Item 1. Business
Item 1. Business.
Overview
We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, acquiring, developing and commercializing therapeutics in the disease areas of immunology, inflammation and oncology. Our goal is to be an industry
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leader in each of these therapeutic areas and to enhance and extend the lives of patients suffering from such diseases. To accomplish this goal, we have assembled a deeply experienced and highly skilled group of industry veterans, scientists, clinicians and key opinion leaders from leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, as well as leading academic centers from around the world. Our collective immunology and translational discovery and development expertise serves as the foundation of our company. We intend to maintain a scientifically rigorous and inclusive corporate culture where employees strive to bring improved therapeutic options to patients.
We are pursuing product candidates with strong scientific rationale to address indications where there is both a high unmet need and an opportunity to develop best-in-class or first-in-class therapeutics. We currently have three clinical-stage product candidates, in addition to one late-stage preclinical product candidate and five additional preclinical programs.
The following table summarizes our current programs:
Seralutinib (GB002: PDGFR, CSF1R and c-KIT Inhibitor)
Seralutinib, also known as GB002, is an inhaled, small molecule, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, or PDGFR, colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor, or CSF1R, and c-KIT inhibitor in development for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, or PAH. Seralutinib has been generally well tolerated in completed clinical trials. In contrast to the three classes of marketed vasodilatory therapies for PAH, we believe that seralutinib has the potential to reverse pathological remodeling by addressing mechanisms that underlie PAH. Inhaled seralutinib, which is designed to act on both isoforms of the PDGFR, α and β, as well as the CSF1R and c-KIT pathways, inhibited and reversed cellular overgrowth in lung blood vessels in multiple animal PAH models. In 2013, results from a Phase 3 clinical trial in PAH of imatinib (Gleevec), an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor with known activity against PDGFR and c-KIT, marketed for oncology indications, showed statistically significant improvement in its primary efficacy endpoint, however serious systemic toxicities were also observed. To date, these serious toxicities have not been observed with seralutinib in our completed short-duration Phase 1 single-ascending dose / multiple ascending dose, or SAD / MAD, studies in healthy volunteers or in our two-week Phase 1b trial in PAH patients. In the Phase 1b clinical trial in PAH patients, seralutinib demonstrated rapid systemic clearance, target engagement via whole blood CSF1R stabilization assay and was generally well tolerated. We commenced the Phase 2 TORREY trial in PAH patients in December 2020. Topline results from this trial are expected in the second half of 2022, subject to developments in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We in-licensed seralutinib from Pulmokine, Inc. in 2017 and retain worldwide rights. The United States Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, and the European Commission, or EC, have granted seralutinib orphan drug designation for the treatment of patients with PAH.
GB004 (Gut-Targeted HIF-1 α Stabilizer)
GB004 is a gut-targeted, oral small molecule being developed for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, including ulcerative colitis, or UC, and Crohn’s disease, or CD. GB004 stabilizes hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, or HIF-1α, through the inhibition of prolyl hydroxylase domains, or PHDs, key enzymes involved in HIF degradation. Preclinical data from animal models of IBD demonstrated that HIF-1α stabilization restores intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and function and results in immunomodulatory effects that we believe are important in reducing inflammation and enhancing
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mucosal healing in IBD patients. We have completed Phase 1 SAD and MAD studies in healthy volunteers and a Phase 1b trial in patients with active UC, and GB004 has been generally well tolerated. In a 28-day Phase 1b clinical trial in patients with active UC, GB004 was well-tolerated, demonstrated a gut-targeted PK profile, showed evidence of target engagement, and initial signs of potential clinical efficacy were observed. We completed enrollment for the ongoing Phase 2 SHIFT-UC trial in patients with active mild-to-moderate UC in the fourth quarter of 2021. Topline results for the week 12 primary endpoint for this trial are expected to be publicly reported in the second quarter of 2022, and topline results for the week 36 treat-through endpoint for this trial are expected to be publicly reported in the fourth quarter of 2022. We in-licensed GB004 from Aadi Bioscience, Inc., or Aadi, in 2018 and retain worldwide rights.
