited by the terms of their respective regulatory approvals and ongoing regulation of our products.
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Our failure to comply with post-approval development and regulatory requirements, reporting and payment obligations under governmental drug pricing programs, applicable healthcare, privacy and data security laws and environmental, health and safety laws and regulations may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
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We may never achieve or maintain profitability and will need additional funding to achieve our business objectives.
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We may not be able to satisfy our indebtedness, on a timely basis or at all.
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Our business, financial condition and stock price may be impacted by unstable market and economic conditions.
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Our dependence on third parties for certain aspects of our business, such as clinical development, manufacturing, marketing, distribution and/or commercialization of XPOVIO and/or our product candidates, could negatively impact our development and commercialization plans.
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If we are unable to obtain and maintain patent protection for our products and product candidates and other discoveries, or the scope of the patent protection obtained is not sufficiently broad, our ability to successfully commercialize our products or product candidates may be adversely affected.
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We may become involved in lawsuits to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, or third parties may initiate legal proceedings against us alleging our infringement of their intellectual property rights.
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If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets, our business and competitive position would be harmed.
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Information technology system failures or security breaches may materially adversely affect our business and operations.
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The price of our common stock has been and may continue to be volatile.
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Securities or other litigation could result in substantial costs and may divert management’s time and attention from our business.
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PART I
Item 1. Business
Overview
We are a commercial-stage pharmaceutical company pioneering novel cancer therapies and dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class drugs directed against nuclear export for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. Our scientific expertise is based upon an understanding of the regulation of intracellular communication between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. We have discovered and are developing and commercializing novel, small molecule Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear Export (“SINE”) compounds that inhibit the nuclear export protein exportin 1 (“XPO1”). These SINE compounds represent a new class of drug candidates with a novel mechanism of action that have the potential to treat a variety of diseases with high unmet medical need. Our lead asset, XPOVIO® (selinexor), was the first oral XPO1 inhibitor to receive marketing approval, receiving its initial U.S. approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) in July 2019, and is currently approved and marketed in the U.S. for the following indications:
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In combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. Approval in this indication was based on the results from the BOSTON (Bortezomib, Selinexor and Dexamethasone) study (the “BOSTON Study”);
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In combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (“RRMM”) who have received at least four prior therapies and whose disease is refractory to at least two proteasome inhibitors (“PIs”), at least two immunomodulatory agents (“IMiDs”), and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody (“mAb”). We refer to myeloma that is refractory to these five agents as penta-refractory. Approval in this indication was based on the results from the STORM (Selinexor Treatment of Refractory Myeloma) study (the “STORM Study”); and
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For the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (“DLBCL”), not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma, after at least two lines of systemic therapy. This indication was approved under accelerated approval based on response rate and was based on the results from the SADAL (Selinexor Against Diffuse Aggressive Lymphoma) study (the “SADAL Study”). Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.
The commercialization of XPOVIO in the U.S. is currently supported by sales representatives, nurse liaisons, and a market access team, as well as KaryForwardTM, an extensive patient and healthcare provider support program. Our commercial efforts are also supplemented by patient support initiatives coordinated by our dedicated network of participating specialty pharmacy providers. We plan to continue to educate physicians, other healthcare providers and patients about XPOVIO’s clinical profile and unique mechanism of action as we continue to expand XPOVIO use.
The commercialization of XPOVIO and NEXPOVIO® (selinexor) (the brand name for selinexor in Europe and the United Kingdom (“UK”)) outside of the U.S. is managed by our partners in their respective territories, as described under “Collaborations” below. XPOVIO/NEXPOVIO has received regulatory approval in various indications in over 40 countries outside the U.S. and is commercially available in a growing number of countries as our partners continue to secure reimbursement approvals.
Our primary focus is on marketing XPOVIO in its currently approved indications as well as developing and seeking the regulatory approval of selinexor as an oral agent targeting multiple high unmet need cancer indications, including our core programs in endometrial cancer, multiple myeloma, and myelofibrosis (“MF”). We plan to continue to conduct clinical trials and to seek additional approvals for the use of selinexor as a single agent or in combination with other oncology therapies to expand the patient populations that are eligible for treatment with selinexor. In January 2024, we announced that further clinical development of our eltanexor program is on hold in an effort to focus our resources on our prioritized late-stage programs.
Our Strategy
At Karyopharm we are passionate about our mission to positively impact patient lives and defeat cancer. With our first-in-class SINE technology, our foundation is in our science. Our vision is to be a leading innovator that develops and commercializes transformative medicines for patients and society. There are four key pillars that we believe will drive our underlying value and provide significant market opportunities for us.
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Maximize the Commercial Value of XPOVIO in Multiple Myeloma.We are building upon our existing U.S. multiple myeloma foundation as we continue to expand the breadth and depth of XPOVIO’s use with earlier line patients. We expect to focus on growing sales in our approved U.S. indications by establishing XPOVIO as a novel effective modality
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that can become a standard of care in the second to fourth-line treatment setting following treatment with anti-CD38 therapy. With our global partners, we plan to maximize the global opportunity to bring XPOVIO to patients worldwide.
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Focus on our Prioritized Clinical Pipeline. Our science enables us to potentially make a big difference in the lives of patients and we are focused on three priority clinical programs: multiple myeloma, endometrial cancer, and MF. Our clinical pipeline has been consciously and strategically focused to target cancers with high unmet need and a high probability of success based on the potential to provide meaningful clinical benefit to patients, potential regulatory approval, and supportive data. We will also continue to expand our understanding of the role nuclear transport plays in the underlying biology of cancer through focused signal seeking activities to identify future opportunities in other oncology indications for our SINE technology that may provide support for additional clinical investigation.
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ProvideStrong Leadership. We believe we have the right people in place and a strong leadership team with the ability to help position us to achieve scientific, clinical and commercial goals and to execute on our key corporate objectives. We strive to be a top-talent destination for those who desire to make a difference in patients’ lives.
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Maintain a Well-capitalized Business to Execute our Core Objectives. We are focused on maintaining a well-capitalized business that will enable the advancement of our clinical development opportunities.
Our Programs to Treat Cancer
Overview
Cancer cells develop when there is dysregulation of genes that regulate critical cellular behaviors, such as cell growth and survival. The abnormal control over gene function is most often due to damage to DNA. Proteins called tumor suppressor proteins can monitor genes encoded in DNA for damage, and if damage is detected, the tumor suppressor proteins will direct the cell to attempt to repair it, or if the DNA damage is too severe, the tumor suppressor proteins will direct the cell to die in a process called apoptosis. In this way tumor suppressor proteins can prevent healthy cells that acquire DNA damage from turning into cancer cells, and thus cancer cells need to functionally inactivate tumor suppressor proteins in order to survive.
Many tumor suppressor proteins can only function properly when they are located inside of a cell’s nucleus. Proteins, however, are not made inside the nucleus but rather are made outside of the nucleus in an area called the cytoplasm. A membrane, called the nuclear membrane, separates the nucleus from the cytoplasm. Larger nuclear proteins, including many tumor suppressor proteins, must be transported from the cytoplasm into the nucleus to perform their functions in keeping a cell healthy. Similarly, these proteins can also be exported back into the cytoplasm. Proteins move from the nucleus to the cytoplasm through a protein complex embedded in the nuclear membrane called the nuclear pore. The nuclear pore works like a gate through which large molecules, including many proteins and ribonucleic acids, enter and exit the nucleus. When molecules enter the nucleus from the cytoplasm, the process is called import, and when molecules exit from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, the process is called export. The import and export of most proteins and other large molecules between the nucleus and cytoplasm require specific carrier proteins to chaperone their cargo molecules through the nuclear pore complex. Carrier proteins, which mediate the import of macromolecules into the nucleus, are called importins, and those which mediate the export of macromolecules out of the nucleus are called exportins. Therefore, the processes of import and export are carried out separately and are typically regulated independently.
One way that cancers functionally inactivate tumor suppressor proteins is via overproduction of a specific chaperone protein called XPO1. XPO1 is one of eight exportins that have been identified in human cells, and it exports over 220 proteins referred to as its “cargo proteins.” In particular, XPO1 appears to be the sole exporter for many critical tumor suppressor proteins that function in the cell nucleus, including p53, p73, p21, p27, APC, FOXO, pRB and survivin. In addition to exporting tumor suppressor proteins out of the nucleus, XPO1 mediates the nuclear export of a protein called eukaryotic initiation factor 4E, which itself binds to the messenger ribonucleic acids (“mRNAs”) that encode many growth-regulating proteins, including c-myc, bcl-2, bcl-6 and cyclin D. XPO1 carries these growth-promoting mRNAs from the nucleus into the cytoplasm where they are translated into proteins that promote cancer cell growth. XPO1 also exports the anti-inflammatory (and anti-tumor) protein IκB, which inhibits a protein called NF-κB. NF-κB is found in the nucleus of most cancer cells and plays a role in cancer metastasis and chemotherapy resistance, as well as in many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
In certain cancer cells, XPO1 levels are reported to be elevated when compared to their healthy cell counterparts. Therefore, these elevated levels of XPO1 in cancer cells mediate the rapid export of tumor suppressor proteins as well as IκB and eIF4E out of the nucleus and can lead to reduced monitoring for DNA damage, the normal triggering of apoptosis and increased inflammation activity. Higher levels of XPO1 expression in cancer cells has also been correlated with resistance to chemotherapy and poor prognosis in patients.
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Mechanism of Action of Our SINE Compounds - Inhibition of XPO1
Selinexor and eltanexor are novel therapies that are oral SINE compounds specifically designed to force nuclear accumulation of multiple tumor suppressor proteins that function in the nucleus. Selinexor and eltanexor also force nuclear accumulation of growth promoting mRNAs by similarly preventing their export, which prevents the translation of these mRNAs into proteins and thereby lowers expression of the growth promoting proteins that these mRNAs encode. The forced nuclear retention of these proteins can counteract a multitude of the cancer-promoting pathways that allow cancer cells with gene dysregulation to continue to grow and divide in an unrestrained fashion. Because normal cells have little or no DNA damage to cause gene dysregulation, accumulation of tumor suppressor proteins in their nucleus generally does not lead to apoptosis. The figure below depicts the process by which our SINE compounds inhibit the XPO1-mediated nuclear export of tumor suppressor proteins and oncoprotein mRNAs.
We believe that the novel mechanism of action, oral administration and low levels of major organ toxicities observed to date in patients treated with our SINE compounds, along with encouraging efficacy data, support the potential for their broad use across many cancer types, including both hematological and solid tumor malignancies. Unlike many other targeted therapeutic approaches that only work for a specific set of cancers or in a specific subgroup of patients, we believe that by restoring tumor suppressor proteins to the nucleus where they can access a cell’s DNA, our SINE compounds may provide therapeutic benefits across a broad range of cancer types and can potentially benefit a wider range of patients. Additionally, and as supported by their unique mechanism of action, and preclinical, clinical and post-approval data, we believe that our SINE compounds have shown additive or synergistic benefit with approved and experimental therapies in treating cancer patients and, therefore, have the potential to serve as a backbone therapy across multiple hematological and solid tumor malignancies as part of a variety of combination therapies.
Our Pipeline and Key Clinical Trials
Oral selinexor is being evaluated in multiple early, mid and late-stage clinical trials in patients with hematological and solid tumor malignancies, including both in the first line and in the relapsed and/or refractory setting. In general, relapsed disease refers to disease that progresses following the expiration of a specified period of time after discontinuation of therapy and refractory disease refers to disease that progresses while the patient is on therapy or within a specified period of time after discontinuation of therapy.
Key clinical trials of selinexor and eltanexor are summarized in the chart below. In addition to these studies, there are multiple ongoing investigator-sponsored clinical trials being conducted in a variety of hematological and solid tumor malignancies, post-marketing requirements, and potential signal seeking studies to further expand our development program in the future.
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OUR SELINEXOR PROGRAM
We are currently evaluating selinexor in certain hematological and solid tumor malignancies, including multiple myeloma, endometrial cancer, MF and DLBCL.
Multiple Myeloma
Overview
Multiple myeloma is a hematological malignancy characterized by the accumulation of monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow, the presence of monoclonal immunoglobulin, also known as M protein, in the serum or urine, bone destruction, kidney disease and immunodeficiency. Multiple myeloma is the second most common blood cancer in the world and there is currently no cure. The American Cancer Society (the “ACS”) estimates that nearly 36,000 new cases of multiple myeloma will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2024. Myeloma occurs most commonly in people over age 65 and the risk of developing multiple myeloma increases with age.
The treatment of multiple myeloma has improved over the last 20 years due to the use of high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation, which is restricted to healthier, often younger patients. Treatment decisions are based on physician and patient choice rather than clear treatment guidelines, with the current standard of care being to switch drug classes once a regimen stops working. In addition to our XPO1 inhibitor, a number of non-chemotherapy drugs such as PIs, IMiDs, mAbs, bispecific antibodies, and CAR-T therapy, have also emerged as treatment options within the last two decades. The introduction of these non-chemotherapeutic novel agents has led to a significant increase in the survival of patients with multiple myeloma. However, despite the wide variety of newly approved or experimental therapies that are being used to treat patients with relapsed and/or refractory disease either alone or in combination, nearly all patients will eventually succumb to their disease. With nearly 12,500 deaths from multiple myeloma in the U.S. alone estimated for 2024 according to the ACS, we believe that there remains a need for therapies for patients whose disease has relapsed after, or is refractory to, available therapy or for whom current therapy is not suitable.
