ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPRY), a biopharmaceutical
company dedicated to empowering at-risk patients and caregivers to
better protect themselves from allergic reactions that could lead
to anaphylaxis, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has approved
neffy® 1
mg (epinephrine nasal spray) for the treatment of Type I
Allergic Reactions, including anaphylaxis, in children who are aged
4 years and older and weigh 15 to < 30 kilograms (33 to < 66
lb.). This approval represents the first significant innovation in
the delivery of epinephrine for this patient population in more
than 35 years.
In the general population, approximately one in 13 children have
severe food allergies, and more than 40 percent have experienced
severe reactions.1 Despite the clear link between early epinephrine
use and better outcomes, research shows that approximately 40
percent of patients delay treatment2, and 56 percent of caregivers
fear using needle-based auto-injectors on their child3.
neffy eliminates needles, delivering a precise
epinephrine dose via a simple nasal spray, almost instantly, with
no nasal hold time required.
“Today’s FDA approval of neffy 1
mg marks a major milestone towards our efforts to
transform the management of severe allergic reactions,” says
Richard Lowenthal, Co-Founder, President, and CEO of ARS Pharma.
“Many children and caregivers fear needle-based auto-injectors,
which can delay lifesaving treatment. neffy’s
needle-free, easy-to-use design addresses this unmet need, offering
families a long-awaited alternative. With nearly four out of 10
U.S. epinephrine prescriptions written for children under the age
of 18—and nearly a third of those for children weighing 15 to 30
kilograms4 —we believe neffy 1 mg
will improve access to a needle-free option for the treatment of
severe allergies and reduce hesitation in treating this vulnerable
group. It will also eliminate risks like accidental needle injuries
to children or caregivers.”
The approval of neffy 1 mg is
based on data from extensive clinical trials, including
pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) responses in
pediatric and adult subjects that were consistent with those
of epinephrine injection products. Adverse events in pediatric
trials were generally mild and transient. Human factor studies also
show children as young as 10 can use neffy
effectively by following instructions, and that even untrained
individuals, such as babysitters or teachers, can effectively
administer neffy. The device has a shelf-life of
24 months at room temperature and tolerance to temperature
exposures up to 122°F (50°C) based on testing for up to 3 months.
If accidentally frozen, neffy can be
thawed without impact on the product quality and reliability.
“The availability of a needle-free epinephrine option for
children is a breakthrough in the treatment of severe allergic
reactions,” says Dr. David Fleischer, Section Head of Allergy &
Immunology, and Professor of Pediatrics, at Children’s Hospital
Colorado. “Many people wait to administer epinephrine until
symptoms progress or take antihistamines as a first line of defense
because they are afraid of injection. neffy’s
small, user-friendly design addresses these challenges, empowering
people to actually carry epinephrine and act quickly and
confidently during an allergic emergency. This innovation will
likely significantly improve health outcomes and enhance quality of
life.”
ARS Pharma is committed to access and affordability, and
neffy 1 mg is expected to be
available in the U.S. by the end of May 2025. The
neffyConnect program provides patients,
caregivers, and healthcare professionals with information to guide
their treatment journey, details about medication fulfillment
services, financial support and navigating insurance requirements.
Most commercially insured patients will pay no more than $25 for
two single-use neffy devices through a co-pay savings program. The
co-pay savings card can be accessed at neffy.com and downloaded to
an Apple Wallet and provided to the pharmacy. If the product isn’t
covered by insurance, the cash price of $199 for two doses is
available through BlinkRx and coupon can be downloaded from GoodRx
for use at local retail pharmacies. For certain uninsured or
underinsured U.S. residents meeting eligibility criteria and
exhausted all other options, the ARS Pharma Patient Assistance
Program (PAP) will provide neffy at no cost.
Eligible schools participating in the
neffyinSchools program can receive
neffy 1 mg upon availability. For
more information, and to register for
neffyConnect, visit www.neffy.com.
The approval of neffy 1 mg
follows FDA approval for neffy 2 mg on August 9,
2024 for children and adults weighing 30kg ( 66 lb.), and approval
for EURneffy in the EU by the
European Commission on August 22, 2024.
About neffy®
neffy is a nasal spray used for emergency
treatment of allergic reactions including anaphylaxis, in adults
and children aged 4 years and older who weigh 33 lbs. or
greater.
INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
FOR neffy (epinephrine nasal spray)
INDICATION
neffy is indicated for emergency treatment of
type I allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in adult and
pediatric patients aged 4 years and older who weigh 33 lbs. or
greater.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
neffy contains epinephrine, a medicine
used to treat allergic emergencies (anaphylaxis). Anaphylaxis can
be life-threatening, can happen in minutes, and can be caused by
stinging and biting insects, allergy injections, foods, medicines,
exercise, or other unknown causes.
Always carry two neffy nasal sprays
with you because you may not know when anaphylaxis may happen and
because you may need a second dose
of neffy if symptoms continue or come
back. Each neffy contains a single dose of
epinephrine. neffy is for use in the nose
only.
Use neffy right away, as soon as you
notice symptoms of an allergic reaction. If symptoms continue or
get worse after the first dose of neffy, a
second dose is needed. If needed, administer a second dose using a
new neffy in the same
nostril starting 5 minutes after the first dose. Get emergency
medical help for further treatment of the allergic emergency
(anaphylaxis), if needed after
using neffy.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have underlying structural
or anatomical nasal conditions, about all the medicines you take,
and about all your medical conditions, especially if you have heart
problems, kidney problems, low potassium in your blood, Parkinson's
disease, thyroid problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, are
pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or plan to breastfeed.
