Spark Therapeutics Soars as Eye Drug Hits Goals in Pivotal Phase III Study
- Meets Primary and First Two Secondary Endpoints with High Statistical Significance and No Serious Adverse Events Related to SPK-RPE65
- Demonstrates Restoration of Functional Vision and Improvement in Light Sensitivity in Subjects Previously Progressing toward Complete Blindness
- First Randomized, Controlled Phase 3 Trial of a Gene Therapy for a Genetic Disease
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 05, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spark Therapeutics today announced positive top-line results from the Phase 3 pivotal trial of its lead gene therapy product candidate, SPK-RPE65, for the treatment of RPE65-mediated inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs).
The pivotal trial met its primary endpoint (p = 0.001), demonstrating improvement of functional vision in the intervention group compared to the control group, as measured by the change in bilateral mobility testing between baseline and one year.
There were no serious adverse events related to SPK-RPE65 or deleterious immune responses observed in the trial. Overall, adverse events related to the administration procedure were consistent with observations in earlier studies of SPK-RPE65.
In addition, subjects who received SPK-RPE65 outperformed control subjects across the first two secondary endpoints: full-field light sensitivity threshold testing (p < 0.001) and the mobility test change score for the first injected eye (p = 0.001). The third secondary endpoint, visual acuity, did not show statistically significant evidence of benefit (p = 0.17). All reported p-values reflect results from the intent-to-treat (ITT) population, the most stringent efficacy analysis population described in the statistical analysis plan (SAP).
"We saw substantial restoration of vision in patients who were progressing toward complete blindness," said Albert M. Maguire, MD, principal investigator in the trial and professor of ophthalmology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. "The majority of the subjects given SPK-RPE65 derived the maximum possible benefit that we could measure on the primary visual function test, and this impressive effect was confirmed by a parallel improvement in retinal sensitivity. If approved, SPK-RPE65 should have a positive, meaningful impact on the lives of patients with this debilitating condition."
Based on these results, Spark intends to file a Biologics License Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2016 as the first step in executing its global regulatory and commercialization strategy.
"These results are the culmination of more than a decade of work of many dedicated individuals to correct the underlying cause of RPE65-mediated blindness through the one-time administration of a gene therapy," said Jean Bennett, MD, PhD, professor of ophthalmology and director of the Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. "We are excited about the potential impact that the results will have on the treatment of this and other blinding conditions."
Today's results represent the first successful randomized, controlled Phase 3 trial ever completed in gene therapy for a genetic disease. It reflects more than a decade of innovation across all aspects of the program, including vector design, manufacturing and formulation, the surgical delivery procedure and clinical trial design, as well as the development and validation of a novel endpoint.
"This is an important moment for the field of gene therapy, and demonstrates Spark's ability to carefully and precisely integrate technologies and approaches across a range of disciplines to move the concept of gene therapy toward a therapeutic reality for patients," said Kathy High, MD, co-founder, president and chief scientific officer of Spark. "We wish to thank the trial participants and families as well as the investigators and all who contributed to this groundbreaking trial and successful result."
"These data further validate Spark's platform which is being applied across a growing pipeline of clinical and preclinical programs in gene therapy," said Jeffrey D. Marrazzo, co-founder and chief executive officer of Spark. "The impact of these results provides the strongest indication yet of the role that Spark is uniquely poised to play across a wide range of inherited diseases."
Trial Detail
The multicenter, pivotal Phase 3 trial randomized 31 subjects with confirmed RPE65 gene mutations. The ITT population included 21 subjects in the intervention group and 10 in the control group.
For the primary endpoint, subjects were evaluated at multiple time points over the course of one year for their performance in navigating a mobility course under a variety of light levels ranging from one lux (equivalent to a moonless summer night) to 400 lux (a brightly lit office) using the bilateral testing condition. Each attempt was recorded, and the videos were sent to independent, centralized, masked graders to assign a pass/fail score based on speed and accuracy with which the subjects navigated the course.
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