XPOVIO is currently approved to treat multiple myeloma in adult patients who have received at least one prior therapy based on data from the BOSTON Study and in adult patients with penta-refractory multiple myeloma based on data from the STORM Study.
In September 2023, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines (the “NCCN Guidelines”) elevated XPOVIO in combination with Velcade® (bortezomib) and dexamethasone (“XVd”) to a preferred and category 1 regimen for lenalidomide- refractory patients with RRMM who have received one-to-three prior lines of therapy in its Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. The NCCN Guidelines are a comprehensive set of guidelines detailing the sequential management decisions and interventions that currently apply to 97% of cancers affecting patients in the U.S. and are intended to ensure that all patients receive preventive, diagnostic, treatment and supportive services that will most likely lead to optimal outcomes.
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The BOSTON Study
The December 2020 FDA approval of XPOVIO in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy was based on the results of the BOSTON Study, a multi-center, Phase 3, randomized study conducted at over 150 clinical sites internationally. The BOSTON Study evaluated 402 adult patients with RRMM who had received one to three prior lines of therapy. The study was designed to compare the efficacy, safety and certain health-related quality of life parameters of once-weekly oral selinexor in combination with once-weekly administration of Velcade® plus low-dose dexamethasone (the “XVd Arm”) versus twice-weekly administration of Velcade® plus dexamethasone (the “Vd Arm”). The primary endpoint of the study was progression-free survival (“PFS”) and key secondary endpoints included overall response rate (“ORR”) and the rate of peripheral neuropathy (“PN”), among others. Additionally, the BOSTON Study allowed for patients on the Vd Arm to crossover to the XVd Arm following objective (quantitative) progression of disease verified by an Independent Review Committee (“IRC”).
Despite the study having a high proportion of patients with high-risk cytogenetics (approximately 50%), the median PFS in the XVd Arm was 13.9 months compared to 9.5 months in the Vd Arm, representing a 4.4 month (47%) increase in median PFS (hazard ratio (“HR”) of 0.70; p=0.0075). The XVd Arm also demonstrated a significantly greater ORR compared to the Vd Arm (76.4% vs. 62.3%, p=0.0012).
Further, XVd therapy demonstrated a significantly higher rate of deep responses, defined as ≥ Very Good Partial Response (“VGPRs”) compared to Vd therapy (44.6% vs. 32.4%) as well as a longer median duration of response (“DOR”) (20.3 months vs. 12.9 months). Additionally, 17% of patients on the XVd arm achieved a Complete Response (“CR”) or a Stringent Complete Response (“sCR”) as compared to 10% of patients receiving Vd therapy. All responses were confirmed by an IRC. Rates of PN were significantly lower for patients receiving XVd therapy compared to those receiving Vd therapy (32% vs. 47%). In addition, PN rates ≥ grade 2 were also significantly lower in the XVd Arm compared to the Vd Arm (21% vs. 34%).
The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) in patients who received XVd were fatigue (59%), nausea (50%), decreased appetite (35%), diarrhea (32%), peripheral neuropathy (32%), upper respiratory tract infection (29%), decreased weight (26%), cataract (22%) and vomiting (21%). Grade 3-4 laboratory abnormalities (≥10%) were thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, hypophosphatemia, anemia, hyponatremia and neutropenia. In the BOSTON Study, fatal adverse reactions occurred in 6% of patients within 30 days of last treatment. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 52% of patients who received XVd. Treatment discontinuation rate due to adverse reactions was 19%.
In June 2023, we presented data from an unplanned subgroup analysis of BOSTON patients without prior PI exposure (XVd: n = 47; Vd: n= 48) at the 2023 European Hematology Association Hybrid Congress, which analysis demonstrated an approximate tripling of median PFS for XVd compared to Vd at 29.5 vs 9.7 months; HR for PFS favored XVd at 0.29 (95% Confidence Interval (“CI”) 0.14 - 0.63, nominal p=<0.001).
The STORM Study
The July 2019 FDA approval of XPOVIO in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with RRMM who have received at least four prior therapies and whose disease is refractory to at least two PIs, at least two IMiDs, and an anti-CD38 mAb was based on the results of the STORM Study. This indication was approved under accelerated approval. As the BOSTON Study served as the confirmatory trial for accelerated approval for the STORM Study, the BOSTON supplemental New Drug Application (“sNDA”) approval in December 2020 fulfilled the requirement of an accelerated approval.
The STORM Study was a global, multi-center, single-arm Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating oral selinexor in combination with standard, low-dose dexamethasone (“Xd”) in patients with heavily pretreated, RRMM. These heavily pretreated patients had a median of seven prior therapeutic regimens, including a median of 10 unique anti-myeloma agents. Specifically, the myeloma patients who were eligible for the study had prior treatment with the two PIs, Velcade® and Kyprolis® (carfilzomib), the two IMiDs, Revlimid® (lenalidomide) and Pomalyst®(pomalidomide), and the anti-CD38 mAb Darzalex® (daratumumab), as well as alkylating agents, and their disease was refractory to glucocorticoids, at least one PI, at least one IMiD, Darzalex®, and their most recent therapy. In all patients, this myeloma was considered “triple-class refractory.”
The FDA’s accelerated approval of XPOVIO was based upon the efficacy and safety in a pre-specified subgroup analysis of the 83 patients in the STORM Study with documented penta-refractory myeloma, as the benefit-risk ratio appeared to be greater in this more heavily pre-treated population than in the overall trial population. In addition to multiple-refractory disease, patients in the STORM Study had rapidly progressing myeloma, with a median 22% increase in disease burden in the 12 days from screening to initial therapy. The ORR in this patient population was 25.3%.
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For the STORM Study’s primary endpoint, selinexor achieved an ORR of 26%, including two (2%) sCRs, six (5%) VGPRs, and 24 (20%) partial responses (“PRs”) and the trial therefore met its primary endpoint. Both patients who had relapsed after CAR-T therapy achieved PRs. Minimal response per International Myeloma Working Group criteria was observed in 16 (13%) patients and 48 (39%) patients had stable disease. Median time to PR or better was 4.1 weeks. The clinical benefit rate, meaning a minimal response or better, was 39%. All responses were adjudicated by an IRC consisting of four independent experts in the treatment of multiple myeloma.
Median DOR was 4.4 months. PFS was 3.7 months and overall survival (“OS”) was 8.6 months. In the 39% of patients who achieved a minimal response or better, median OS was 15.6 months, compared to a median OS of 1.7 months in patients whose disease progressed or where response was not evaluable.
The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) in patients who received Xd were thrombocytopenia (74%), fatigue (73%), nausea (72%), anemia (59%), decreased appetite (53%), decreased weight (47%), diarrhea (44%), vomiting (41%), hyponatremia (39%), neutropenia (34%), leukopenia (28%), constipation (25%), dyspnea (24%) and upper respiratory tract infection (21%). In the STORM Study, fatal adverse reactions occurred in 9% of patients. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 58% of patients. Treatment discontinuation rate due to adverse reactions was 27%.
The XPORT-MM-031/EMN29 Study
The EMN29 study is an ongoing randomized global Phase 3 study sponsored by the European Myeloma Network evaluating selinexor in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (“SPd”) versus elotuzumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone (“EloPd”) in patients with RRMM (the “EMN29 Study”; NCT05028348). The EMN29 Study is expected to enroll up to 222 patients who will be randomized to either SPd or EloPd and is designed to evaluate a 40 mg once weekly dose of selinexor compared to standard dosing of elotuzumab in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone in RRMM as the immediate next line of therapy after treatment with anti-CD38 antibodies. Patients enrolled in the EMN29 Study have received one to four prior lines of therapy, including a PI and lenalidomide, and have had an anti-CD38 mAb in their most recent prior line of therapy. The primary endpoint of the EMN29 Study is PFS, with ORR, OS and DOR, among others, as secondary endpoints.
The determination to initiate the EMN29 Study was based on data from an all-oral arm of the Phase 1b/2 STOMP Study (NCT02343042) and the Phase 2 Study XPORT-MM-028 (NCT04414475) in which selinexor was evaluated in combination with pomalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone in patients with RRMM who received at least two prior lines of therapy, including a PI and an IMiD. The decision to specify the patient population in the EMN29 Study as RRMM with progression of disease immediately after a line of therapy which contained anti-CD38 mAb treatment was based on these same studies (NCT02343042 and NCT04414475) in which the subgroup of patients exposed to prior anti-CD38 therapy achieved a median PFS of 8.7 months (95% CI 7.6, not estimable). This median PFS compares favorably to that seen with the next line of treatment in anti-CD38 exposed patients of 4.6 months and anti-CD38 refractory patients of 3.4 months.
The STOMP Study: Arm 12 (selinexor in combination with mezigdomide and dexamethasone)
In October 2023, we entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (“BMS”) to evaluate mezigdomide, BMS’ proprietary investigational cereblon E3 ligase modulator (CELMoDTM) agent, in combination with selinexor in patients with RRMM progressing after T-cell immunotherapies. This Phase 1b/2 study will evaluate mezigdomide in combination with selinexor doses of either 40 mg or 60 mg once weekly plus dexamethasone in patients who have prior exposure to IMiDs, PIs, and anti-CD38 mAb treatment. All patients must have received at least two prior lines of therapy, and either have progressed after or are not eligible to receive CAR-T or bispecific antibody treatment. The primary endpoints of this trial are to assess the ORR and the clinical benefit rate. Key secondary endpoints include PFS, OS and DOR. In addition, the trial will evaluate dynamic changes in T-cell populations and activity as patients undergo treatment. Under the terms of the agreement with BMS, we will sponsor the study as a new arm of the STOMP Study and BMS will supply the study’s clinical drug mezigdomide.
Endometrial Cancer
Overview
Endometrial cancer occurs when cells in the endometrium, which is the inner lining of uterus, begin to grow out of control and invade surrounding tissues. In the U.S., endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer with both incidence and mortality rates continuing to rise. The ACS estimates that there will be approximately 61,000 new cases of endometrial cancer diagnosed in 2024 in the U.S. Approximately 16,000 women are expected to be diagnosed with advanced or metastatic endometrial cancer each year in the U.S. with approximately 50% of those patients having TP53 wild-type endometrial cancer. Endometrial cancer affects mainly post-menopausal women and the average age of women diagnosed with endometrial cancer is 60 years. Endometrial cancer is often detected at an early stage because it frequently produces abnormal vaginal bleeding. Standard of care treatments for
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patients with endometrial cancer are based on the stage of the disease at diagnosis and the grade of the tumor, and include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and targeted therapy. Surgery is the first treatment for almost all women with endometrial cancer, followed by chemotherapy and/or adjuvant radiation therapy for cases of advanced or high grade endometrial cancer. For many patients who respond to adjuvant therapies, the NCCN Guidelines recommend a “watch and wait” approach until the disease relapses. Maintenance therapies are designed to prolong the response period and prevent relapse. There are currently no specific targeted FDA approved therapies post-chemotherapy specifically indicated for patients with TP53 wild-type endometrial cancer. Recently, there has been an increased focus on using molecular classification of endometrial cancers to select the most appropriate therapies for patients. TP53 wild-type status could represent a potentially unique but fundamental biomarker in endometrial cancer. TP53 wild-type endometrial cancer co-occurs with both proficient mismatch repair (“pMMR”) and deficient mismatch repair (“dMMR”) subsets. In 2023, dostarlimab-gxly, a new treatment option post-chemotherapy was approved by the FDA for patients with dMMR advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, which represents approximately 20% of the total advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer patient population, and advanced the treatment options for this subgroup. However, a large unmet need continues to exist for patients with pMMR and TP53 wild-type endometrial cancer, which represent between approximately 40% to 55% of advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer patients.
Clinical correlative and non-clinical mechanism of action studies have shown that inhibition of XPO1 by selinexor leads to the nuclear accumulation and activation of p53, a well-established tumor suppressor protein encoded by the TP53 gene.
The EC-042 Study
In the fourth quarter of 2022, we initiated a global, Phase 3, randomized, double-blind study evaluating selinexor as a maintenance therapy following systemic therapy in patients with TP53 wild-type advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (the “EC-042 Study”; NCT05611931). The EC-042 Study is expected to enroll approximately 220 patients whose tumors are TP53 wild-type and who will be randomized in a 1:1 manner to receive either a 60 mg, once-weekly, administration of oral selinexor or placebo until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint of the study is PFS, as assessed by an investigator and OS as the key secondary endpoint. Further, in connection with the EC-042 Study, we entered into a global collaboration with Foundation Medicine, Inc. to develop FoundationOne®CDx, a tissue-based next generation sequencing test to identify and enroll patients whose tumors are TP53 wild-type.