GB5121 (CNS-Penetrant BTK Inhibitor)
GB5121 is an oral, irreversible, covalent, small molecule inhibitor of Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase, or BTK, in clinical development for the treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma, or PCNSL. GB5121 was selected based on its central nervous system, or CNS, penetration and kinase selectivity. BTK is expressed in several immune cells including B cells and myeloid cells, where it mediates signaling downstream of multiple receptors. Inhibition of BTK results in the immediate blockade and down-regulation of several cellular activities that drive autoimmunity and inflammation. Active BTK signaling is also present in many B cell malignancies. BTK inhibitors are approved in the United States to treat oncology indications. In preclinical mouse models, GB5121 has demonstrated superior CNS penetration at studied doses when compared to selected BTK inhibitors. We believe the CNS penetration observed in these preclinical studies supports the development of GB5121 as a potential therapy for the treatment of hematologic malignancies in the CNS, including PCNSL. GB5121 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical study in healthy volunteers. We expect to initiate a global Phase 1b/2 clinical trial in PCNSL patients in the first half of 2022. GB5121 was internally developed and is wholly owned.
GB7208 (CNS-Penetrant BTK Inhibitor)
GB7208 is an oral, small molecule, BTK inhibitor in preclinical development for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, or MS. Like GB5121, GB7208 was selected based on its CNS penetration and kinase selectivity. Immune cells are believed to play an important role in the pathology of MS, and BTK inhibitors are in late-stage clinical development for the treatment of autoimmune indications, such as MS. In preclinical mouse models, GB7208 has demonstrated superior CNS penetration at studied doses, when compared to selected BTK inhibitors in development for autoimmune indications, including MS. GB7208 is currently undergoing preclinical testing, and pending the outcomes of our ongoing preclinical work, we expect to initiate a Phase 1 study in healthy volunteers in the second half of 2022. GB7208 was internally developed and is wholly owned.
Our Research Capabilities and Preclinical Programs
Including GB7208, we have six programs in preclinical development. We are continuing to build our research capabilities, specifically focusing on our areas of expertise within immunology, inflammation and oncology, in order to advance new programs into the clinic, as well as to optimize our existing programs.
Our Team
Our founders and management team have held senior positions at leading biopharmaceutical companies and possess substantial experience and expertise across the spectrum of drug discovery, development and commercialization.
Faheem Hasnain is our Co-Founder and has served as our Chief Executive Officer since November 2020 and as our Chairman since our inception. Mr. Hasnain also served as our Chief Executive Officer from our inception through July 2018 and our Executive Chairman from July 2018 through June 2019. Prior to co-founding Gossamer Bio, Mr. Hasnain served as President, CEO and as a Director of Receptos, Inc. from November 2010 to August 2015. Receptos was a public company formed in 2009 focused on developing treatments in immunology and metabolic disorders and was purchased by Celgene Corporation in August 2015. Previously, Mr. Hasnain was the President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of Facet Biotech Corporation, a biology-driven antibody company with a focus in MS and oncology. He held that position from December 2008 until the company's acquisition by Abbott Laboratories in April 2010.
Bryan Giraudo, our Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, has extensive biotechnology and medical technology finance experience, having previously served as Senior Managing Director at Leerink Partners (now known as SVB Leerink) and Managing Director at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. Richard Aranda, M.D., our Chief Medical Officer, is an experienced clinician and drug developer with previous experience at Bristol Myers Squibb Company, Novo-Nordisk, Inc., Receptos and Celegene Corporation. Laura Carter, Ph.D., our Chief Scientific Officer, has over 20 years of industry experience spanning target identification and validation activities through Phase 2 clinical trials in multiple
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therapeutic areas having previously held positions at Lycera Corporation, Medimmune, Array Biopharma and Wyeth. Christian Waage, our Executive Vice President, has meaningful management biotechnology experience, having previously held various positions at Receptos, most recently as Managing Director after its acquisition by Celgene, and served at Ardea Biosciences, Inc. as Vice President, General Counsel. Caryn Peterson, our Executive Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, has considerable experience and regulatory expertise as a Managing Director of Development & Strategic Consulting Associates, as well as management positions leading regulatory affairs at Syndax Pharmaceuticals and FeRx Incorporated.
Our Strategy
We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, acquiring, developing and commercializing therapeutics in the disease areas of immunology, inflammation and oncology. Our goal is to be an industry leader in each of these therapeutic areas and to enhance and extend the lives of patients suffering from such diseases. Critical components of our business strategy include:
• Create deep therapeutic centers of excellence by leveraging our immunology and translational discovery and development expertise. We currently have three clinical-stage product candidates, one late-stage preclinical product candidate, and an additional five preclinical-stage programs across the areas of immunology, inflammation and oncology. We will continue to build out our portfolio, focusing on these therapeutic areas, through both internal discovery and strategic transactions to create a diversified portfolio of early and late-stage product candidates.