Tell your healthcare provider if you take or use other nasal
sprays or water pills (diuretics) or if you take medicines to treat
depression, abnormal heart beats, Parkinson's disease, heart
disease, thyroid disease, medicines used in labor, and medicines to
treat allergies. neffy and other
medications may affect each other, causing side
effects. neffy may affect the way other
medicines work, and other medicines may affect
how neffy works.
neffy may cause serious side effects. If
you have certain medical conditions or take certain medicines, your
condition may get worse, or you may have more or longer lasting
side effects when you use neffy.
Common side effects of neffy include:
nasal discomfort, headache, throat irritation, chest and nasal
congestion, feeling overly excited, nervous or anxious, nose bleed,
nose pain, sneezing, runny nose, dry nose or throat, tingling
sensation, including in the nose, feeling tired, dizziness, nausea,
and vomiting.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that
bother you or that do not go away after
using neffy.
These are not all of the possible side effects
of neffy. Call your healthcare provider for
medical advice about side effects. To report side effects, contact
ARS Pharmaceuticals Operations, Inc. at 1-877-MY-NEFFY
(877-696-3339) or the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088
or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Please see the full Prescribing
Information and Patient
Information for neffy.
About Type I Allergic Reactions Including
Anaphylaxis
Type I allergic reactions are serious and potentially
life-threatening events that can occur within minutes of exposure
to an allergen and require immediate treatment with epinephrine,
the only FDA-approved medication for these reactions. While
epinephrine auto-injectors have been shown to be highly effective,
there are well published limitations that result in many patients
and caregivers delaying or not administering treatment in an
emergency situation. These limitations include fear of the needle,
lack of portability, needle-related safety concerns, lack of
reliability, and complexity of the devices. There are approximately
40 million people in the United States who experience Type I
Allergic reactions. Of this group, over the last three years,
approximately 20 million people have been diagnosed and treated for
severe Type I allergic reactions that may lead to anaphylaxis, but
(in 2023, for example) only 3.2 million filled their active
epinephrine auto-injector prescription, and of those, only half
consistently carry their prescribed auto-injector. Even if patients
or caregivers carry an auto-injector, more than half either delay
or do not administer the device when needed in an emergency.
About ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
ARS Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to
empowering at-risk patients and their caregivers to better protect
patients from allergic reactions that could lead to anaphylaxis.
The Company is
commercializing neffy®
(trade
name EURneffy® in
the EU) (previously referred to as ARS-1), an epinephrine nasal
spray indicated in the U.S. for emergency treatment of Type I
allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, adult and pediatric
patients 4 years of age and older who weigh 15 kg or greater, and
in the EU for emergency treatment of allergic reactions
(anaphylaxis) due to insect stings or bites, foods, medicinal
products, and other allergens as well as idiopathic or exercise
induced anaphylaxis in adults and children who weigh 30 kg or
greater. For more information, visit www.ars-pharma.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not purely historical
in nature are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
statements include, but are not limited to: the expectation
that neffy will save lives; the
effectiveness of neffy;
neffyConnect’s ability to help patients and HCPs
access financial support and medication fulfillment services; ARS
Pharmaceuticals’ commercial coverage goals and the timing thereof;
the expected timing for product availability of
neffy 1 mg;
neffy’s ability to improved health outcomes and
quality of life; neffy’s shelf life and its
effectiveness after being subject to extreme temperatures; and
other statements that are not historical fact. Because such
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results
may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Words such as “anticipate,” “expects,”
“if,” “may,” “potential,” “on track to,” “plans,” “will,” “would,”
and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon ARS
Pharmaceuticals’ current expectations and involve assumptions that
may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results
and the timing of events could differ materially from those
anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of
various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation:
potential safety and other complications from
neffy; the ability to maintain regulatory approval
for neffy in its currently approved indications
the scope, progress and expansion of developing and
commercializing neffy; the potential for
governments and payors to delay, limit or deny coverage
for neffy; the size and growth of the market
therefor and the rate and degree of market acceptance thereof
vis-à-vis intramuscular injectable products; ARS
Pharmaceuticals’ ability to protect its intellectual property
position; and the impact of government laws and regulations.
Additional risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes
and results to differ materially from those contemplated by the
forward-looking statements are included under the caption “Risk
Factors” in ARS Pharmaceuticals’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
the quarter ended September 30, 2024, filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)
on November 13, 2024. These documents can also be accessed on
ARS Pharmaceuticals’ website at www.ars-pharma.com by
clicking on the link “Financials & Filings” under the
“Investors & Media” tab.
The forward-looking statements included in this press release
are made only as of the date hereof. ARS Pharmaceuticals assumes no
obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking
statements, except as required by law. For more information,
visit www.ars-pharma.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and X.
ARS Investor Contact:Justin ChakmaARS
Pharmaceuticalsjustinc@ars-pharma.com
ARS Media Contact:Christy CurranSam Brown
Inc.615.414.8668christycurran@sambrown.com
References:
- Food Allergy Research &
Education. Facts and Statistics. Available at Facts and Statistics
- FoodAllergy.org. Accessed January 24, 2025.
- Rooney E, et al. Poster Presentation
at ACAAI 2022 (Louisville, KY).
- 3. Chad L, Ben-Shoshan M, Asai Y, et
al. A majority of parents of children with peanut allergy fear
using the epinephrine auto-injector. Allergy.
2013;68(12):1605-1609. https://doi.org/10.1111/all.12262.
- ARS Data on File, 2025
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