The SIENDO Study
Our evaluation of selinexor to treat patients with TP53 wild-type advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer is supported by data from an exploratory subgroup analysis from our SIENDO Study, a multicenter, randomized, double-blinded Phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of oral selinexor versus placebo as a front-line maintenance therapy in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer following at least one prior platinum-based combination chemotherapy treatment (the “SIENDO Study”; NCT03555422). Participants in the SIENDO Study with advanced or recurrent disease who had a PR or CR after at least 12 weeks of standard of care taxane-platinum combination chemotherapy were randomized in a 2:1 manner to receive either maintenance therapy of 80 mg of selinexor or placebo taken once per week, until disease progression. The primary endpoint in the SIENDO Study is PFS from time of randomization until death or disease progression as assessed by an investigator, with the goal of the study demonstrating a HR of 0.6.
In the first quarter of 2022, we presented top-line data from the SIENDO Study, including exploratory subgroup analyses. Selinexor-treated patients had a median PFS of 5.7 months compared to 3.8 months for patients on placebo, representing an improvement of 50%, (eCRF HR of 0.70 (CI: 0.4993-0.9957), p=0.0486; IRT HR of 0.76 (CI: 0.5428-1.0759), p=0.1266) in the full trial population, while patients with TP53 wild-type advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer treated with selinexor had a median PFS of 13.7 months compared to 3.7 months for patients on placebo. We believe that selinexor was well tolerated in the SIENDO Study with no new safety signals identified, and a discontinuation rate of 10.5% due to adverse events (“AEs”). The most common treatment-emergent AEs (“TEAEs”) in the SIENDO Study of any grade were: nausea (84%), vomiting (52%), constipation (37%) and thrombocytopenia (37%). The most common grade 3 TEAEs were nausea (10%), neutropenia (9%), thrombocytopenia (7%) and asthenia (6%).
In November 2023, we presented updated long-term safety and efficacy data from the pre-specified exploratory subgroup analysis from our SIENDO Study in patients with advanced or recurrent TP53 wild-type endometrial cancer at the International Gynecological Cancer Society Annual Global Meeting. In the exploratory subgroup analysis, 113 patients with TP53 wild-type endometrial cancer received selinexor (n=77) or placebo (n=36) as maintenance therapy. As of the September 1, 2023 data cut-off date, selinexor-treated patients had a median PFS of 27.4 months compared to 5.2 months for patients on placebo. For the TP53 wild-type population, updated data showed a HR of 0.41 (95% CI: 0.25-0.69). For patients with TP53 wild-type and pMMR endometrial cancer, the data showed a HR 0.32 (95% CI: 0.16-0.64) with PFS not reached after median follow-up of 31.6 months. For patients with TP53 wild-type and dMMR endometrial cancer, the data showed a HR of 0.45 (95% CI: 0.16-1.27). No new safety signals were
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identified as of the September 1, 2023 data cut-off date. The most common TEAEs with selinexor treatment were nausea (90%), vomiting (60%), thrombocytopenia (42%) and diarrhea (42%), the majority of which were grades 1-2. The rate of nausea in the placebo patients was 34%, vomiting 11%, and diarrhea 37%. The most common reported grade 3-4 TEAEs included neutropenia (18%), nausea (12%), and thrombocytopenia (10%). TEAEs leading to discontinuations in the selinexor group were reported in 16% of patients.
Myelofibrosis
Overview
MF is a rare blood cancer in which excessive scar tissue (fibrosis) forms in the bone marrow and impairs its ability to produce normal blood cells and can cause scarring in bone marrow, leading to severe anemia, low platelet counts, and abnormal white blood cell production. In addition, blood cell production may move to the spleen (causing spleen enlargement) or to other areas of the body. It is estimated that there are approximately 5,000 new cases of MF each year in the U.S. and approximately 20,000 patients living with MF in the U.S. Although MF can occur at any age, it is more common in older patients, with a median age at diagnosis of approximately 65 years. During the course of the disease, MF patients could experience abdominal discomfort from increasing spleen and liver size, itching, night sweats, abnormal bleeding, fever, bone or joint pain and involuntary weight loss. The underlying cause of primary MF has not yet been determined; however, it is associated with DNA changes in certain genes.
There is currently no drug therapy that can cure MF. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (“HSCT”) is currently the only treatment for MF that can provide a clinical cure; patients who are not good candidates for HSCT are treated with a JAK2 inhibitor (“JAKi”), such as ruxolitinib, fedratinib, pacritinib or momelotinib to reduce spleen volume and improve symptoms. Not all patients respond adequately to a JAKi, and some patients cannot tolerate treatment or develop rapid progression on this treatment. As there is currently no effective treatment for patients who are resistant to JAKi, we believe there is a high unmet need for a treatment with a different mechanism of action to overcome resistance and provide improvement in primary disease management.
In May 2022, the FDA granted selinexor Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of MF, and in October 2022, the European Commission (“EC”) granted Orphan Medicinal Product Designation for selinexor for the treatment of MF. In addition, in July 2023, we received Fast Track Designation from the FDA for selinexor for the treatment of patients with MF, including primary MF, post-essential thrombocythemia MF, and post-polycythemia vera MF.
The XPORT-MF-034 Study
In August 2022, enrollment was completed in a Phase 1 open-label, multicenter study of selinexor to evaluate the safety, effectiveness and recommended dose for selinexor in combination with ruxolitinib in treatment-naïve patients with MF (the “MF-034 Study”; NCT04562389). In the Phase 1 dose escalation portion of the MF-034 Study, we evaluated selinexor at both the 40 mg and 60 mg doses in combination with ruxolitinib in treatment-naïve patients with MF.
Throughout 2023, we reported evolving data from the MF-034 Study, most recently in December 2023, when we presented updated data on the Phase 1 portion of the MF-034 Study at the 65th American Society of Hematology 2023 Annual Meeting and Exposition. The data presented were based on results as of August 1, 2023 from 24 patients who had been assigned to either a 40 mg or 60 mg once weekly dose of selinexor, in combination with ruxolitinib 15/20 mg BID (twice daily). At week 24, 92% of efficacy evaluable patients (11 out of 12) demonstrated spleen volume reduction (“SVR”) of at least 35% from baseline (“SVR35”) and 78% of the evaluable patients for symptom response (7 out of 9) achieved total symptom score reduction of ≥50% (“TSS50”). At week 24, 79% of intent-to-treat (“ITT”) patients (11 out of 14) achieved SVR35 and 58% of the ITT patients (7 out of 12) achieved TSS50. Patients receiving a 60 mg dose of selinexor in the MF-034 Study (14 out of 24) and who achieved SVR35 and TSS50 at week 24 continued to remain in radiographic response as of the August 1, 2023 data cut-off date, representing a median duration of 32 weeks and 51 weeks for SVR35 and TSS50 durability, respectively. The safety data as of the August 1, 2023 data-cutoff was consistent with prior data from the MF-034 Study. The most common TEAEs for patients who received the 60 mg dose of selinexor were nausea (79%), anemia (64%), thrombocytopenia (64%) and fatigue (57%), the majority of which were grades 1-2. The most common reported grade 3-4 TEAEs for patients who received the 60 mg dose of selinexor were anemia (43%) and thrombocytopenia (29%). There were two treatment-related discontinuations, one due to thrombocytopenia and one due to peripheral neuropathy.
Based on the efficacy and safety data from the Phase 1 portion of the MF-034 Study supporting a 60 mg dose of selinexor as the recommended dose in combination with ruxolitinib, we initiated a pivotal Phase 3 portion of the MF-034 Study in mid-2023 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of once-weekly selinexor in combination with ruxolitinib in JAKi-naive MF patients. The Phase 3 portion of the MF-034 Study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study which is expected to enroll 306 JAKi-naive patients with intermediate or high-risk MF. Patients are randomized 2:1 to 60 mg of selinexor plus ruxolitinib or ruxolitinib plus placebo. The ruxolitinib dose is determined by the investigators based on the patients’ baseline platelet count per the drug’s
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prescribing information. The co-primary endpoints are SVR35 and TSS50 at week 24, with a key secondary endpoint of anemia response at week 24.
The XPORT-MF-044 Study
We are planning to initiate a Phase 2 study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of selinexor as a monotherapy in patients with JAKi-naïve MF and moderate thrombocytopenia (the “MF-044 Study”; NCT05980806). The MF-044 Study is currently designed to enroll 58 patients who will receive either 60 mg or 40 mg of selinexor as a monotherapy. The expected primary endpoint is SVR35 at week 24 with key secondary endpoints of TSS50 at week 24, anemia response and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic. Optional add-on JAKi in addition to selinexor, including ruxolitinib, momelotinib and pacritinib, may be initiated for patients whose SVR does not meet key benchmarks at weeks 12 and 24 compared to baseline.
The ESSENTIAL Study
Our evaluation of selinexor to treat MF is supported by data from the ongoing Phase 2 ESSENTIAL study, an investigator-sponsored open-label, prospective study evaluating single-agent selinexor at a dose of 80 mg, 60 mg or 40 mg once weekly in adult patients with primary or secondary MF with resistance or intolerance to JAKi therapy (the “ESSENTIAL Study”; NCT03627403). The primary endpoint of the ESSENTIAL Study is to assess the efficacy of selinexor on SVR. As of November 2021, the data cutoff, selinexor was administered to 12 patients. Median duration of prior JAKi therapy was 22 months (range 0.5 to 96 months), and 92% (11 of 12) patients had MF refractory to ruxolitinib. the median duration of treatment was 11 months (range 2.8 to 28.8 months). Of the ten patients who were on treatment for at least 24 weeks, four (40%) patients achieved SVR of ≥35% and six (60%) patients achieved SVR of ≥25%. Of the five patients who were transfusion dependent at screening, two (40%) achieved transfusion independence. Of the three patients with hemoglobin <10g/dL at screening, improvement in hemoglobin level of >2g/dl was observed in two (67%) patients. Reduction in marrow reticulin fibrosis from MF grade 3 to MF grade 1 was observed in a patient who had an assessment at week 72 demonstrating disease modification potential with longer treatment. While median OS was not yet reached, the two-year survival probability was assessed to be 91.7%. This compares favorably with a historical survival of 13 to 14 months in this population. The most common grade ≥3 TEAEs were anemia (33%) and fatigue (33%). These were manageable with treatment interruption and dose reduction, except in one patient who discontinued treatment.
Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Overview
DLBCL is the most common type of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer that starts in cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the body’s immune system. Lymphocytes are found in the lymph nodes and other lymphoid tissues, such as the spleen and bone marrow, as well as in the blood. According to the Lymphoma Research Foundation, over 18,000 people are diagnosed with DLBCL annually in the U.S. Although DLBCL can occur at any age, the median age at diagnosis is approximately 66 years of age. Approximately two-thirds of all newly diagnosed patients are cured using front-line chemotherapy (typically “R-CHOP”). Poor outcomes for patients who failed a R-CHOP regimen prompted efforts to discover new treatment approaches for DLBCL, both up-front and at the time of relapse. Despite the availability of CAR-T therapy, many patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL are not medically stable enough to undergo this type of treatment. In addition, various other targets have been studied in the treatment of DLBCL but may also not be well tolerated in heavily pretreated patients.
The SADAL Study
In June 2020, the FDA approved XPOVIO under accelerated approval as a single-agent oral treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL, not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma, after at least two lines of systemic therapy. This approval was based on the results of the SADAL Study, an open-label Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating single-agent oral selinexor (60 mg, twice weekly) in patients that had relapsed or refractory DLBCL after at least two prior multi-agent therapies and who were ineligible for transplantation, including high dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue. In this population, selinexor demonstrated an ORR of 29%, including a CR rate of 13%. Responses were seen in all subgroups evaluated regardless of age, gender, prior therapy, DLBCL subtype or prior stem cell transplant therapy. Patient responses were durable with a median DOR of 9.3 months (23.0 months for patients who achieved a CR). Importantly, responses were associated with longer survival, underscoring the potential of oral XPO1 inhibition as an oral, non-chemotherapeutic option for patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL. Part 2 of the study is ongoing to evaluate alternate dosing (40 mg, twice weekly; 60 mg twice weekly for cycles 1 and 2; and 60 mg weekly for subsequent cycles).
The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) in patients who received selinexor were fatigue (63%), nausea (57%), diarrhea (37%), decreased appetite (37%), decreased weight (30%), constipation (29%), vomiting (28%), and pyrexia (22%). Grade 3-4 laboratory abnormalities (≥15%) are thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, neutropenia, anemia, and hyponatremia. In the SADAL Study,
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fatal adverse reactions occurred in 3.7% of patients within 30 days of last treatment. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 46% of patients who received selinexor. Treatment discontinuation rate due to adverse reactions was 17%.
The XPORT-DLBCL-030 Study
The XPORT-DLBCL-030 study, which will serve as the confirmatory study to the accelerated approval of XPOVIO in DLBCL granted by the FDA in June 2020, is a Phase 2/3 multi-center, randomized study evaluating the combination of selinexor and rituximab, gemcitabine and dexamethasone (“R-GDP”) in patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL (the “XPORT-DLBCL-030 Study”; NCT04442022). The Phase 2 portion of the study is evaluating efficacy, safety and tolerability of R-GDP plus either selinexor 40 mg or 60 mg. The Phase 3 portion of the study is currently designed to evaluate the selected dose (as identified in the Phase 2 study) of selinexor or matching placebo given with the standard combination immunochemotherapy R-GDP to patients with at least one prior therapy and who are not intended for stem cell transplant and CAR-T cell therapy. The primary endpoint of the Phase 3 portion of the XPORT-DLBCL-030 Study would be PFS. The study is currently in the Phase 2 portion of the evaluation.