• Maximize the impact of our product candidates by expanding development across multiple indications. We aim to focus our development efforts on product candidates that have the potential to treat multiple diseases and plan to develop them in additional indications where warranted. For example, we plan to develop GB004 in both UC and CD. We continue to evaluate potential neurological conditions for GB7208.
• Expeditiously generate proof-of-concept data from our preclinical programs to facilitate value creation and efficient capital deployment. We view our preclinical programs as important drivers of the long-term sustainability of our company. We plan to advance our preclinical programs to generate meaningful data to determine quickly whether each warrants clinical development.
• Leverage the drug discovery, development and commercialization expertise of our world-class team. Our executive management team and key scientific leaders have successfully discovered, developed and commercialized small molecule and biologic agents at both large and small biopharmaceutical companies. We plan to utilize this deep, broad set of expertise and experiences as we execute on our in-house discovery and development strategies and evaluate new external acquisition opportunities.
Our Product Candidates
Seralutinib (GB002: PDGFR, CSF1R and c-KIT Inhibitor)
Seralutinib, also known as GB002, is an inhaled, small molecule, PDGFR, CSF1R and c-KIT inhibitor in development for the treatment of PAH. As of December 31, 2021, seralutinib has been generally well tolerated in completed clinical trials. In contrast to the three classes of marketed vasodilatory therapies for PAH, we believe that seralutinib has the potential to reverse pathological remodeling by addressing mechanisms that underlie PAH. Inhaled seralutinib, which is designed to act on both isoforms of the PDGFR, α and β, as well as the CSF1R and c-KIT pathways, inhibited and reversed cellular overgrowth in lung blood vessels in animal PAH models. In 2013, results from a Phase 3 clinical trial in PAH of imatinib (Gleevec), an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor with known activity against PDGFR and c-KIT, marketed for oncology indications, showed statistically significant improvement in its primary efficacy endpoint, however serious systemic toxicities were also observed. To date, these serious toxicities have not been observed with seralutinib in our completed short-duration Phase 1 SAD / MAD studies in healthy volunteers or in our two-week Phase 1b trial in PAH patients. In the Phase 1b clinical trial in PAH patients, seralutinib demonstrated rapid systemic clearance, target engagement via whole blood CSF1R stabilization assay and was generally well tolerated. We commenced the Phase 2 TORREY trial in PAH patients in December 2020. Topline results from this trial are expected in the second half of 2022, subject to developments in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We in-licensed seralutinib from Pulmokine, Inc. in 2017 and retain worldwide rights. The FDA and the EC have granted seralutinib orphan drug designation for the treatment of patients with PAH.
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Mechanism of Action
PAH is driven by abnormal cellular proliferation within and around the small blood vessels of the lung that carry blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. Functional and structural changes in the pulmonary vasculature, known as vascular remodeling, can lead to smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration from the middle layer of the blood vessel into the inner layer. This can result in the development of plexiform and neointimal lesions that can obstruct blood flow. The obstruction of blood flow in the pulmonary vessels can also predispose patients to thrombosis, or blood clots, within these small pulmonary vessels that further blocks blood flow. This progressive obstruction of blood flow from the right side of the heart to the lungs can cause the right ventricle to fail, thus leading to severe breathlessness, reduced exercise tolerance and death. Seralutinib was designed to inhibit multiple kinases that play a role in the pathology of PAH, including PDGFRα/β, CSF1R and c-KIT.
The PDGFR is a tyrosine kinase receptor which, when activated by its agonist, induces cellular proliferation. PDGF expression is known to be particularly important to stimulating smooth muscle cell proliferation in PAH patients. PDGFRs and their ligands are both upregulated in PAH. Upregulated PDGFR signaling results in endothelial cell and fibroblast dysfunction and the proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells. This effect results in the overgrowth and occlusion of blood vessels in the lung. Kinase inhibitors with activity against the PDGFR pathway have shown the ability to reverse PAH in animal models.
