Positive, previously disclosed results from the
global Phase 1/2 trial demonstrated genetic and phenotypic
correction combined with hematologic stabilization extending out to
42 months after treatment with RP-L102
Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCKT), a fully integrated,
late-stage biotechnology company advancing a sustainable pipeline
of genetic therapies for rare disorders with high unmet need, today
announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) accepted the
Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for RP-L102, its
lentiviral (LV) vector-based investigational gene therapy for
Fanconi Anemia (FA), complementation group A, a rare genetic
disorder caused by mutations in the FANCA gene affecting DNA repair
and characterized by bone marrow failure (BMF), cancer
predisposition, and congenital malformations.
“The acceptance of the MAA for RP-L102 marks an important step
forward in our goal of bringing this potential gene therapy
treatment to patients impacted by this devastating childhood
disorder. Currently, there are no existing options to potentially
prevent BMF for patients with FA,” said Kinnari Patel, Pharm.D.,
MBA, President, Head of R&D and Chief Operating Officer, Rocket
Pharma. “We are appreciative of the patients, their families, and
researchers who helped reach this meaningful milestone and continue
participating in the clinical development program. We look forward
to partnering closely with the EMA throughout the review process to
make RP-L102 available to patients with FA who are in need of new
treatment options.”
MAA acceptance was based on positive, previously disclosed data
from the global RP-L102 Phase 1/2 clinical trial. RP-L102
demonstrated sustained genetic correction, comprehensive phenotypic
correction, and hematologic stabilization. The safety profile was
highly favorable with no significant safety signals, and the
treatment, administered without any cytotoxic conditioning, was
well tolerated. There were no signs of bone marrow dysplasia,
clonal dominance, or insertional mutagenesis related to
RP-L102.
In the absence of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant
(HSCT), the primary cause of death among patients with FA is BMF,
which typically occurs during the first decade of life. Although
allogeneic transplants can cure the hematologic component of FA,
they confer significant side effects and substantially increase the
risk of solid organ malignancies, which have become the most
frequent cause of FA-related death.
The Biologics License Application (BLA) for FA remains on track
for submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in
the first half of 2024.
About RP-L102
RP-L102 is an investigational gene therapy that contains
autologous (patient-derived) hematopoietic stem cells that have
been genetically modified with a lentiviral (LV) vector to contain
a functional copy of the FANCA gene. Rocket holds FDA Regenerative
Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT), Rare Pediatric Disease, and Fast
Track designations in the U.S., PRIME and Advanced Therapy
Medicinal Product (ATMP) designations in the EU, and Orphan Drug
designation in both regions for the program. RP-L102 was
in-licensed from the Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas,
Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Centro de Investigación
Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras and Instituto de
Investigación Sanitaria Fundación Jiménez Díaz.
About Fanconi Anemia
Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by
bone marrow failure (BMF), cancer predisposition, and congenital
malformations. In the absence of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell
transplant (HSCT), the primary cause of death among patients with
FA is BMF, which typically occurs during the first decade of life.
Allogeneic HSCT, when available, corrects the hematologic component
of FA, but requires myeloablative conditioning. Both chemotherapy
conditioning and graft-versus-host disease, a known complication of
allogeneic HSCT, are associated with an increased risk of solid
tumors, mainly squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck
region. Approximately 60-70% of patients with FA have a Fanconi
Anemia complementation group A (FANCA) gene mutation, which encodes
for a protein essential for DNA repair. Mutations in the FANCA gene
lead to chromosomal breakage and increased sensitivity to oxidative
and environmental stress. Increased sensitivity to DNA-alkylating
agents such as mitomycin-C (MMC) or diepoxybutane (DEB) is a “gold
standard” test for FA diagnosis. Somatic mosaicism occurs when
there is a spontaneous correction of the mutated gene that can lead
to stabilization or correction of a FA patient’s blood counts in
the absence of any administered therapy. Somatic mosaicism, often
referred to as “natural gene therapy” provides a strong rationale
for the development of FA gene therapy because of the selective
growth advantage of gene-corrected hematopoietic stem cells over FA
cells. There is a high unmet medical need for patients with FA.
About Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCKT) is a fully
integrated, late-stage biotechnology company advancing a
sustainable pipeline of investigational genetic therapies designed
to correct the root cause of complex and rare disorders. Rocket’s
innovative multi-platform approach allows us to design the optimal
gene therapy for each indication, creating potentially
transformative options that enable people living with devastating
rare diseases to experience long and full lives.
Rocket’s lentiviral (LV) vector-based hematology portfolio
consists of late-stage programs for Fanconi Anemia (FA), a
difficult to treat genetic disease that leads to bone marrow
failure (BMF) and potentially cancer, Leukocyte Adhesion
Deficiency-I (LAD-I), a severe pediatric genetic disorder that
causes recurrent and life-threatening infections which are
frequently fatal, and Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PKD), a monogenic
red blood cell disorder resulting in increased red cell destruction
and mild to life-threatening anemia.
Our adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-based cardiovascular
portfolio includes a late-stage program for Danon Disease, a
devastating heart failure condition resulting in thickening of the
heart, an early-stage program in clinical trials for
PKP2-arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), a life-threatening heart
failure disease causing ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac
death, and a pre-clinical program targeting BAG3-associated dilated
cardiomyopathy (DCM), a heart failure condition that causes
enlarged ventricles.
For more information about Rocket, please visit
www.rocketpharma.com and follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, and X.
Rocket Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements
concerning Rocket’s future expectations, plans and prospects that
involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if
they do not materialize or prove incorrect, could cause our results
to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. We make such forward-looking statements
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws.
All statements other than statements of historical facts contained
in this release are forward-looking statements. You should not
place reliance on these forward-looking statements, which often
include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,”
“plan,” “will give,” “estimate,” “seek,” “will,” “may,” “suggest”
or similar terms, variations of such terms or the negative of those
terms. These forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, statements concerning Rocket’s expectations regarding
the safety and effectiveness of product candidates that Rocket is
developing to treat Fanconi Anemia (FA), Leukocyte Adhesion
Deficiency-I (LAD-I), Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PKD), Danon
Disease (DD) and other diseases, the expected timing and data
readouts of Rocket’s ongoing and planned clinical trials, the
expected timing and outcome of Rocket’s regulatory interactions and
planned submissions, Rocket’s plans for the advancement of its DD
program, including its planned pivotal trial, and the safety,
effectiveness and timing of related pre-clinical studies and
clinical trials, Rocket’s ability to establish key collaborations
and vendor relationships for its product candidates, Rocket’s
ability to develop sales and marketing capabilities or enter into
agreements with third parties to sell and market its product
candidates and Rocket’s ability to expand its pipeline to target
additional indications that are compatible with its gene therapy
technologies. Although Rocket believes that the expectations
reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, Rocket
cannot guarantee such outcomes. Actual results may differ
materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements
as a result of various important factors, including, without
limitation, Rocket’s dependence on third parties for development,
manufacture, marketing, sales and distribution of product
candidates, the outcome of litigation, unexpected expenditures,
Rocket’s competitors’ activities, including decisions as to the
timing of competing product launches, pricing and discounting,
Rocket’s ability to develop, acquire and advance product candidates
into, enroll a sufficient number of patients into, and successfully
complete, clinical studies, Rocket’s ability to acquire additional
businesses, form strategic alliances or create joint ventures and
its ability to realize the benefit of such acquisitions, alliances
or joint ventures, Rocket’s ability to obtain and enforce patents
to protect its product candidates, and its ability to successfully
defend against unforeseen third-party infringement claims, as well
as those risks more fully discussed in the section entitled “Risk
Factors” in Rocket’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2023, filed February 27, 2024 with the SEC and
subsequent filings with the SEC including our Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements. All such statements speak only as
of the date made, and Rocket undertakes no obligation to update or
revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result
of new information, future events or otherwise.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240402101364/en/
Media Kevin Giordano media@rocketpharma.com
Investors Brooks Rahmer investors@rocketpharma.com
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