OUR ELTANEXOR PROGRAM
Myelodysplastic Neoplasms
Overview
MDS are a group of hematologic malignancies whereby the bone marrow does not make enough healthy blood cells (white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets). Hypomethylating agents (“HMAs”) are the current standard of care for patients newly diagnosed with high-risk MDS. There is currently no other class of therapy approved for relapsed or refractory MDS patients; the current standard of care is participation in a clinical trial or best supportive care, such as transfusions and symptomatic treatment for cytopenias. Our product candidate, eltanexor, is a novel, oral SINE compound that, like selinexor, selectively blocks the nuclear export protein XPO1. Based on the data described below, we have observed single-agent clinical activity of eltanexor to treat patients with HMA-refractory MDS.
In January 2022, the FDA granted Orphan Drug Designation for eltanexor for the treatment of MDS. In addition, in July 2022, the FDA granted Fast Track designation for eltanexor as monotherapy for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory intermediate, high-, or very high-risk MDS and the EC adopted the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products opinion to designate eltanexor as an orphan medicinal product for the treatment of MDS in the EU.
The KCP-8602-801 Study
In September 2021, we initiated a Phase 2 expansion study of an ongoing open-label Phase 1/2 study investigating eltanexor as a single-agent or in combination with approved and investigational agents in patients with several types of hematologic and solid tumor cancers (the “KCP-8602-801 Study”; NCT02649790). The KCP-8602-801 Study is designed to evaluate eltanexor monotherapy in 83 patients with HMA-refractory, intermediate or high-risk MDS. The primary endpoint for this Phase 2 expansion study is ORR with PFS and OS, among others, as secondary endpoints. In May 2023, we announced interim data from the Phase 2 portion of the KCP-8602-801 Study at the 17th International Congress of Myelodysplastic Syndromes. As of the February 8, 2023 data cut-off date, 30 patients had been treated with 10 mg of oral eltanexor on Days 1-5 of each week. Eltanexor demonstrated a 27% ORR in the ITT population and a 31% ORR in the efficacy evaluable population, with ORR consisting of marrow CR and hematologic improvement only. No PRs or CRs were observed. Median overall survival was 8.7 months in both populations. Transfusion independence rate for red blood cells and/or platelets was 29%. Eltanexor was generally well-tolerated and manageable. The most common AEs were asthenia (47%), diarrhea (43%), and nausea (33%), the majority of which were grades 1-2. The most common grade ≥3 TEAEs were neutropenia (30%), thrombocytopenia (26.7%), and asthenia (16.7%).
In January 2024, we announced that further clinical development of our eltanexor program is on hold in an effort to focus our resources on our prioritized late-stage programs.
OTHER PIPELINE PROGRAMS
In addition to selinexor, we also may advance other novel drug candidates, such as KPT-9274. KPT-9274 is our first-in-class dual inhibitor of p21-activated kinase 4 (“PAK4”) and nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (“NAMPT”). Co-inhibition of PAK4 and NAMPT may lead to synergistic anti-tumor effects through energy depletion, inhibition of DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, inhibition of proliferation, and ultimately apoptosis. Normal cells are more resistant to inhibition by KPT-9274 due in part to their relative genomic stability and lower metabolic rates. Hematologic and solid tumor cells that have become dependent on both PAK4 and NAMPT pathways may be susceptible to single-agent cytotoxicity of KPT-9274.
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KPT-9274 has shown broad evidence of anti-cancer activity against hematological and solid tumor malignant cells while showing minimal toxicity to normal cells in vitro. In mouse xenograft studies, oral KPT-9274 has shown evidence of anti-cancer activity and tolerability. To our knowledge, we are the only company with an allosteric PAK4 modulator and/or NAMPT specific inhibitor currently in clinical development. We are evaluating development opportunities for KPT-9274.
Collaboration, License and Other Strategic Agreements
We have formed, and intend to continue to form, strategic alliances to develop and commercialize our products and product candidates. We enter into collaborations when there is a strategic advantage to us and when we believe the financial terms of the collaboration are favorable for meeting our short- and long-term strategic objectives. Currently, we maintain complete commercial rights to our products and product candidates in the U.S. and Japan and have entered into the following key agreements:
Menarini
In December 2021, we entered into a license agreement with the Menarini Group (“Menarini”), an Italian pharmaceutical company (the “Original Menarini Agreement”). Pursuant to the Original Menarini Agreement, we granted Menarini a non-exclusive license to develop, and an exclusive license to commercialize, products containing selinexor (the “Product”) for all human oncology indications in the European Economic Area, UK, Switzerland, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Turkey, Mexico, all Central America countries and all South America countries (collectively, the “Menarini Territory”). In March 2023, the Original Menarini Agreement was amended (the “Amended Menarini Agreement”) to expand the Menarini Territory to include all countries in the continent of Africa and Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Yemen (together with the Menarini Territory, the “Expanded Menarini Territory”). In addition, we granted to Menarini a non-exclusive license to package and label the Product in or outside of the Expanded Menarini Territory for all human oncology indications solely to enable Menarini to commercialize the Product within the Expanded Menarini Territory.
We received an upfront cash payment of $75.0 million in December 2021 and $3.5 million in April 2023 upon execution of the Amended Menarini Agreement. In addition, we are entitled to receive additional milestone payments from Menarini if certain development and sales performance milestones are achieved in the future. We are also eligible to receive tiered royalties ranging from the mid-teens to mid-twenties based on future net sales of the Product in the Expanded Menarini Territory. The payments owed by Menarini to us are subject to reduction in specified circumstances. Menarini will reimburse us for 25% of all expenses we incur for the development of the Product during 2022 through 2025, provided that such reimbursements shall not exceed $15.0 million per calendar year.
Antengene
In May 2020, we entered into an amendment of our May 2018 license agreement with Antengene Therapeutics Limited (“Antengene”) (the “Original Antengene Agreement”, and, as amended, the “Amended Antengene Agreement”). Antengene is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of Hong Kong, and a subsidiary of Antengene Corporation Co. Ltd., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the People’s Republic of China. Under the terms of the Amended Antengene Agreement, Antengene has the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize, at its own cost, selinexor, eltanexor, KPT-9274, each for the diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of all human oncology indications, and verdinexor for the diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of certain human non-oncology indications in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand (the “Antengene Territory”).
Under the terms of the Original Antengene Agreement, we received an upfront cash payment in 2018 of $11.7 million. In June 2020, we received an additional $11.7 million upfront payment upon execution of the Amended Antengene Agreement. In addition, we are entitled to receive additional milestone payments from Antengene if certain other regulatory and commercialization goals are achieved in the future. We are also eligible to receive tiered double-digit royalties based on future net sales of selinexor and eltanexor, and tiered single- to double-digit royalties based on future net sales of verdinexor and KPT-9274 in the Antengene Territory.
FORUS
In December 2020, we entered into an exclusive distribution agreement for the commercialization of XPOVIO in Canada with FORUS Therapeutics Inc. (“FORUS”), a Canadian biopharmaceutical company. Under the terms of the agreement, we received an upfront payment of $5.0 million in December 2020 and are eligible to receive additional payments if certain prespecified regulatory and commercial milestones are achieved by FORUS. We are also eligible to receive double-digit royalties on future net sales of XPOVIO in Canada. FORUS received the exclusive rights to commercialize XPOVIO in Canada and is responsible for all regulatory
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filings and obligations required for registering XPOVIO. We have retained the exclusive production rights and will supply finished product to FORUS for commercial use in Canada.
Promedico
In February 2020, we entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Promedico Ltd. (“Promedico”) for the commercialization of XPOVIO in Israel, the West Bank, Gaza Strip and the territories under control of the Palestinian Authority (the “Promedico Territory”). We will receive certain prespecified payments and are eligible to receive additional payments if certain regulatory and commercial milestones are achieved by Promedico. We are also eligible to receive double-digit royalties on future net sales in the Promedico Territory. Promedico received the exclusive rights to commercialize XPOVIO in the Promedico Territory and is responsible for all regulatory filings and obligations required for registering XPOVIO. We have retained exclusive production rights and will supply finished product for commercial use in the Promedico Territory.
Other
In addition to the above agreements, we have other collaborations related to the development or commercialization of our products and product candidates, such as the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program and a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with BMS, as discussed above, to collaborate with us on studies to investigate the safety and effectiveness of selinexor in various oncology indications; the European Myeloma Network, with which we have a collaboration, as discussed above; and arrangements with academic and private non-academic institutions, which conduct investigator-sponsored clinical trials in a variety of hematological and solid tumor malignancies.
In July 2021, we entered into a license agreement with Libo Pharma Corp. (“Libo”) under which we granted to Libo an exclusive license to manufacture, develop and commercialize IL-12 products in certain countries in Asia, Africa and Oceania. In December 2023, we amended the license agreement to include global development and commercialization rights for all indications except for acute radiation syndrome. We received an upfront payment from Libo and are also entitled to receive certain milestone payments upon completion of technology transfer as well as development and regulatory milestones and single-digit royalties on future net sales of KPT-1200.
In addition, in February 2024 we reacquired KPT-350 and other assets, which we had sold to Biogen Inc. (“Biogen”) in January 2018 under an asset purchase agreement that was subsequently terminated by Biogen in June 2022. KPT-350 is a clinical stage SINE compound under evaluation for neurological indications, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We intend to evaluate KPT-350 for development internally or through a third-party collaborator or licensor.
Intellectual Property
Our commercial success depends in part on our ability to obtain and maintain proprietary or intellectual property protection for our products and product candidates, our core technologies, and other know-how, to operate without infringing on the proprietary rights of others and to prevent others from infringing our proprietary or intellectual property rights. Our policy is to seek to protect our proprietary and intellectual property position by, among other methods, filing patent applications in the U.S. and in foreign jurisdictions related to our proprietary technology and products and product candidates. We also rely on trade secrets, know-how and continuing technological innovation to develop and maintain our proprietary and intellectual property position.
We file patent applications directed to the composition of matter and methods of use and manufacture for our products and product candidates. As of February 23, 2024, we were the sole owner of 47 patents in the U.S. and we had 13 pending patent applications in the U.S., two pending international applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (“PCT”), 162 granted patents and 98 pending patent applications in foreign jurisdictions. The PCT is an international patent law treaty that provides a unified procedure for filing a single initial patent application to seek patent protection for an invention simultaneously in each of the member states. Although a PCT application is not itself examined and cannot issue as a patent, it allows the applicant to seek protection in any of the member states through national-phase applications.
The intellectual property portfolios for our key products and product candidates as of February 23, 2024 are summarized below.
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Selinexor (KPT-330): Our selinexor patent portfolio covers: the composition of matter of selinexor; various polymorphic forms of selinexor, including the polymorph used in selinexor’s commercial drug substance; various methods of use of selinexor; as well as methods of making selinexor. There are two U.S. patents covering selinexor’s composition of matter. One of the patents will expire in July 2032 and the other will expire in July 2033 in view of Patent Term Extension awarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”). The U.S. patents covering the polymorph used in selinexor’s commercial drug substance will expire in August 2035. Any other patents that may issue
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in the U.S. as part of our selinexor patent portfolio will expire no earlier than July 2032. Any patents that may issue in foreign jurisdictions will likewise expire no earlier than 2032.
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Supplementary Protection Certificates: We have filed applications for Supplementary Protection Certificates (“SPCs”) based on European Patent No. 2,736,887 directed to the composition of matter and use of selinexor. Some applications have granted and others are pending.
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Eltanexor (KPT-8602): Our eltanexor patent portfolio covers both the composition of matter and methods of making and using eltanexor, and consists of three issued U.S. patents, four pending non-provisional U.S. patent applications, 29 issued foreign patents, 15 pending foreign patent applications and one pending PCT application. The PCT application provides the opportunity for seeking protection in all PCT member states. Any patents that may issue in the U.S. as part of our eltanexor patent portfolio will expire no earlier than 2034, not including any terminal disclaimer, patent term adjustment due to administrative delays by the USPTO or patent term extension under the Hatch-Waxman Act. Any patents issued in foreign jurisdictions will likewise expire no earlier than 2034.
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PAK4/NAMPT Inhibitors: Our PAK4/NAMPT inhibitors patent portfolio covers both the composition of matter and methods of use of the PAK4/NAMPT inhibitors described therein, such as KPT-9274, and consists of five patent families with seven issued U.S. patents, 25 issued foreign patents, one pending U.S. non-provisional patent application, and three pending foreign patent applications in total. Any patents that may issue in the U.S. based on the pending U.S. non-provisional application will expire in 2034, absent any terminal disclaimer, patent term adjustment due to administrative delays by the USPTO or patent term extension under the Hatch-Waxman Act. Any patents that may issue based on the pending foreign patent applications will likewise expire in 2034. Foreign patent applications covering the composition of matter and methods of use of KPT-9274 have been filed in 22 countries/regions.
