Travere Therapeutics, Inc., (Nasdaq: TVTX) today announced a
voluntary pause of enrollment in the Phase 3 HARMONY Study
evaluating pegtibatinase for the treatment of classical
homocystinuria (HCU). The voluntary enrollment pause enables the
Company to work to address necessary process improvements in
manufacturing scale-up to support commercial scale manufacturing as
well as full enrollment in the HARMONY Study. Patients currently
enrolled in pegtibatinase studies continue to receive study
medication from small scale batches which are unaffected by the
scale-up process. Currently enrolled patients will be able to
continue on study medication as scheduled for the duration of the
trials they are participating in.
The voluntary enrollment pause was enacted
following the Company’s determination that the desired drug
substance profile was not achieved in the recent scale-up process.
The Company is in the process of notifying all study investigators
of the decision to pause enrollment of new patients into the study
until additional material is available.
“We believe the potential for pegtibatinase to
become the first disease-modifying therapy for classical HCU
remains unchanged. Our internal team and external manufacturing
partners have extensive biologics expertise, and we are confident
that we will be able to make the necessary manufacturing process
improvements to continue with this pivotal program. We remain
committed to supporting the patients currently enrolled in our
clinical trials while working with our manufacturing partners to
optimize our commercial-scale manufacturing process,” said Bill
Rote, Ph.D., senior vice president of research and development at
Travere Therapeutics.
The Company expects to further evaluate the
necessary commercial process improvements to enable the
continuation of the Phase 3 program and anticipates the earliest
date to restart enrollment in the Phase 3 HARMONY Study will be in
2026. Previously planned investments related to clinical enrollment
in HARMONY and large-scale production are expected to be delayed
beyond 2025. Together with the expected decline in costs associated
with the development of sparsentan as the Phase 3 programs advance
towards completion, the Company now estimates that research and
development expenses may be reduced by more than $30 million in
2025 compared to 2024. The Company continues to anticipate that its
cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $325.4 million
as of June 30, 2024 can support its operations into 2028.
Conference call information
Travere Therapeutics will host a conference call
and webcast today, Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. ET to
discuss the voluntary pause in enrollment. To participate in the
conference call, dial +1 (323) 994-2093 (U.S.) or +1 (888) 394-8218
(International), confirmation code 5880214. The webcast can be
accessed on the Investor page of Travere’s website at
ir.travere.com/events-presentations. Following the live webcast, an
archived version of the call will be available for 30 days on the
Company’s website.
About Classical
Homocystinuria
Classical homocystinuria (HCU) is a rare genetic
metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency in the enzyme
cystathionine beta synthase (CBS). CBS is a pivotal
enzyme that is essential for the management of methionine and
cysteine in the body. Classical HCU leads to toxic levels of
homocysteine that can result in life-threatening thrombotic events
such as stroke, pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis,
ophthalmologic and skeletal complications, as well as developmental
delay. Current treatment options are limited to protein-restricted
diet and use of vitamin B6 and betaine.
About Pegtibatinase
Pegtibatinase is an investigational PEGylated,
recombinant enzyme replacement therapy designed to address the
underlying cause of classical HCU. In preclinical studies,
pegtibatinase has demonstrated an ability to reduce total
homocysteine levels and improve clinical parameters.
In December 2023 the Company initiated the pivotal Phase 3
HARMONY Study to support the potential approval of pegtibatinase
for the treatment of classical HCU. The HARMONY Study is a global,
randomized, multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3
clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of
pegtibatinase as a novel treatment to reduce total homocysteine
(tHcy) levels. In May 2023 the Company announced that
data from four patients treated with the highest dose of
pegtibatinase in the Phase 1/2 COMPOSE Study showed a clinically
meaningful 67.1% mean relative reduction in total homocysteine from
baseline and was generally well-tolerated after 12 weeks of
treatment. To date, the pegtibatinase program has been granted
Breakthrough Therapy designation, Rare Pediatric Disease and Fast
Track designations by the FDA, as well as Orphan Drug designation
in the U.S. and Europe.
About Travere Therapeutics
At Travere Therapeutics, we are in rare for
life. We are a biopharmaceutical company that comes together every
day to help patients, families and caregivers of all backgrounds as
they navigate life with a rare disease. On this path, we know the
need for treatment options is urgent – that is why our global team
works with the rare disease community to identify, develop and
deliver life-changing therapies. In pursuit of this mission, we
continuously seek to understand the diverse perspectives of rare
patients and to courageously forge new paths to make a difference
in their lives and provide hope – today and tomorrow. For more
information, visit travere.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking
statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Without limiting the foregoing,
these statements are often identified by the words “on-track,”
“positioned,” “look forward to,” “will,” “would,” “may,” “might,”
“believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,”
“potential,” or similar expressions. In addition, expressions of
strategies, intentions or plans are also forward-looking
statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, references to: the potential for pegtibatinase to
become the first disease-modifying therapy for classical HCU;
statements and expectations regarding future process improvements
in manufacturing scale-up to support commercial scale manufacturing
as well as full enrollment in the HARMONY Study, and related timing
expectations; statements regarding ongoing clinical trials,
including statements regarding medication for patients currently
enrolled in such trials; and statements and expectations related to
future research and development expenses and the expected timing
thereof, including with respect to investments related to clinical
enrollment in HARMONY and large scale production, and the expected
decline in costs associated with the development of sparsentan as
the Phase 3 programs advance towards completion; and expectations
regarding cash runway. Such forward-looking statements are based on
current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties,
including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them,
and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially
from current expectations. No forward-looking statement can be
guaranteed. Among the factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking
statements are risks and uncertainties associated with
manufacturing processes and improvements, and risks related to the
regulatory review and approval process, as well as risks and
uncertainties associated with the Company’s business and finances
in general, the success of its commercial products and risks and
uncertainties associated with its preclinical and clinical stage
pipeline. Specifically, the Company faces risks associated with the
challenges of manufacturing scale-up, the ongoing commercial launch
of FILSPARI, market acceptance of its commercial products including
efficacy, safety, price, reimbursement, and benefit over competing
therapies, as well as risks associated with the successful
development and execution of commercial strategies for such
products. The risks and uncertainties the Company faces with
respect to its preclinical and clinical stage pipeline include risk
that the Company’s clinical candidates will not be found to be safe
or effective and that current or anticipated future clinical trials
will not proceed as planned. The Company also faces the risk that
its cash runway might not last as long as currently anticipated and
the risk that it will be unable to raise additional funding that
may be required to complete development of any or all of its
product candidates, including as a result of macroeconomic
conditions; risks relating to the Company’s dependence on
contractors for clinical drug supply and commercial manufacturing;
uncertainties relating to patent protection and exclusivity periods
and intellectual property rights of third parties; risks associated
with regulatory interactions; and risks and uncertainties relating
to competitive products, including current and potential future
generic competition with certain of the Company’s products, and
technological changes that may limit demand for the Company’s
products. The Company also faces additional risks associated with
global and macroeconomic conditions, including health epidemics and
pandemics, including risks related to potential disruptions to
clinical trials, commercialization activity, supply chain, and
manufacturing operations. You are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements as there are important
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those in forward-looking statements, many of which are beyond our
control. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update
any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new
information, future events, or otherwise. Investors are referred to
the full discussion of risks and uncertainties, including under the
heading “Risk Factors”, as included in the Company’s most recent
Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
Contact Info
Media:888-969-7879 mediarelations@travere.com |
Investors:888-969-7879 IR@travere.com |
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