Redhill Biopharma Ltd (NASDAQ:RDHL), a specialty biopharmaceutical company primarily focused on late clinical-stage development and commercialization of proprietary, orally-administered, small molecule drugs for gastrointestinal and inflammatory diseases and cancer, today announced positive top-line results from the Phase III GUARD study with BEKINDA®(RHB-102) 24 mg for acute gastroenteritis and gastritis.
The study successfully met its primary endpoint of efficacy in treatment of acute gastroenteritis. BEKINDA® was found to be safe and well tolerated in this indication.
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III GUARD study evaluated the efficacy and safety of BEKINDA® 24 mg in treating acute gastroenteritis and gastritis. 321 adults and children over the age of 12 were enrolled at 21 clinical sites in the U.S. and randomized in a 60:40 ratio to receive either BEKINDA® 24 mg or placebo, respectively. The primary endpoint of the study was the proportion of patients without further vomiting, without rescue medication, and who were not given intravenous hydration from 30 minutes post first dose of the study drug until 24 hours post dose, compared to placebo.
Robert A. Silverman, MD, MS, Emergency Medicine specialist at Northwell Health and Lead Investigator of the BEKINDA® Phase III GUARD study, said: “The positive results of the Phase III GUARD study demonstrate that BEKINDA® 24 mg is beneficial in the treatment of acute gastroenteritis and gastritis and can provide patients with 24 hours of relief. Gastroenteritis is a very common illness in the U.S., with approximately 179 million cases annually. If approved by FDA, BEKINDA® may become the new standard of care helping us treat patients quickly and effectively in both the emergency and outpatient settings.”
Terry F. Plasse, MD, RedHill’s Medical Director, added: “We are excited about the positive outcome of the Phase III GUARD study, which met its efficacy primary endpoint and demonstrated the safety and tolerability of BEKINDA® 24 mg. Notably, when looking at results by initial severity of nausea, we see a treatment effect even in patients with very severe nausea at baseline, suggesting that the drug works regardless of the initial severity of gastroenteritis. We continue to analyze the data, with the final clinical study report expected in the third quarter of 2017. We look forward to presenting the data to the FDA and discussing the potential path for marketing approval of BEKINDA® 24 mg in the U.S. and whether additional clinical studies are required prior to NDA filing. We are also expecting top-line Phase II results from the clinical study of BEKINDA® 12 mg in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) in September 2017. I would like to thank the patients, investigators, clinical staff and service providers who participated in the GUARD study and commend the RedHill team for achieving this important milestone.”
RedHill will host a conference call and webcast call on Wednesday June 21, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. EDT, to review the Phase III GUARD study top-line results. Please visit the Company’s website for dial-in information and webcast access: http://ir.redhillbio.com/events.cfm
About RedHill Biopharma Ltd.:
RedHill Biopharma Ltd. (NASDAQ: RDHL) (Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange: RDHL) is a specialty biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Israel, primarily focused on the development and commercialization of late clinical-stage, proprietary, orally-administered, small molecule drugs for the treatment of gastrointestinal and inflammatory diseases and cancer. RedHill promotes two gastrointestinal products in the U.S. – Donnatal®, a prescription oral adjunctive drug used in the treatment of IBS and acute enterocolitis, and EnteraGam®, a medical food intended for the dietary management, under medical supervision, of chronic diarrhea and loose stools. RedHill’s clinical-stage pipeline includes: (i) RHB-105 – an oral combination therapy for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection with successful results from a first Phase III study; (ii) RHB-104 – an oral combination therapy for the treatment of Crohn’s disease with an ongoing first Phase III study, a completed proof-of-concept Phase IIa study for multiple sclerosis and QIDP status for nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections; (iii) BEKINDA® (RHB-102) – a once-daily oral pill formulation of ondansetron with successful top-line results in a Phase III study for acute gastroenteritis and gastritis and an ongoing Phase II study for IBS-D; (iv) RHB-106 – an encapsulated bowel preparation licensed to Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.; (v) YELIVA® (ABC294640) – a Phase II-stage, orally-administered, first-in-class SK2 selective inhibitor targeting multiple oncology, inflammatory and gastrointestinal indications; (vi) MESUPRON – a Phase II-stage first-in-class, orally-administered protease inhibitor, targeting pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors and (vii) RIZAPORT® (RHB-103) – an oral thin film formulation of rizatriptan for acute migraines, with a U.S. NDA currently under discussion with the FDA and marketing authorization received in two EU member states under the European Decentralized Procedure (DCP). More information about the Company is available at: www.redhillbio.com.
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be preceded by the words “intends,” “may,” “will,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “estimates,” “aims,” “believes,” “hopes,” “potential” or similar words. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, and cannot be predicted or quantified and consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) the initiation, timing, progress and results of the Company’s research, manufacturing, preclinical studies, clinical trials, and other therapeutic candidate development efforts; (ii) the Company’s ability to advance its therapeutic candidates into clinical trials or to successfully complete its preclinical studies or clinical trials; (iii) the extent and number of additional studies that the Company may be required to conduct and the Company’s receipt of regulatory approvals for its therapeutic candidates, and the timing of other regulatory filings, approvals and feedback; (iv) the manufacturing, clinical development, commercialization, and market acceptance of the Company’s therapeutic candidates; (v) the Company’s ability to successfully market Donnatal® and EnteraGam®, (vi) the Company’s ability to establish and maintain corporate collaborations; (vii) the Company’s ability to acquire products approved for marketing in the U.S. that achieve commercial success and build its own marketing and commercialization capabilities; (viii) the interpretation of the properties and characteristics of the Company’s therapeutic candidates and of the results obtained with its therapeutic candidates in research, preclinical studies or clinical trials; (ix) the implementation of the Company’s business model, strategic plans for its business and therapeutic candidates; (x) the scope of protection the Company is able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering its therapeutic candidates and its ability to operate its business without infringing the intellectual property rights of others; (xi) parties from whom the Company licenses its intellectual property defaulting in their obligations to the Company; and (xii) estimates of the Company’s expenses, future revenues capital requirements and the Company’s needs for additional financing; (xiii) competitive companies and technologies within the Company’s industry. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on February 23, 2017. All forward-looking statements included in this Press Release are made only as of the date of this Press Release. We assume no obligation to update any written or oral forward-looking statement unless required by law.
Note: The only official form of the press release is the one published by the Company, in English. This summary and translated version is for convenience purposes only.
Company contact:
Adi Frish
Senior VP Business Development & Licensing
RedHill Biopharma
+972-54-6543-112
[email protected]
IR contact (U.S.):
Marcy Nanus
Senior Vice President
The Trout Group
+1-646-378-2927
[email protected]