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Biomarkers for XPO1 Inhibitors: Our patent portfolio also covers biomarkers related to treatment with XPO1 inhibitors, such as selinexor, and consists of one pending non-provisional U.S. patent application, one pending PCT application and six pending foreign patent applications. Any patents that may issue in the U.S. based on the pending U.S. non-provisional application will expire in 2040, absent any terminal disclaimer, patent term adjustment due to administrative delays by the USPTO or patent term extension under the Hatch-Waxman Act. Any patents issued in foreign jurisdictions will likewise expire in 2040. If non-provisional patent applications claiming the benefit of the pending U.S. provisional patent application referenced above are filed in 2024, any patents that may issue from such applications will expire no earlier than 2044, not including any terminal disclaimer, patent term adjustment due to administrative delays by the USPTO or patent term extension under the Hatch-Waxman Act. Any patents issued in foreign jurisdictions will likewise expire in 2044.
In addition to the patent portfolios covering our key products and product candidates, as of February 23, 2024, our patent portfolio also includes 17 patents and 25 granted foreign patents and pending patent applications in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions relating to other XPO1 inhibitors and their use in targeted therapeutics and combination therapies for XPO1 inhibitors.
In the U.S., we have trademark registrations for our name, our logo in color, and a combination of the two, XPOVIO, PORE for our online portal, and KARYFORWARD and our KARYFORWARD logo for our financial aid and charitable services. We also have pending applications in the U.S. to register KARYOPHARM alone, and our logo in greyscale, for pharmaceuticals. Outside of the U.S., XPOVIO is registered or pending in 46 additional jurisdictions, and is registered in Katakana in Japan, Hangul in South Korea, and Chinese characters in Taiwan. KARYOPHARM, the greyscale logo, KARYOPHARM THERAPEUTICS with the color logo, and the KARYFORWARD logo are each registered or pending in four jurisdictions outside of the U.S. We also have registrations or applications for eight additional possible product names in numerous foreign jurisdictions.
The term of individual patents depends upon the legal term for patents in the countries in which they are obtained. In most countries, including the U.S., the patent term is 20 years from the earliest filing date of a non-provisional patent application. In the U.S., a patent’s term may be lengthened by patent term adjustment, which compensates a patentee for administrative delays by the USPTO in examining and granting a patent, or may be shortened if a patent is terminally disclaimed over an earlier filed patent. The term of a patent that covers a drug may also be eligible for patent term extension when FDA approval is granted, provided statutory and regulatory requirements are met. See “Government Regulation - Patent Term Restoration and Extension” below for additional information on such extensions. We have filed applications for patent term extension in the U.S., Korea, Taiwan, Australia and China based on the granted patent in each jurisdiction directed to the composition of matter of selinexor. In the U.S., Korea and Taiwan we have been awarded 342 days, 150 days and 5 years, respectively, of patent term extension. In Australia, the term of the patent has been extended from July 26, 2032 to March 8, 2037 and in China we are awaiting a determination from the relevant authority. There is no assurance that we will benefit from any patent term extension. In the future, if and when our product candidates receive approval by the FDA or foreign regulatory authorities, we expect to apply for patent term extensions on issued patents covering those drugs, depending upon the length of the clinical trials for each product candidate and other factors. There can be no assurance that any of our
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pending patent applications will issue or that we will benefit from any patent term extension or favorable adjustment to the term of any of our patents.
As with other biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, our ability to maintain and solidify our proprietary and intellectual property position for our products and product candidates and technologies will depend on our success in obtaining effective patent claims and enforcing those claims if granted. However, patent applications that we may file or license from third parties may not result in the issuance of patents. We also cannot predict the breadth of claims that may be allowed or enforced in our patents. Our issued patents and any issued patents that we may receive in the future may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented. For example, we cannot be certain of the priority of inventions covered by pending third-party patent applications. If third parties prepare and file patent applications that also claim technology or therapeutics to which we have rights, we may have to participate in interference proceedings to determine priority of invention, which could result in substantial costs to us, even if the eventual outcome is favorable to us. In addition, because of the extensive time required for clinical development and regulatory review of a product candidate we may develop, it is possible that, before any of our product candidates can be commercialized, any related patent may expire or remain in force for only a short period following commercialization, thereby reducing any advantage of any such patent.
In addition to patents, we rely upon unpatented trade secrets and know-how and continuing technological innovation to develop and maintain our competitive position. We seek to protect our proprietary information, in part, using confidentiality agreements with our collaborators, scientific advisors, employees and consultants, and invention assignment agreements with our employees. We also have agreements with selected consultants, scientific advisors and collaborators requiring assignment of inventions. The confidentiality agreements are designed to protect our proprietary information and, in the case of agreements or clauses requiring invention assignment, to grant us ownership of technologies that are developed through our relationship with a third party.
With respect to our proprietary drug discovery and optimization platform, we consider trade secrets and know-how to be our primary intellectual property. Trade secrets and know-how can be difficult to protect. We anticipate that with respect to this technology platform, these trade secrets and know-how may over time be disseminated within the industry through independent development, the publication of journal articles describing the methodology, and the movement of personnel skilled in the art from academic to industry scientific positions.
Competition
The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are characterized by rapidly advancing technologies, intense competition and a strong emphasis on proprietary products. While we believe that our technology, knowledge, experience and scientific resources provide us with certain competitive advantages, we face competition from many different sources, including major pharmaceutical, specialty pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutions and governmental agencies and public and private research institutions. Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize will compete with existing therapies and new therapies that may become available in the future.
There are numerous companies developing or marketing treatments for cancer, including many major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. We are aware of several other XPO1 inhibitors in clinical development world-wide. For example, in June 2020, Menarini acquired Stemline Therapeutics, Inc., including its oral XPO1 inhibitor, felezonexor. Menarini has completed a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial to evaluate felezonexor in patients with advanced solid tumors. Additionally, in August 2022, Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co., Ltd announced FDA approval of its investigational new drug application (“IND”) for JS110, an XPO1 inhibitor in development in solid tumors, and has commenced a Phase 1/2 study in multiple myeloma.
Many of the companies against which we or our collaborators currently compete or which we may compete with in the future have significantly greater financial resources and expertise in research and development, manufacturing, preclinical testing, conducting clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approvals, marketing approved products and achieving ex-U.S. positive coverage/reimbursement decisions than we or our collaborators do. Mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries may result in even more resources being concentrated among a smaller number of our competitors. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies. These competitors also compete with us or our collaborators in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific, commercial and management personnel and establishing clinical trial sites and patient registration for clinical trials, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs.
The key competitive factors affecting the success of any approved oncology drug product, including our products and product candidates, if approved, are likely to be their actual or perceived efficacy, safety, tolerability, convenience and price, the availability of alternative cancer therapies and the availability of reimbursement from government and other third-party payors. Our commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize products, or commercialize existing
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products in new indications, and those products are or are perceived to be safer, more effective, more convenient, less expensive or more tolerable than any products that we have or may develop. Our competitors also may obtain FDA or other regulatory approval for their products more rapidly than we may obtain approval for ours, which could result in our competitors establishing a strong market position before we are able to enter the market.
In addition, our ability to compete may be affected in many cases by insurers or other third-party payors seeking to encourage the use of generic drugs. Generic drugs for the treatment of cancer are on the market and additional products are expected to become available on a generic basis over the coming years. If we obtain marketing approval for our product candidates or for XPOVIO in other indications, we expect that they will be priced at a significant premium over generic versions of older chemotherapy agents and other cancer therapies.
The most common methods of treating patients with cancer are surgery, radiation and drug therapy. There are numerous available drug therapies marketed for cancer. In many cases, these drugs are administered in combination to enhance efficacy. While our products and product candidates may compete with many existing drugs and other therapies, to the extent they are ultimately used in combination with or as an adjunct to these therapies, our product candidates will be complimentary with them. Some of the currently approved drug therapies are branded and subject to patent protection, and others are available on a generic basis. Many of these approved products are well-established therapies and are widely accepted by physicians, patients and third-party payors.
In addition to currently marketed therapies, there are also a number of products in late-stage clinical development to treat cancer. These products in development may provide efficacy, safety, tolerability, convenience and other benefits that are not provided by currently marketed therapies. As a result, they may represent significant competition for any of our products or product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval.
XPOVIO competes with and, if approved, our core product candidates may compete with, currently marketed products and/or investigational therapies as discussed below.
Multiple Myeloma
Many therapies are approved for use in patients with multiple myeloma in the U.S., Europe and other parts of the world. Although XPOVIO is the only XPO1 inhibitor that has received marketing approval, we compete with multiple other treatment types in our approved indication. The primary competitors of XPOVIO in multiple myeloma include those that currently treat patients ranging from newly diagnosed patients to those with RRMM and are indicated for use either as single agent and/or as combination therapies. The current standard of care for the treatment of RRMM includes IMiDs (e.g., thalidomide, lenalidomide, pomalidomide), PIs (e.g., bortezomib, carfilzomib and ixazomib), monoclonal antibodies (e.g., daratumamab, isatuximab, elotuzumab), B-cell maturation antigens including CAR-Ts (e.g., idecabtagene vicleucel, ciltacabtagene autoleucel) and bispecific antibodies. New classes/types of therapies are being introduced to the market each year. For example, TECVAYLITM (teclistamab-cqyv), the first bispecific T-Cell engager, was approved by the FDA in October 2022, followed by approvals of two more bispecifics, ELREXFIOTM (elranatamab-bcmm) and TALVEYTM (talquetamab-tgvs) in August 2023. Other T-cell engaging therapies, bispecifics with different targets, and immunomodulators are in clinical development and may be introduced into the multiple myeloma market in 2024 and beyond. In addition, future label expansions into earlier lines of existing therapies, including at least two CAR-T therapies, are anticipated in 2024 and beyond.
Endometrial Cancer
Surgery is the first treatment for almost all women with endometrial cancer, followed by chemotherapy and/or adjuvant radiation therapy for cases of advanced or high grade endometrial cancer. Upon disease progression, various chemotherapy agents and targeted drugs are commonly used. Multiple products with differing mechanisms of action are being evaluated in clinical trials, including checkpoint inhibitors (e.g., pembrolizumab, and durvalumab), PARP inhibitors, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (e.g., lenvatinib). Until the mid-2023 approval of Jemperli® (dostarlimab) for the treatment of dMMR advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, there were no products approved as a maintenance therapy. For patients with pMMR advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, there are no approved checkpoint inhibitors and the primary treatment option remains chemotherapy followed by “watch and wait”. In addition, for advanced endometrial cancer, pembrolizumab is approved as a single agent or in combination with lenvatinib in a subgroup of patients with recurrent disease.
Other anti-cancer agents are in late-stage development for the treatment of patients with endometrial cancer, some of which could receive approval earlier than selinexor, including products for the use of “maintenance” therapy following initial treatment, as in our ongoing EC-042 Study, and/or in recurrent disease. These potential products include immune checkpoints inhibitors, kinase inhibitors, and PARP inhibitors.
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Myelofibrosis
The current standard of care for patients with MF who are not candidates for allogeneic HSCT, which is currently the only treatment for MF that can provide a clinical cure, is to treat the patients with JAKi’s, the only currently approved drug therapy for treatment for MF to reduce spleen volume and improve symptoms. There are only four JAKi’s currently approved, including ruxolitinib, fedratinib, pacritinib and momelotinib.
In addition, there are a number of product candidates in late-stage development, some of which could receive approval earlier than selinexor (e.g., pelabresib and navitoclax). Ongoing clinical trials, such as those involving imetelstat, bomedemstat, navtemadlin, siremadlin, and zilurgisertib are studying the treatment of MF either with JAKi therapy, non-JAKi therapy or a combination of JAKi and drug treatment.
MDS
If approved for the treatment of HMA refractory, intermediate or high-risk MDS, eltanexor will compete with the following currently marketed HMAs or HMA combinations: azacytidine, decitabine, decitabine/cedazuridine and ivosidenib, an IDH1 inhibitor. In addition, there are a number of product candidates that plan to file for approval in the next few years in combination with an HMA, primarily azacytidine, in frontline MDS; evorpacept (ALX18), an anti-CD47 fusion protein; lemzoparlimab, another anti-CD47 mAb; venetoclax, a BCL2 inhibitor; tamibarotene, a RARA agonist; as well as sabatolimab, an anti-TIM-mAb.
DLBCL
The initial therapy for DLBCL typically consists of multi-agent cytotoxic drugs in combination with the mAb rituximab (or a rituximab biosimilar). In patients with DLBCL who are not elderly and who have good organ function, high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplantation is often used at first relapse. Over the past five years, a number of therapeutic interventions have been approved in the U.S., Europe and other parts of the world for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL who have received at least two prior therapies and/or are not eligible for ASCT/HSCT. In addition, certain currently approved therapeutic interventions are also being evaluated in late-stage development in earlier lines of therapy for the treatment of patients with DLBCL, such as CD19-directed CAR-T therapies (e.g., axicabtagene ciloleucel), CD79b-directed antibody-drug conjugates (e.g., polatuzumab vedotin-piiq) and CD19-directed cytolytic antibody (e.g., tafasitamab-cxix and loncastuximab ), and anti-CD20/CD3 bispecifics (e.g., glofitamab, and epcoritamab, odronextomab).