Inhaled seralutinib is designed to act on both isoforms of the PDGFR, α and β. Data from preclinical animal models and human lung histology from PAH patients suggests that it is important to inhibit both of these isoforms of the PDGF receptor. PDGFRα is highly expressed in pulmonary arteriole vascular smooth muscle cells, or PAVSMCs. Inhibiting PDGFRα may help reduce the abnormal cell proliferation of PAVSMCs that results in blood vessel thickening. PDGFRβ is more highly expressed in fibroblasts and myofibroblasts that are involved with the abnormal cell proliferation within the blood vessel that leads to the obstruction of the pulmonary arterioles. We believe inhibiting PDGFRβ is therefore important in decreasing the abnormal cell proliferation of these cell types.
The c-KIT pathway was also identified as an important growth factor involved in pulmonary vascular remodeling, particularly in the cells implicated in perivascular inflammation. An analysis of lung and pulmonary arteriole samples has also shown increased gene expression of c-KIT in idiopathic PAH. C-KIT positive endothelial cells may also secrete PDGF, and perivascular c-KIT positive mast cells have been shown to secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines and tryptase that further contribute to the inflammatory process in PAH.
Mechanistic validation of a PDGFR and c-KIT kinase inhibitor has been observed in clinical trials of imatinib (Gleevec), an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor with known activity against the PDGFR and c-KIT pathways, which demonstrated proof-of-concept in humans in a Phase 3 clinical trial in PAH. In preclinical models, as compared to imatinib, seralutinib was a more potent inhibitor of the PDGFRα isoform, and seralutinib was a ten-fold more potent inhibitor of the PDGFRβ isoform and c-KIT.
Macrophages have also been identified as one of the most important inflammatory cells in the development and exacerbation of PAH. Macrophages, which express the CSF1 receptor, are now recognized to play an important role in PAH pathology. Activated CSF1R positive macrophages accumulate around pulmonary arterioles in PAH, which have been shown in vivo in PAH patients with positron emission tomography. Additionally, macrophage activity in PAH is associated with bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II, or BMPR2, levels. The decrease in BMPR2 characteristic of PAH results in induction of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, or GM-CSF, and macrophage recruitment. Notably, in the BMPR2 knock out mouse, there is significant pulmonary inflammation due to activation of tissue macrophages.
Furthermore, inflammatory macrophages secrete PDGF and stimulate pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation, accelerating the feedback loop of inflammation, hyperproliferation and fibrosis that characterize PAH.
Prior PDGF Pathway Development in PAH—The IMPRES Phase 3 Clinical Trial of Imatinib
The IMPRES trial was a Phase 3 clinical trial conducted by Novartis of imatinib (Gleevec) in patients with PAH. Imatinib has known activity against multiple tyrosine kinases, including the PDGFR, c-KIT receptors and Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog 1, or c-ABL. 202 patients were enrolled in the IMPRES trial, of which 41% were being treated with prostanoids, oral phosphodiesterase type 5, or PDE5, inhibitors and oral endothelin receptor agonists, or ERAs. The trial met its primary endpoint, improvement in 6-minute walk distance, or 6MWD, versus placebo at week 24 from baseline, with statistical significance (p = 0.002). The p-value is the probability that the difference between two data sets was
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due to chance. The smaller the p-value, the more likely the differences are not due to chance alone. In general, if the p-value is less than or equal to 0.05, the outcome is considered statistically significant.
Patients on imatinib also demonstrated statistically significant improvements in measures of hemodynamics, including pulmonary vascular resistance, or PVR, a standard measurement in the evaluation of patients with PAH. However, systemic adverse events such as bleeding and poor tolerability and frequent drug discontinuation led to a high drop-out rate within the active arm of the trial. Subdural hematomas occurred in eight patients who were also being administered oral anticoagulants during the trial. Novartis withdrew its supplemental regulatory applications in PAH in 2013 and, to our knowledge, did not pursue further development of imatinib in the indication.
Overview of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
PAH is a rare disease that is characterized by abnormally high blood pressure in the blood vessels carrying deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs and is progressive and often fatal. Symptoms include shortness of breath at rest or with minimal exertion. Other symptoms include fatigue, chest pain, dizzy spells and fainting. The progressive nature of this disease causes the right side of the heart to work much harder and eventually weaken or fail.
Patients are often evaluated by functional class, which categorizes patients by their ability to carry out physical activity and symptom severity. Worsening symptoms, and thus higher numbered functional classes, are associated with higher mortality. The four functional classes established by the World Health Organization are detailed below in Table 1.
Table 1. PAH Functional Classes
Functional
Class Description
Class I Patients with PAH, but without resulting limitation of physical activity. Ordinary physical activity does not cause undue dyspnea or fatigue, chest pain or near syncope.
