NPM-119 is being studied to address medication
non-adherence and potentially improve tolerability issues
associated with oral and injectable type 2 diabetes medications, by
providing long-term therapeutic delivery of exenatide for six
months
Study will represent first clinical application
of NanoPortal™, the company’s proprietary, implant platform
technology
Vivani Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: VANI) (“Vivani” or the “Company”),
an innovative, biopharmaceutical company developing novel,
long-term drug implants, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration has cleared the Investigational New Drug Application
(“IND”) and lifted the clinical hold on NPM-119 to allow initiation
of LIBERATE-1™, a Phase 1 clinical trial to assess the safety,
tolerability and pharmacokinetics of NPM-119 (exenatide), the
Company’s miniature, six-month GLP-1 implant in development for the
treatment of type 2 diabetes.
“Today marks a significant milestone for Vivani as we transition
to a clinical-stage company with a promising drug candidate that
has the potential to address medication non-adherence, which
affects approximately 50% of patients with type 2 diabetes.
LIBERATE-1 represents our first-in-human study of NPM-119 in type 2
diabetes patients, as well as the first clinical application of our
innovative NanoPortal™ implant technology in humans,” said Adam
Mendelsohn, Ph.D., Vivani President and Chief Executive Officer.
“This seminal work will characterize how NPM-119’s promising
preclinical pharmacokinetic profile translates to humans versus the
marketed once-weekly exenatide active comparator, Bydureon
BCise®.”
Dr. Mendelsohn added: “The results of the study will also apply
to our lead program, NPM-115, which is under development for
chronic weight management and demonstrated weight loss comparable
to injections of semaglutide, the active ingredient in blockbuster
products Ozempic® and Wegovy®, in preclinical studies earlier this
year. Subject to regulatory approval, we believe that NPM-115’s
six-month dosage form will make it an attractive and highly
differentiated option within the extraordinarily large and rapidly
growing obesity market. We are focused on final study preparations
and anticipate initiating LIBERATE-1 during the second half of the
year.”
LIBERATE-1 is a randomized, 12-week investigation of the safety,
tolerability, and full pharmacokinetic profile of NPM-119 in
patients with type 2 diabetes. LIBERATE-1 will enroll patients who
have previously received GLP-1 therapy, which will be discontinued
prior to receiving either NPM-119 or the active comparator.
Vivani continues advancing its emerging pipeline of innovative,
highly differentiated drug implants leveraging its proprietary
NanoPortal™ subdermal implant technology, designed to guarantee
medication adherence and improve patient outcomes in the treatment
of chronic diseases such as chronic weight management and type 2
diabetes.
In addition to NPM-119 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes,
Vivani is advancing the development of NPM-115 (high-dose exenatide
implant) and NPM-139 (semaglutide implant), both promising
treatments under development for chronic weight management. NPM-139
has the added potential for a once-yearly treatment duration.
About Vivani Medical, Inc.
Leveraging its proprietary NanoPortal platform, Vivani develops
biopharmaceutical implants designed to deliver drug molecules
steadily over extended periods of time with the goal of
guaranteeing adherence, and potentially to improve tolerance to
their medication. Vivani’s lead programs, NPM-115 and NPM-119, are
miniature, six-month, GLP-1 implants in development for the
treatment of type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management in obese
or overweight patients, respectively. Both NPM-115 and NPM-119 are
exenatide based products with a higher-dose associated with NPM-115
for the treatment of chronic weight management in obese or
overweight patients. These NanoPortal implants are designed to
provide patients with the opportunity to realize the full potential
benefit of their medication by avoiding the challenges associated
with the daily or weekly administration of orals and injectables.
Medication non-adherence occurs when patients do not take their
medication as prescribed. This affects an alarming number of
patients, approximately 50%, including those taking daily pills.
Medication non-adherence, which contributes to more than $500
billion in annual avoidable healthcare costs and 125,000
potentially preventable deaths annually in the U.S. alone, is a
primary and daunting reason obese or overweight patients, and
patients taking type 2 diabetes or other chronic disease treatments
face significant challenges in achieving positive real-world
effectiveness.
Vivani’s wholly owned subsidiary Cortigent is developing
targeted neurostimulation systems intended to help patients recover
critical body functions. Investigational devices include Orion®,
designed to provide artificial vision to people who are profoundly
blind, and a new system intended to accelerate the recovery of arm
and hand function in patients who are partially paralyzed due to
stroke. The company has developed, manufactured, and marketed an
implantable visual prosthetic device, Argus II®, that delivered
meaningful visual perception to blind individuals. Vivani continues
to assess strategic options for advancing Cortigent’s pioneering
technology.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements”
within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the US
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
statements can be identified by words such as: “target,” “believe,”
“expect,” “will,” “may,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “would,”
“positioned,” “future,” and other similar expressions that in this
press release, including statements regarding our business,
products in development, including the therapeutic potential
thereof, the planned development therefor, the initiation of the
LIBERATE-1 trial and reporting of trial results, our emerging
development plans for NPM-115, NPM-139, or our plans with respect
to Cortigent and its proposed initial public offering, technology,
strategy, cash position and financial runway. Forward-looking
statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future
performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs,
expectations, and assumptions. Because forward-looking statements
relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties,
risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict
and many of which are outside of our control. Actual results and
outcomes may differ materially from those indicated in the
forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any
of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could
cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those
indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others,
risks related to the development and commercialization of our
products, including NPM-115 and NPM-119; delays and changes in the
development of our products, including as a result of applicable
laws, regulations and guidelines, potential delays in submitting
and receiving regulatory clearance or approval to conduct our
development activities, including our ability to commence clinical
development of NPM-119; risks related to the initiation, enrollment
and conduct of our planned clinical trials and the results
therefrom; our history of losses and our ability to access
additional capital or otherwise fund our business; market
conditions and the ability of Cortigent to complete its initial
public offering. There may be additional risks that the Company
considers immaterial, or which are unknown. A further list and
description of risks and uncertainties can be found in the
Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC
filed on March 26, 2024, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q. Any forward-looking statement made by us in
this press release is based only on information currently available
to the Company and speaks only as of the date on which it is made.
The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any
forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be
made from time to time, whether as a result of added information,
future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240613953589/en/
Company Contact: Donald Dwyer Chief Business Officer
info@vivani.com (415) 506-8462
Investor Relations Contact: Brigid A. Makes Chief Financial
Officer investors@vivani.com (415) 506-8462
Media Contact: Sean Leous ICR Westwicke Sean.Leous@westwicke.com
(646) 866-4012
Vivani Medical (NASDAQ:VANI)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jan 2025 to Feb 2025
Vivani Medical (NASDAQ:VANI)
Historical Stock Chart
From Feb 2024 to Feb 2025