Other agents are listed in the NCCN Guidelines and/or the European Society for Medical Oncology guidelines for use after one to two prior therapies, although they have not been formally approved by the FDA for treatment of DLBCL, including: lenalidomide, ibrutinib, and generic multiagent chemotherapy, including gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and bendamustine.
In addition, a number of anti-cancer agents are in mid to late-stage development for the treatment of patients with DLBCL, including bispecific antibodies (e.g., mosunetuzumab), antibody drug conjugates (e.g., brentuximab vedotin), small molecules (e.g., enzastaurin, acalabrutinib, and zanubrutinib) and monoclonal antibodies (e.g., zilovertamab).
Sales and Marketing
Following the July 2019 U.S. commercial launch of XPOVIO in multiple myeloma and subsequent FDA approvals in 2020 in both earlier stage multiple myeloma and DLBCL, our commercial team has focused its efforts on educating health care providers on the efficacy and safety profile of XPOVIO with the goal of enabling cancer patients access to this important treatment. We are commercializing XPOVIO in the U.S. with our own focused, customer-facing teams, including sales specialists, reimbursement and access support specialists, and nurse liaisons, each typically with years of experience in hematology/oncology. We have approximately 60 field-based employees in the U.S. who call on academic and community-based healthcare professionals who treat multiple myeloma and DLBCL, as well as our reimbursement team. We believe that the current size of our sales force is appropriate at this time to effectively reach our target audience in the specialty markets in which we currently operate. Continued growth of our current marketed products and the launch of any future products may require further expansion of our field force and support organization within and outside of the U.S. For the foreseeable future, we intend to develop and commercialize XPOVIO and our product candidates alone in the U.S. and expect to rely on partners to develop and commercialize our products in territories outside of the U.S. In executing our strategy, our goal is to retain oversight over the global development and commercialization of our products by playing an active role in their commercialization or finding partners who share our vision, values, and culture.
Our sales force is supported by an experienced sales leadership team and professionals in marketing, reimbursement and market access, market research and analytics, commercial operations, finance and human resources. Our sales and marketing organization uses a variety of pharmaceutical marketing strategies to promote XPOVIO, including sales calls, peer-to-peer education, non-personal
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promotional, and digital content. We employ third-party vendors, such as advertising agencies, market research firms and suppliers of marketing and other sales support-related services, to assist with our commercial activities.
Our patient support program, KaryForward®, is dedicated to providing assistance and resources to our patients with multiple myeloma and DLBCL and their caregivers throughout their XPOVIO treatment. KaryForward® offers support in navigating insurance coverage issues and processes and enabling continuation of our patients’ ability to access XPOVIO in the case of delays or interruptions in the insurance process. We also offer a copay card, which offers eligible commercial patients who have insurance to receive their prescription for as little as $5.00 per prescription. Further, the KaryForward® program assists eligible patients who do not have insurance or lack coverage to be able to access XPOVIO treatment through our Patient Assistance Program. Under our KaryForward® program, patients are assigned a dedicated nurse case manager, who serves as a point of contact to help patients and their caregivers navigate the treatment process, including by explaining prescription instructions, providing psychosocial support and additional nonclinical education regarding XPOVIO, highlighting expectations when taking XPOVIO and providing referrals for additional third-party support, such as transportation assistance.
Manufacturing
We do not own or operate, and have no plans to establish, any manufacturing facilities for our products or product candidates. We currently rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third-party contract manufacturers to manufacture our products and product candidates for our commercial and clinical use.
The clinical and commercial supplies of the drug product for XPOVIO are currently manufactured pursuant to a combination of long-term supply agreements and as-needed purchase order agreements with our third-party manufacturers.
Selinexor is a small molecule drug and is manufactured in reliable and reproducible synthetic processes from readily available starting materials. The chemistry and formulation processes of selinexor have been developed to meet our large-scale manufacturing needs and do not require unusual equipment in the manufacturing process. We generally maintain sufficient inventory levels throughout our supply chain to exceed our two-year forecasts for XPOVIO in order to minimize the risks of supply disruption.
To support the commercialization and development of our products and product candidates, we have developed a fully integrated manufacturing support system, including scientific oversight, quality assurance, quality control, regulatory affairs and inventory control policies and procedures. These support systems are intended to enable us to maintain high standards of quality for our products. We intend to continue to outsource the manufacture and distribution of our products for the foreseeable future, and we believe this manufacturing strategy will enable us to direct more of our financial resources to the commercialization and development of our products and product candidates.
Government Regulation
Government authorities in the U.S., at the federal, state and local level, and in other countries and jurisdictions, including the EU, extensively regulate, among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacture, quality control, approval, packaging, storage, recordkeeping, labeling, advertising, promotion, distribution, marketing, post-approval monitoring and reporting, and import and export of pharmaceutical products. The processes for obtaining regulatory approvals in the U.S. and in foreign countries and jurisdictions, along with subsequent compliance with applicable statutes and regulations and other regulatory authorities, require the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources. The regulatory requirements applicable to drug product development, approval and marketing are subject to change, and regulations and administrative guidance often are revised or reinterpreted by the agencies in ways that may have a significant impact on our business.
Review and Approval of Drugs in the U.S.
In the U.S., the FDA regulates drug products under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FDCA”) and implementing regulations. The failure to comply with applicable requirements under the FDCA and other applicable laws at any time during the product development process, approval process or after approval may subject a sponsor to a variety of administrative or judicial sanctions, including refusal by the FDA to approve pending applications, withdrawal of an approval, imposition of a clinical hold, issuance of warning letters and other types of letters, product recalls, product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution, injunctions, fines, refusals of government contracts, restitution, disgorgement of profits, or civil or criminal investigations and penalties brought by the FDA and the Department of Justice or other governmental entities.
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The FDA must approve our product candidates for therapeutic indications before they may be marketed in the U.S. A sponsor seeking approval to market and distribute a new drug in the U.S. generally must satisfactorily complete each of the following steps before the product candidate will be approved by the FDA:
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completion of preclinical laboratory tests, animal studies and formulation studies in compliance with the FDA’s good laboratory practice (“GLP”) regulations, as applicable;
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design of a clinical protocol and submission to the FDA of an IND, which must take effect before human clinical trials may begin;
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approval by an independent institutional review board (“IRB”) representing each clinical site before each clinical trial may be initiated;
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performance of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials in accordance with good clinical practices (“GCP”) to establish the safety and effectiveness of the proposed drug product for each indication;
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preparation and submission to the FDA of a marketing application;
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review of the product by an FDA advisory committee, where appropriate or if applicable;
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satisfactory completion of one or more FDA inspections of the manufacturing facility or facilities at which the product, or components thereof, are produced to assess compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (“cGMP”) requirements and to assure that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the product’s identity, strength, quality and purity;
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satisfactory completion of FDA audits of clinical trial sites to assure compliance with GCPs and the integrity of the clinical data;
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payment of user fees and securing FDA approval of the New Drug Application (“NDA”); and
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compliance with any post-approval requirements, including Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (“REMS”) and post-approval studies required by the FDA.
Preclinical Studies
Preclinical studies include laboratory evaluation of the purity and stability of the manufactured drug substance or active pharmaceutical ingredient and the formulated drug or drug product, as well as in vitro and animal studies to assess the safety and activity of the drug for initial testing in humans and to establish a rationale for therapeutic use. These studies are typically referred to as IND-enabling studies. The conduct of the preclinical tests and formulation of the compounds for testing must comply with federal regulations and requirements, including GLP regulations and standards and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Welfare Act, if applicable. The results of the preclinical tests, together with manufacturing information, analytical data, any available clinical data or literature and plans for clinical trials, among other things, are submitted to the FDA as part of an IND and are typically referred to as IND-enabling studies.
Some long-term preclinical testing, such as animal tests of reproductive AEs and carcinogenicity, may continue after the IND is submitted and may be required to be included in a marketing application. With passage of the FDA’s Modernization Act 2.0 in December 2022, Congress eliminated provisions in both the FDCA and the Public Health Service Act (“PHSA”) that required animal testing in support of an NDA or a biologics license application (“BLA”). While animal testing may still be conducted, the FDA was authorized to rely on alternative non-clinical tests, including cell-based assays, microphysiological systems, or bioprinted or computer models.
In addition, sponsors usually must also develop additional information about the chemistry and physical characteristics of the investigational product and finalize a process for manufacturing the product in commercial quantities in accordance with cGMP requirements. The manufacturing process must be capable of consistently producing quality batches of the candidate product and, among other things, the manufacturer must develop methods for testing the identity, strength, quality and purity of the final product. Additionally, appropriate packaging must be selected and tested, and stability studies must be conducted to demonstrate that the candidate product does not undergo unacceptable deterioration over its shelf life.
The IND and IRB Processes
An IND is an exemption from the FDCA that allows an unapproved product candidate to be shipped in interstate commerce for use in an investigational clinical trial and a request for FDA authorization to administer such investigational product to humans. An IND must be secured prior to interstate shipment and administration of any product candidate that is not the subject of an approved
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NDA or BLA. In support of a request for an IND, a sponsor must submit a protocol for each clinical trial and any subsequent protocol amendments must be submitted to the FDA as part of the IND. Beyond reviewing an IND to assure the safety and rights of patients, the FDA’s review also focuses on the quality of the investigation and whether it will be adequate to permit an evaluation of the drug’s effectiveness and safety and of the biological product’s safety, purity and potency. An IND automatically becomes effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA, unless before that time the FDA raises concerns or questions related to one or more proposed clinical trials and places the trial on a clinical hold. In such a case, the IND sponsor and the FDA must resolve any outstanding concerns before the clinical trial may proceed. As a result, submission of an IND may not result in the FDA allowing clinical trials to commence.
Following commencement of a clinical trial under an IND, the FDA may also place a clinical hold or partial clinical hold on that trial. A clinical hold is an order issued by the FDA to the sponsor to delay a proposed clinical investigation or to suspend an ongoing investigation. A partial clinical hold is a delay or suspension of only part of the clinical work requested under the IND. For example, a partial clinical hold might state that a specific protocol or part of a protocol may not proceed, while other parts of a protocol or other protocols may do so. No more than 30 days after the imposition of a clinical hold or partial clinical hold, the FDA will provide the sponsor with a written explanation of the basis for the hold. Following the issuance of a clinical hold or partial clinical hold, a clinical investigation may only resume once the FDA has notified the sponsor that the investigation may proceed. The FDA will base that determination on information provided by the sponsor correcting the deficiencies previously cited or otherwise satisfying the FDA that the investigation can proceed or recommence. Occasionally, clinical holds are imposed due to manufacturing issues that may present safety issues for the clinical study subjects.
Once an IND application takes effect, the sponsor of the IND may amend the application as needed to ensure that the clinical investigations are conducted according to protocols included in the IND. The FDA has indicated that sponsors are expected to submit amendments for new protocols or changes to existing protocols before implementation of the respective changes. New studies may begin, however, when the sponsor has submitted the change to the FDA for its review and the new protocol or changes to the existing protocol have been approved by the IRB with the responsibility for review and approval of the studies. In addition to the foregoing IND requirements, an IRB representing each institution participating in the clinical trial must review and approve the plan for any clinical trial before it commences at that institution, and the IRB must conduct a continuing review and reapprove the study at least annually. The IRB must review and approve, among other things, the study protocol and informed consent information to be provided to study subjects. An IRB must operate in compliance with FDA regulations. An IRB can suspend or terminate approval of a clinical trial at its institution, or an institution it represents, if the clinical trial is not being conducted in accordance with the IRB’s requirements or if the product candidate has been associated with unexpected serious harm to patients.
Additionally, some trials are overseen by a Data and Safety Monitoring Board, an independent group of qualified experts organized by the trial sponsor. This group provides authorization for whether or not a trial may move forward at designated check points based on access that only the group maintains to available data from the study. Suspension or termination of development during any phase of clinical trials can occur if it is determined that the participants or patients are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk. Other reasons for suspension or termination may be made by us based on evolving business objectives and/or competitive climate.
Clinical Studies Outside the U.S. in Support of FDA Approval
In connection with our clinical development program, we may have trial sites outside the U.S. When a foreign clinical study is conducted under an IND, all IND requirements must be met unless waived. When a foreign clinical study is not conducted under an IND, the sponsor must ensure that the study complies with certain regulatory requirements of the FDA in order to use the study as support for an IND or application for marketing approval. Specifically, the studies must be conducted in accordance with GCP, including undergoing review and receiving approval by an independent ethics committee and seeking and receiving informed consent from subjects. GCP requirements encompass both ethical and data integrity standards for clinical studies. The FDA’s regulations are intended to help ensure the protection of human subjects enrolled in non-IND foreign clinical studies, as well as the quality and integrity of the resulting data. They further help ensure that non-IND foreign studies are conducted in a manner comparable to that required for IND studies.
The acceptance by the FDA of study data from clinical trials conducted outside the U.S. in support of U.S. approval may be subject to certain conditions or may not be accepted at all. In cases where data from foreign clinical trials are intended to serve as the sole basis for marketing approval in the U.S., the FDA will generally not approve the application on the basis of foreign data alone unless (i) the data are applicable to the U.S. population and U.S. medical practice; (ii) the trials were performed by clinical investigators of recognized competence and pursuant to GCP regulations; and (iii) the data may be considered valid without the need for an on-site inspection by the FDA, or if the FDA considers such inspection to be necessary, the FDA is able to validate the data through an on-site inspection or other appropriate means.