Class II Patients with PAH resulting in slight limitation of physical activity. They are comfortable at rest. Ordinary physical activity causes undue dyspnea or fatigue, chest pain or near syncope.
Class III Patients with PAH resulting in marked limitation of physical activity. They are comfortable at rest. Less than ordinary activity causes undue dyspnea or fatigue, chest pain or near syncope.
Class IV Patients with PAH with inability to carry out any physical activity without symptoms. These patients manifest signs of right heart failure. Dyspnea and/or fatigue may even be present at rest. Discomfort is increased by any physical activity.
Additionally, recent medical society guidelines have identified intermediate and high-risk categories of PAH based on several variables including signs of right heart failure, rate of symptom progression, functional class, 6MWD, maximum oxygen consumption, NT-proBNP, which is a biomarker for heart failure and measures of right heart function.
Multiple PAH-specific treatments have been introduced in the past two decades, however PAH continues to have a high morbidity and mortality. Based on REVEAL registry data, newly diagnosed functional class III and IV patients have 5-year survival rates of 60% and 44%, respectively, while rates for previously diagnosed patients were even lower at 57% and 27%, respectively.
Overview of PAH Market
PAH most commonly affects women between the ages of 30 and 60. The true incidence and prevalence of PAH are unknown. The American Lung Association estimates that between 500 and 1,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the US. PAH has an estimated prevalence of 70,000 patients in the US and Europe. The number of diagnosed PAH patients continues to increase, and we believe this increase is likely due to enhanced awareness and diagnosis of the disease. Total PAH drug sales worldwide in 2020 exceeded $5 billion.
Treatment Paradigm in PAH
Currently approved PAH therapies consist of three classes of vasodilators: PDE5 inhibitors (and guanylate cyclase stimulators), ERAs, and prostanoids. PDE5 inhibitors are often used in combination with ERAs as an early treatment strategy. In patients who fail to respond to combination therapy of an ERA and a PDE5 inhibitor, it is common practice to add a prostanoid. Prostanoids are also commonly used to treat patients with evidence of right heart failure. While existing treatments
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have led to significant improvements in time to clinical worsening and other composite endpoints in PAH patients, none directly alter the underlying disease process. The effect of vasodilation, while improving blood flow through the lungs, may eventually be overtaken by the worsening cellular proliferation and arterial remodeling underlying the condition. We believe an agent with the ability to safely reverse pathological remodeling could provide utility across functional classes and risk categories.
Seralutinib Product Differentiation
Seralutinib is an inhaled kinase inhibitor designed to build on the evidence of efficacy seen in trials of imatinib while overcoming imatinib’s observed systemic safety and tolerability issues and improving on imatinib's kinase inhibitory profile. Seralutinib is designed to have a differentiated selectivity profile as compared to imatinib with increased potency against the PDGFRα isoform, ten-fold higher potency against the PDGFRβ isoform and c-KIT, and no activity against c-ABL or the tyrosine kinase, LCK. Additionally, seralutinib is multiple orders more potent against CSF1R, as compared to imatinib. We believe seralutinib has the potential to be a differentiated PAH therapeutic that may provide:
• an improved response to PDGF-driven abnormal cell proliferation in pulmonary arteries by addressing the underlying mechanism that leads to arterial wall thickening;
• a more tolerable safety profile than systemic imatinib; and
• a convenient, simple and portable inhalation methodology and delivery system.
Clinical Development History of Seralutinib
Summary of Preclinical Program
Seralutinib inhibits both PGDFR α and β, and it inhibited and reversed cell overgrowth in lung blood vessels in a rat model of PAH, as shown below in Figure 1. This rat model replicates many features of human PAH, including the abnormal cell proliferation that can block the small vessels of the lung. Seralutinib substantially reduced the occlusive lesions in the small lung blood vessels in this model. Additionally, seralutinib demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in right ventricular systolic pressure as compared to placebo.
Figure 1. Reversed Vascular Remodeling by Seralutinib Through Inhibition of PDGFR
In a separate rat model of PAH, the SU5416 hypoxia model, seralutinib demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in circulating plasma NT-proBNP compared to placebo, while the difference between imatinib and placebo was not significant for this PAH biomarker. Seralutinib also restored rat lung BMPR2 expression to healthy levels, which was a statistically significant improvement as compared to placebo and imatinib. Irregularities in BMPR2 expression have been linked to PAH.