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In addition, even where the foreign study data are not intended to serve as the sole basis for approval, the FDA will not accept the data as support for an application for marketing approval unless the study is well-designed and well-conducted in accordance with GCP requirements and the FDA is able to validate the data from the study through an onsite inspection if deemed necessary. Many foreign regulatory authorities have similar approval requirements. In addition, such foreign trials are subject to the applicable local laws of the foreign jurisdictions where the trials are conducted.
Reporting Clinical Trial Results
Under the PHSA, sponsors of clinical trials of certain FDA-regulated products, including prescription drugs and biologics, are required to register and disclose certain clinical trial information on a public registry (clinicaltrials.gov) maintained by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (the “NIH”). In particular, information related to the product, patient population, phase of investigation, study sites and investigators and other aspects of the clinical trial is made public as part of the registration of the clinical trial. Although sponsors are also obligated to disclose the results of their clinical trials after completion, disclosure of the results can be delayed in some cases for up to two years after the date of completion of the trial. The NIH’s Final Rule on registration and reporting requirements for clinical trials became effective in 2017.
The PHSA grants the Secretary of Health and Human Services the authority to issue a notice of noncompliance to a responsible party for failure to submit clinical trial information as required. The responsible party, however, is allowed 30 days to correct the noncompliance and submit the required information. With the issuance of pre-notices for voluntary corrective action and several notices of non-compliance during the past two years, the FDA has signaled the government’s willingness to begin enforcing these requirements against non-compliant clinical trial sponsors. While these notices of non-compliance did not result in civil monetary penalties, the failure to submit clinical trial information to clinicaltrials.gov is a prohibited act under the FDCA with violations subject to potential civil monetary penalties of up to $10,000 for each day the violation continues. Violations may also result in injunctions and/or criminal prosecution or disqualification from federal grants.
Expanded Access to an Investigational Drug for Treatment Use
Expanded access, sometimes called “compassionate use,” is the use of IND products outside of clinical trials to treat patients with serious or immediately life-threatening diseases or conditions when there are no comparable or satisfactory alternative treatment options. The rules and regulations related to expanded access are intended to improve access to investigational drugs for patients who may benefit from investigational therapies. FDA regulations allow access to investigational drugs under an IND by the company or the treating physician for treatment purposes on a case-by-case basis for: individual patients (single-patient IND applications for treatment in emergency settings and non-emergency settings); intermediate-size patient populations; and larger populations for use of the drug under a treatment protocol or treatment IND Application.
There is no obligation for a sponsor to make its investigational products available for expanded access; however, as required by amendments to the FDCA included in the 21st Century Cures Act (the “Cures Act”), passed in 2016, if a sponsor has a policy regarding how it responds to expanded access requests with respect to product candidates in development to treat serious diseases or conditions, it must make that policy publicly available. Sponsors are required to make such policies publicly available upon the earlier of initiation of a Phase 2 or Phase 3 study for a covered investigational product; or 15 days after the investigational product receives designation from the FDA as a breakthrough therapy, fast track product, or regenerative medicine advanced therapy.
In addition, in May 2018, the Right to Try Act was signed into law. The law, among other things, provides a federal framework for certain patients to access certain IND products that have completed a Phase I clinical trial and that are undergoing investigation for FDA approval. Under certain circumstances, eligible patients can seek treatment without enrolling in clinical trials and without obtaining FDA permission under the FDA expanded access program. There is no obligation for a drug manufacturer to make its drug products available to eligible patients as a result of the Right to Try Act, but the manufacturer must develop an internal policy and respond to patient requests according to that policy.
Human Clinical Trials in Support of an NDA
Clinical trials involve the administration of the investigational product to human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators in accordance with GCP requirements, which include, among other things, the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent in writing before their participation in any clinical trial. Clinical trials are conducted under written study protocols detailing, among other things, the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the objectives of the study, the parameters to be used in monitoring safety and the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated. Each protocol, and any subsequent material amendment to the protocol, must be submitted to the FDA as part of the IND, and progress reports detailing the status of the clinical trials must be submitted to the FDA annually.
Human clinical trials are typically conducted in four sequential phases, which may overlap or be combined:
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Phase 1: The drug is initially introduced into a small number of healthy human subjects or patients with the target disease (e.g., cancer) or condition and tested for safety, dosage tolerance, absorption, metabolism, distribution, excretion and, if possible, to gain an early indication of its effectiveness and to determine optimal dosage.
Phase 2: The drug is administered to a limited patient population to identify possible adverse effects and safety risks, to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy of the product for specific targeted diseases and to determine dosage tolerance and optimal dosage.
Phase 3: The drug is administered to an expanded patient population, generally at geographically dispersed clinical trial sites, in well-controlled clinical trials to generate enough data to statistically evaluate the efficacy and safety of the product for approval, to establish the overall risk-benefit profile of the product, and to provide adequate information for the labeling of the product. These clinical trials are commonly referred to as “pivotal” studies, which denotes a study that presents the data that the FDA or other relevant regulatory agency will use to determine whether or not to approve a drug.
Phase 4: Post-approval studies may be conducted after initial marketing approval. These studies are used to gain additional experience from the treatment of patients in the intended therapeutic indication.
A clinical trial may combine the elements of more than one phase and the FDA often requires more than one Phase 3 trial to support marketing approval of a product candidate. A company’s designation of a clinical trial as being of a particular phase is not necessarily indicative that the study will be sufficient to satisfy the FDA requirements of that phase because this determination cannot be made until the protocol and data have been submitted to and reviewed by the FDA. Moreover, as noted above, a pivotal trial is a clinical trial that is believed to satisfy FDA requirements for the evaluation of a product candidate’s safety and effectiveness such that it can be used, alone or with other pivotal or non-pivotal trials, to support regulatory approval. Generally, pivotal trials are Phase 3 trials, but they may be Phase 2 trials if they are adequate and well-controlled studies to establish the evidence needed for regulatory approval.
In March 2022, the FDA released final guidance entitled “Expansion Cohorts: Use in First-In-Human Clinical Trials to Expedite Development of Oncology Drugs and Biologics,” which outlines how developers can utilize an adaptive trial design commonly referred to as a seamless trial design in early stages of oncology biological product development (e.g., the first-in-human clinical trial) to compress the traditional three phases of trials into one continuous trial called an expansion cohort trial. Information to support the design of individual expansion cohorts are included in IND applications and assessed by the FDA. Expansion cohort trials can potentially bring efficiency to biological product development and reduce developmental costs and time.
In December 2022, with the passage of the Food and Drug Omnibus Reform Act (“FDORA”), Congress required sponsors to develop and submit a diversity action plan for each Phase 3 clinical trial or any other “pivotal study” of a new drug or biological product. These plans are meant to encourage the enrollment of more diverse patient populations in late-stage clinical trials of FDA-regulated products. Specifically, actions plans must include the sponsor’s goals for enrollment, the underlying rationale for those goals, and an explanation of how the sponsor intends to meet them. In addition to these requirements, the legislation directs the FDA to issue new guidance on diversity action plans.
In June 2023, the FDA issued draft guidance with updated recommendations for GCPs aimed at modernizing the design and conduct of clinical trials. The updates are intended to help pave the way for more efficient clinical trials to facilitate the development of medical products. The draft guidance is adopted from the International Council for Harmonisation’s recently updated E6(R3) draft guideline that was developed to enable the incorporation of rapidly developing technological and methodological innovations into the clinical trial enterprise. In addition, the FDA issued draft guidance outlining recommendations for the implementation of decentralized clinical trials.
Interactions with FDA During the Clinical Development Program
Following the clearance of an IND and the commencement of clinical trials, the sponsor will continue to have interactions with the FDA. An annual report on the progress of the study must be submitted to the FDA and more frequently if serious AEs occur. In addition, IND safety reports must be submitted to the FDA for any of the following: serious and unexpected suspected adverse reactions; findings from other studies or animal or in vitro testing that suggest a significant risk in humans exposed to the product; and any clinically important increase in the occurrence of a serious suspected adverse reaction over that listed in the protocol or investigator brochure. Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials may not be completed successfully within any specified period, or at all. The FDA will typically inspect one or more clinical sites to assure compliance with GCP and the integrity of the clinical data
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submitted.
In addition, sponsors are given opportunities to meet with the FDA at certain points in the clinical development program. Specifically, sponsors may meet with the FDA prior to the submission of an IND (Pre-IND meeting), at the end of Phase 1 clinical trial (EOP1 meeting), at the end of Phase 2 clinical trial (EOP2 meeting) and before an NDA or BLA is submitted (Pre-NDA or Pre-BLA meeting). Meetings at other times may also be requested. There are five types of meetings that occur between sponsors and the FDA. Type A meetings are those that are necessary for an otherwise stalled product development program to proceed or to address an important safety issue. Type B meetings include pre-IND and pre-NDA/pre-BLA meetings, as well as end of phase meetings such as EOP2 meetings. A Type C meeting is any meeting other than a Type A or Type B meeting regarding the development and review of a product, including, for example, meetings to facilitate early consultations on the use of a biomarker as a new surrogate endpoint that has never been previously used as the primary basis for product approval in the proposed context of use. A Type D meeting is focused on a narrow set of issues and does not require input from more than three disciplines or divisions. Finally, INTERACT meetings are intended for novel products and development programs that present unique challenges in the early development of an investigational product.
These meetings provide an opportunity for the sponsor to share information about the data gathered to date with the FDA and for the FDA to provide advice on the next phase of development. For example, at an EOP2, a sponsor may discuss its Phase 2 clinical results and present its plans for the pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial(s) that it believes will support the approval of the new product. Such meetings may be conducted in person, via teleconference/videoconference or written response only with minutes reflecting the questions that the sponsor posed to the FDA and the agency’s responses. The FDA has indicated that its responses, as conveyed in meeting minutes and advice letters, only constitute mere recommendations and/or advice made to a sponsor and, as such, sponsors are not bound by such recommendations and/or advice. Nonetheless, from a practical perspective, a sponsor’s failure to follow the FDA’s recommendations for design of a clinical program may put the program at significant risk of failure. In September 2023, the FDA issued draft guidance outlining the terms of such meetings in more detail.
FDA approval of companion diagnostics
In August 2014, the FDA issued final guidance clarifying the requirements that apply to the approval of therapeutic products and in vitro companion diagnostics. According to the guidance, for novel drugs, a companion diagnostic device and its corresponding therapeutic should be approved or cleared contemporaneously by the FDA for the use indicated in the therapeutic product’s labeling. Approval or clearance of the companion diagnostic device will ensure that the device has been adequately evaluated and has adequate performance characteristics in the intended population. In July 2016, the FDA issued a draft guidance intended to assist sponsors of the drug therapeutic and in vitro companion diagnostic device on issues related to co-development of the products.
The 2014 guidance also explains that a companion diagnostic device used to make treatment decisions in clinical trials of a biologic product candidate generally will be considered an investigational device, unless it is employed for an intended use for which the device is already approved or cleared. If used to make critical treatment decisions, such as patient selection, the diagnostic device generally will be considered a significant risk device under the FDA’s Investigational Device Exemption (“IDE”) regulations. Thus, the sponsor of the diagnostic device will be required to comply with the IDE regulations. According to the guidance, if a diagnostic device and a product are to be studied together to support their respective approvals, both products can be studied in the same investigational study, if the study meets both the requirements of the IDE regulations and the IND regulations. The guidance provides that depending on the details of the study plan and subjects, a sponsor may seek to submit an IND alone, or both an IND and an IDE.
In April 2020, the FDA issued additional guidance that describes considerations for the development and labeling of companion diagnostic devices to support the indicated uses of multiple drug or biological oncology products, when appropriate. This guidance builds upon existing policy regarding the labeling of companion diagnostics. In its 2014 guidance, the FDA stated that if evidence is sufficient to conclude that the companion diagnostic is appropriate for use with a specific group of therapeutic products, the companion diagnostic’s intended use or indications for use should name the specific group of therapeutic products, rather than specific products. The 2020 guidance expands on the policy statement in the 2014 guidance by recommending that companion diagnostic developers consider a number of factors when determining whether their test could be developed, or the labeling for approved companion diagnostics could be revised through a supplement, to support a broader labeling claim such as use with a specific group of oncology therapeutic products (rather than listing an individual therapeutic product(s)).
Under the FDCA, in vitro diagnostics, including companion diagnostics, are regulated as medical devices. In the U.S., the FDCA and its implementing regulations, and other federal and state statutes and regulations govern, among other things, medical device design and development, preclinical and clinical testing, premarket clearance or approval, registration and listing, manufacturing, labeling, storage, advertising and promotion, sales and distribution, export and import and post-market surveillance. Unless an exemption applies, diagnostic tests require pre-notification marketing clearance or approval from the FDA prior to commercial distribution.
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The FDA previously has required in vitro companion diagnostics intended to select the patients who will respond to the product candidate to obtain pre-market approval (“PMA”) simultaneously with approval of the therapeutic product candidate. The PMA process, including the gathering of clinical and preclinical data and the submission to and review by the FDA, can take several years or longer. It involves a rigorous premarket review during which the sponsor must prepare and provide the FDA with reasonable assurance of the device’s safety and effectiveness and information about the device and its components regarding, among other things, device design, manufacturing and labeling. PMA applications are subject to an application fee. For federal fiscal year 2024, the standard fee is $483,560 and the small business fee is $120,890.
After a device is placed on the market, it remains subject to significant regulatory requirements. Medical devices may be marketed only for the uses and indications for which they are cleared or approved. Device manufacturers must also establish registration and device listings with the FDA. A medical device manufacturer’s manufacturing processes and those of its suppliers are required to comply with the applicable portions of the Quality System Regulation, which covers the methods and documentation of the design, testing, production, processes, controls, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, and shipping of medical devices. Domestic facility records and manufacturing processes are subject to periodic unscheduled inspections by the FDA. The FDA also may inspect foreign facilities that export products to the U.S.
Manufacturing and Other Regulatory Requirements
Concurrently with clinical trials, sponsors usually complete additional animal safety studies, develop additional information about the chemistry and physical characteristics of the product candidate and finalize a process for manufacturing commercial quantities of the product candidate in accordance with cGMP requirements. Specifically, the FDA’s regulations require that pharmaceutical products be manufactured in specific approved facilities and in accordance with cGMPs. The cGMP regulations include requirements relating to organization of personnel, buildings and facilities, equipment, control of components and product containers and closures, production and process controls, packaging and labeling controls, holding and distribution, laboratory controls, records and reports and returned or salvaged products. Manufacturers and other entities involved in the manufacture and distribution of approved pharmaceuticals are required to register their establishments with the FDA and some state agencies, and they are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA for compliance with cGMPs and other requirements.
Inspections must follow a “risk-based schedule” that may result in certain establishments being inspected more frequently. Manufacturers may also have to provide, on request, electronic or physical records regarding their establishments. Delaying, denying, limiting, or refusing inspection by the FDA may lead to a product being deemed to be adulterated. Changes to the manufacturing process, specifications or container closure system for an approved product are strictly regulated and often require prior FDA approval before being implemented. The FDA’s regulations also require, among other things, the investigation and correction of any deviations from cGMP and the imposition of reporting and documentation requirements upon the sponsor and any third-party manufacturers involved in producing the approved product. The PREVENT Pandemics Act, which was enacted in December 2022, clarifies that foreign drug manufacturing establishments are subject to registration and listing requirements even if a drug undergoes further manufacture, preparation, propagation, compounding, or processing at a separate establishment outside the U.S. prior to being imported or offered for import into the U.S.
Pediatric Studies
Under the Pediatric Research Equity Act (the “PREA”) applications and certain types of supplements to applications must contain data that are adequate to assess the safety and effectiveness of the product for the claimed indications in all relevant pediatric subpopulations, and to support dosing and administration for each pediatric subpopulation for which the product is safe and effective. The sponsor must submit an initial Pediatric Study Plan (“PSP”) within 60 days of an end-of-phase 2 meeting or as may be agreed between the sponsor and the FDA. Those plans must contain an outline of the proposed pediatric study or studies the sponsor plans to conduct, including study objectives and design, age groups, relevant endpoints and statistical approach, or a justification for not including such detailed information, and any request for a deferral of pediatric assessments or a full or partial waiver of the requirement to provide data from pediatric studies along with supporting information. The sponsor and the FDA must reach agreement on a final plan. A sponsor can submit amendments to an agreed-upon initial PSP at any time if changes to the pediatric plan need to be considered based on data collected from nonclinical studies, early phase clinical trials, and/or other clinical development programs. The statute also directs the FDA, in consultation with the National Cancer Institute, members of the internal committee established under section 505C of the FDCA and the Pediatric Subcommittee of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee, to establish, publish, and regularly update a list of molecular targets considered, on the basis of data the FDA determines to be adequate, to be substantially relevant to the growth or progression of a pediatric cancer, and that may trigger PREA requirements.
The FDA may, on its own initiative or at the request of the sponsor, grant deferrals for submission of some or all pediatric data until after approval of the product for use in adults, or full or partial waivers from the pediatric data requirements. A deferral may be granted for several reasons, including a finding that the product or therapeutic candidate is ready for approval for use in adults before
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pediatric trials are complete or that additional safety or effectiveness data needs to be collected before the pediatric trials begin. The FDA is required to send a PREA Non-Compliance letter to sponsors who have failed to submit their pediatric assessments required under the PREA, have failed to seek or obtain a deferral or deferral extension or have failed to request approval for a required pediatric formulation.
Unless otherwise required by regulation, the pediatric data requirements do not apply to products with orphan designation intended for a non-cancer indication, although the FDA has recently taken steps to limit what it considers abuse of this statutory exemption in PREA by announcing that it does not intend to grant any additional Orphan Drug Designations for rare pediatric subpopulations of what is otherwise a common disease. Further, Section 505B of the FDCA, as amended by FDARA, requires that any original NDA or BLA submitted on or after August 18, 2020, for a new active ingredient, must contain reports on the molecularly targeted pediatric cancer investigation, unless the requirement is waived or deferred, if the drug that is the subject of the application is: (i) intended for the treatment of an adult cancer, and (ii) directed at a molecular target that the Secretary of HHS determines to be substantially relevant to the growth or progression of a pediatric cancer in accordance with FDA guidance. The FDA maintains a list of diseases that are exempt from PREA requirements due to low prevalence of disease in the pediatric population.
Fast Track, Breakthrough Therapy, Priority Review and Regenerative Advanced Therapy Designations
The FDA is authorized to designate certain products for expedited development and review if they are intended to address an unmet medical need in the treatment of a serious or life-threatening disease or condition. These programs are referred to as Fast Track designation, Breakthrough Therapy designation, Priority Review designation and Regenerative Advanced Therapy designation. None of these expedited programs change the standards for approval but they may help expedite the development or approval process of product candidates.
Specifically, the FDA may grant a product Fast Track designation if it is intended, whether alone or in combination with one or more other products, for the treatment of a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, and it demonstrates the potential to address unmet medical needs for such a disease or condition. For fast track products, sponsors may have greater interactions with the FDA and the FDA may initiate review of sections of a fast track product’s application before the application is complete. This rolling review may be available if the FDA determines, after preliminary evaluation of clinical data submitted by the sponsor, that a fast track product may be effective. The sponsor must also provide, and the FDA must approve, a schedule for the submission of the remaining information and the sponsor must pay applicable user fees. However, the FDA’s time period goal for reviewing a fast track application does not begin until the last section of the application is submitted. In addition, the Fast Track designation may be withdrawn by the FDA if the FDA believes that the designation is no longer supported by data emerging in the clinical trial process.
Second, a product may be designated as a breakthrough therapy if it is intended, either alone or in combination with one or more other products, to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the product may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development. The FDA may take certain actions with respect to breakthrough therapies, including holding meetings with the sponsor throughout the development process; providing timely advice to the product sponsor regarding development and approval; involving more senior staff in the review process; assigning a cross-disciplinary project lead for the review team; and taking other steps to design the clinical trials in an efficient manner.
Third, the FDA may designate a product for priority review if it is a product that treats a serious condition and, if approved, would provide a significant improvement in safety or effectiveness. The FDA determines, on a case-by-case basis, whether the proposed product represents a significant improvement when compared with other available therapies. Significant improvement may be illustrated by evidence of increased effectiveness in the treatment of a condition, elimination or substantial reduction of a treatment-limiting product reaction, documented enhancement of patient compliance that may lead to improvement in serious outcomes, and evidence of safety and effectiveness in a new subpopulation. A priority designation is intended to direct overall attention and resources to the evaluation of such applications, and to shorten the FDA’s goal for taking action on a marketing application from ten months to six months.
Finally, with passage of the Cures Act in December 2016, Congress authorized the FDA to accelerate review and approval of products designated as regenerative advanced therapies. A product is eligible for this designation if it is a regenerative medicine therapy (as defined in the Cures Act) that is intended to treat, modify, reverse or cure a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug has the potential to address unmet medical needs for such disease or condition. The benefits of a regenerative advanced therapy designation include early interactions with FDA to expedite development and review, benefits available to breakthrough therapies, potential eligibility for priority review and accelerated approval based on surrogate or intermediate endpoints.
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Accelerated Approval Pathway
The FDA may grant accelerated approval to a drug for a serious or life-threatening condition that provides meaningful therapeutic advantage to patients over existing treatments based upon a determination that the drug has an effect on a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit. The FDA may also grant accelerated approval for such a condition when the product has an effect on an intermediate clinical endpoint that can be measured earlier than an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality (“IMM”) and that is reasonably likely to predict an effect on IMM or other clinical benefit, taking into account the severity, rarity or prevalence of the condition and the availability or lack of alternative treatments. Drugs granted accelerated approval must meet the same statutory standards for safety and effectiveness as those granted traditional approval.
For the purposes of accelerated approval, a surrogate endpoint is a marker, such as a laboratory measurement, radiographic image, physical sign or other measure that is thought to predict clinical benefit, but is not itself a measure of clinical benefit. Surrogate endpoints can often be measured more easily or more rapidly than clinical endpoints. An intermediate clinical endpoint is a measurement of a therapeutic effect that is considered reasonably likely to predict the clinical benefit of a drug, such as an effect on IMM. The FDA has limited experience with accelerated approvals based on intermediate clinical endpoints, but has indicated that such endpoints generally may support accelerated approval where the therapeutic effect measured by the endpoint is not itself a clinical benefit and basis for traditional approval, if there is a basis for concluding that the therapeutic effect is reasonably likely to predict the ultimate clinical benefit of a drug.
The accelerated approval pathway is most often used in settings in which the course of a disease is long and an extended period of time is required to measure the intended clinical benefit of a drug, even if the effect on the surrogate or intermediate clinical endpoint occurs rapidly. Thus, accelerated approval has been used extensively in the development and approval of drugs for treatment of a variety of cancers in which the goal of therapy is generally to improve survival or decrease morbidity and the duration of the typical disease course requires lengthy and sometimes large trials to demonstrate a clinical or survival benefit.
The accelerated approval pathway is usually contingent on a sponsor’s agreement to conduct, in a diligent manner, an additional post-approval confirmatory study(ies) to verify and describe the drug’s clinical benefit or, in certain cases where the clinical endpoint takes longer to mature, the completion of the study. As a result, a drug candidate approved on this basis is subject to rigorous post-marketing compliance requirements, including the completion of Phase 4 or post-approval clinical trials to confirm the effect on the clinical endpoint. Failure to conduct required post-approval studies, or confirm a clinical benefit during post-marketing studies, would allow the FDA to withdraw the drug from the market on an expedited basis. All promotional materials for drug candidates approved under accelerated regulations are subject to prior review by the FDA.
With passage of the FDORA, in December 2022, Congress modified certain provisions governing accelerated approval of drug and biologic products. Specifically, the new legislation authorized FDA to: require a sponsor to have its confirmatory clinical trial underway before accelerated approval is awarded, require a sponsor of a product granted accelerated approval to submit progress reports on its post-approval studies to FDA every six months (until the study is completed), and use expedited procedures to withdraw accelerated approval of an NDA or BLA after the confirmatory trial fails to verify the product’s clinical benefit. Further, the FDORA requires the agency to publish on its website “the rationale for why a post-approval study is not appropriate or necessary” whenever it decides not to require such a study upon granting accelerated approval.
In March 2023, the FDA issued draft guidance that outlines its current thinking and approach to accelerated approval. The agency indicated that the accelerated approval pathway is commonly used for approval of oncology drugs due to the serious and life-threatening nature of cancer. Although single-arm trials have been commonly used to support accelerated approval, a randomized controlled trial is the preferred approach as it provides a more robust efficacy and safety assessment and allows for direct comparisons to an available therapy. To that end, the FDA outlined considerations for designing, conducting, and analyzing data for trials intended to support accelerated approvals of oncology therapeutics. While this guidance is currently only in draft form and will ultimately not be legally binding even when finalized, sponsors typically observe the FDA’s guidance closely to ensure that their investigational products qualify for accelerated approval.
Acceptance and Review of NDAs
Assuming successful completion of the required clinical testing, the results of the preclinical studies and clinical trials, along with information relating to the product’s chemistry, manufacturing, controls, safety updates, patent information, abuse information and proposed labeling, are submitted to the FDA as part of an application requesting approval to market the product candidate for one or more indications. Data may come from company-sponsored clinical trials intended to test the safety and effectiveness of a product’s use or from a number of alternative sources, including studies initiated by investigators. To support marketing approval, the data submitted must be sufficient in quality and quantity to establish the safety and effectiveness of a drug product.
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The fee required for the submission and review of an application under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (the “PDUFA”), is substantial (for example, for federal fiscal year 2024 this application fee is $4,048,695) and the sponsor of an approved application is also subject to an annual program fee, currently set at $416,734 per eligible prescription product. These fees are typically adjusted annually, and exemptions and waivers may be available under certain circumstances, such as where a waiver is necessary to protect the public health, where the fee would present a significant barrier to innovation, or where the sponsor is a small business submitting its first human therapeutic application for review. The standard review time for an initial NDA or BLA is 12 months and it is ten months for a supplemental application.