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Summary of Completed Phase 1a Studies
We completed Phase 1a SAD and MAD double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized studies of orally inhaled seralutinib in 82 healthy adult volunteers. We assessed pharmacokinetics, or PK, parameters and safety. Seralutinib was well-tolerated, and there were no dose-limiting toxicities. No serious adverse events, or SAEs, were reported, and no reported adverse events, or AEs, led to study drug discontinuation. The most common AEs were throat irritation and cough, which were mild in severity and similar in incidence to placebo. Following single and multiple oral inhalations, seralutinib was rapidly absorbed into and cleared from the systemic circulation. Seralutinib exposure increased in a dose-proportional manner following single and multiple dose administration.
Summary of Completed Phase 1b PAH Clinical Trial
In December 2020, we announced initial topline results from the completed Phase 1b randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center trial of seralutinib in functional class II and III PAH patients. At the time of announcement, eight patients had completed the two-week blinded portion of the trial. Enrollment for this trial was temporarily paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic but was reopened in the third quarter of 2020. The primary outcome of this 2-week trial was safety and tolerability. Seralutinib was generally well tolerated in PAH patients, and all eight patients completed the 2-week study. There were no SAEs, and the most frequently reported AEs were mild-to-moderate cough and mild headache. Systemic PK was characterized by low systemic exposure and rapid drug clearance in PAH patients, which was consistent with PK data from the Phase 1a studies in healthy volunteers. Target engagement in PAH patients was demonstrated via whole blood CSF1R stabilization assay across all tested dose levels.
Upon completion of the two-week Phase 1b trial, two PAH patients were able to enroll and complete a six-month open label extension trial of seralutinib. Both patients were able to titrate up to the maximum allowed dose, 90 mg twice daily. No SAEs were reported during the extension trial. Both patients demonstrated a decrease in NT-proBNP levels from baseline, and both patients demonstrated an increase in 6-MWD from baseline.
Summary of Ongoing Phase 2 PAH Clinical Trial (TORREY Study)
In December 2020, we commenced the Phase 2 TORREY trial, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center clinical trial in PAH patients. We are enrolling approximately 80 functional class II and III PAH patients who are on background therapy, including patients on triple therapy. Patients will be randomized in a 1:1 fashion to seralutinib and placebo. Patients on the active arm will receive seralutinib at doses ranging from 45 mg twice daily to 90 mg twice daily. Patients will remain on their background PAH therapies throughout the trial. The primary endpoint of the TORREY trial is change from baseline in pulmonary vascular resistance at week 24, with a key secondary endpoint of change from baseline to week 24 in 6MWD, although the trial is not powered for statistical significance in 6MWD. We are also assessing relevant safety endpoints and exploratory endpoints, including changes in echocardiogram readings, functional class, and biomarkers, such as NT-proBNP. We have implemented COVID-19 mitigation plans related to this trial, including opening more sites, spread regionally across the globe, and incorporating countries less impacted by the pandemic. Upon completion of the 24-week TORREY trial, patients will have the option of entering a stand-alone open-label extension trial. Topline results from the TORREY trial are expected in the second half of 2022, subject to developments in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
GB004 (HIF-1 α Stabilizer)
GB004 is a novel, gut-targeted, oral small molecule being developed for the treatment of IBD including UC and CD. GB004 stabilizes HIF-1α through the inhibition of PHDs, key enzymes involved in HIF degradation. Preclinical data from animal models of IBD demonstrated that HIF-1α stabilization restores intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and function and results in immunomodulatory effects that we believe are important in reducing inflammation and enhancing mucosal healing in IBD patients. We have completed Phase 1 SAD and MAD studies in healthy volunteers and a Phase 1b trial in patients with active UC, and GB004 was generally well tolerated. In a 28-day Phase 1b clinical trial in patients with active UC, GB004 was well-tolerated, demonstrated a gut-targeted PK profile, showed evidence of target engagement, and initial signs of potential clinical efficacy were observed. We commenced the Phase 2 SHIFT-UC trial in patients with active mild-to-moderate UC in October 2020, and we announced that we had completed trial enrollment in the fourth quarter of 2021. Topline results for the week 12 primary endpoint for this trial are expected to be publicly reported in the second quarter of 2022, and topline results for the week 36 treat-through endpoint for this trial are expected to be publicly reported in the fourth quarter of 2022. We in-licensed GB004 from Aadi in 2018 and retain worldwide rights.
Mechanism of Action
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Stable expression of HIF-1α results in translocation to the nucleus and induces expression of genes known to promote epithelial integrity and mucosal barrier function. When oxygen levels within the cell and tissue are normal, HIFs are rapidly degraded by PHD enzymes. However, when oxygen levels are low, as in hypoxia in inflamed intestinal epithelium, HIF-1α accumulates in the cytoplasm and translocates to the nucleus. HIF-1α binds to constitutively expressed HIF-1β in the nucleus and drives the expression of hypoxia-induced genes, which improve oxygen delivery, regulate the glycolytic pathway, reduce cellular apoptosis, and upregulate epithelial barrier integrity. The state of chronic tissue injury in patients with IBD leads to dysregulation of HIF stability, which can lead to epithelial apoptosis, disruption of the intestinal wall barrier and inflammation.
Through inhibition of PHDs, GB004 stabilizes HIF-1α in preclinical models and in studies of healthy volunteers and patients with active UC. This stabilization results in an increase in the activation of HIF-1α mediated protective pathways. In preclinical rodent models of colitis, GB004 demonstrated statistically significant restitution of the epithelial barrier and mucosal healing as compared to placebo, with similar improvements to dexamethasone, a corticosteroid used for the treatment of moderate-to-severe IBD. Gut biopsies from patients with active UC in our Phase 1b trial showed increased expression of genes associated with HIF-1α stabilization and enhanced epithelial barrier function, such as tight junction protein 1, or TJP1, and Claudin 1, or CLDN1, and evidence of reduced gut epithelial neutrophil activity in the GB004 group compared to placebo.
Modulation of HIF stability is being evaluated in other disease contexts, including in the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease. The systemic PHD inhibitors being developed in this setting have on-target effects of increased erythropoietin, or EPO, and vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF. As this would be an undesirable effect in patients with IBD, we have designed GB004 to be gut-targeted, with multi-fold higher concentrations in the gut than in the periphery. In our Phase 1 healthy volunteer studies and in our Phase 1b trial in patients with active UC, no differences in plasma EPO or VEGF levels were observed for GB004 relative to placebo or with respect to GB004 dose.
In addition to promoting the expression of protective pathways, HIF-1α is also an important modulator of the innate and adaptive immune response. Stabilized HIF-1α increases antimicrobial peptides, factors that protect the host from infection. HIF-1α may also be critical for directly regulating immune cell function in the local inflammatory response, which may lead to the reduction of inflammation in IBD.
Overview of IBD
IBD includes UC and CD, which are characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal, or GI, tract. Global epidemiology of IBD varies greatly from region to region. Although the incidence of IBD has remained stable or fallen in western countries over the last 2 decades, it is currently on a sharp rise in developing, newly industrialized areas. Due to the chronic nature of IBD, prevalence rates continue to grow slowly across Europe and North America, and IBD is estimated to affect up to 0.5% of the population in many countries.
Ulcerative Colitis
UC is characterized by chronic mucosal inflammation and loss of epithelial barrier function, and both contribute to disruption of local immune homeostasis in the colon. UC follows a relapsing / remitting disease course. The primary cause of UC is not precisely known but may include environmental, dietary and genetic factors, or it may be related to the gut microbiome.
Typically presenting as abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea and fecal urgency / incontinence, UC is associated with a notable psychosocial burden; the symptoms of UC negatively impact patients’ physical and mental well-being and their ability to work, socialize, and maintain relationships. This impact tends to increase with disease severity, with up to 20% of patients experiencing acute, severe UC requiring hospitalization. Notably, due to chronic inflammation associated with UC, the risk of colorectal cancer is 2.4 times higher in patients with UC as compared with the general population.
Crohn’s Disease
CD is a chronic, inflammatory condition that involves the full thickness of the wall of the GI tract and is characterized by erosions, strictures and perforations of the intestine. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the stool, and weight loss. Maintaining symptomatic control and obtaining remission are critical to minimizing short-term and long-term complications and to improving the outcomes and quality of life for patients with CD. The natural course of CD is a progression from inflammation of the mucosa to stricture formation of the intestine and of mucosal penetration or fistula formation, with the risk of stricture and fistula increasing with the duration of CD.
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Overview of the IBD Market
Approximately three million Americans report being diagnosed with either UC or CD. The current biologic market is dominated by the anti-TNF antibodies Humira, marketed by AbbVie Inc., and Remicade, marketed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or Janssen, and the growing share of the anti-integrin antibody Entyvio, marketed by Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
Treatment Paradigm in IBD
Treatment of IBD consists mainly of immunosuppressive therapies. Treatment choices depend on the patient’s disease severity and responsiveness to therapy. Medications that treat mild-to-moderate IBD are generally well tolerated. However, as the severity of IBD increases, the potential toxicities of the medications required to manage the disease also increase. For example, treatment of mild-to-moderate patients typically starts with 5-aminosalicylic acid, or 5-ASA. For those IBD patients who do not respond to 5-ASAs, or those with more severe disease, corticosteroids are generally used to induce clinical remission. However, longer-term treatment with corticosteroids is associated with multiple adverse effects.
Patients with moderately to severely active IBD, who become nonresponsive or intolerant to corticosteroids, are treated with immunomodulators, biologics or a Janus kinase, or JAK, inhibitor. Immunomodulators show a delay in onset of action of one to three months and can result in neutropenia, pancreatitis, nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. For those patients with mild-to-moderate disease who do not respond to 5-ASAs, these immunomodulatory therapies and associated toxicities and risks may not be appropriate. There exists substantial unmet need for additional mild-to-moderate treatment options. The treatment of moderate-to-severe patients is dominated by anti-TNF biologics, though the paradigm is shifting because of the approval of agents in other classes, such as anti-integrins, anti-IL-12 / -23s, S1P1 receptor modulators and JAK inhibitors.
GB004 Product Differentiation
GB004 is designed to be gut-targeted with higher intestinal exposure than systemic exposure. In IBD animal models, GB004 has demonstrated greater accumulation of HIF-1α than HIF-2α which may lead to restoration of epithelial barrier function and resolution of inflammation, while avoiding the potential adverse effects of increased EPO. In the Phase 1b trial in patients with active UC, GB004 showed rapid clearance from systemic circulation, suggesting gut-targeted PK, and multi-fold higher concentrations of drug in the gut as compared to the plasma after eight hours of dosing. Additionally, in this trial, GB004 continued to demonstrate no effects on systemic EPO or VEGF.
GB004 is distinct, and may have a differentiated profile, from the immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive mechanisms of approved IBD medicines and those in late-stage development. By reducing local inflammation and potentially restoring intestinal epithelial barrier function and restitution through GB004’s gut-targeted nature and preferential stabilization of HIF-1α, we believe GB004 could improve outcomes for IBD patients. We believe this mechanism has potential as a standalone therapeutic as well as a combination therapy with other therapeutic mechanisms in IBD.
Clinical Development History of GB004
Summary of Completed Phase 1 Clinical Studies in Healthy Volunteers
GB004 was evaluated by Aadi in a first-in-human Phase 1 SAD study in healthy male volunteers. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of ascending dose levels of GB004 after single oral administrations. The secondary objective was to characterize PK. A total of 40 subjects were randomized into five cohorts with eight subjects each. All subjects completed the study. The five dose levels evaluated in this study were 20 mg, 60 mg, 120 mg, and 240 mg in 50 ml of solution and 240 mg in 100 ml of solution. GB004 was generally well tolerated. No SAEs occurred. There were no differences in systemic levels of VEGF and EPO between GB004 and placebo.
GB004 was also evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, MAD study to assess the safety, tolerability, PK and pharmacodynamic, or PD, effects in healthy male and female volunteers. A total of 42 subjects were randomized to GB004 or placebo. Evaluated dose levels of GB004 solution were 60 mg, 120 mg and 240 mg per day. All GB004 doses evaluated in this study were well tolerated. No SAEs occurred. The PK profile for GB004 was consistent with its intended preferential exposure in the gut. There were no differences in systemic levels of VEGF and EPO between GB004 and placebo. GB004 engaged the target and stabilized HIF-1α, as demonstrated by upregulated gene expression in the gut.
GB004 was also evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1a study to assess the safety, tolerability, PK and PD, effects of various doses and formulations in healthy male and female volunteers. Volunteers received daily doses of 120 mg solution or placebo, or up to 240 mg tablet, or up to 240 mg delayed-release tablet, or placebo for seven days. All formulations of GB004 were generally well tolerated, and in this study, the tolerability of 240 mg tablet was
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comparable to the 120 mg solution dose. No SAEs occurred. There were no differences in systemic levels of VEGF and EPO between GB004 and placebo. In the Phase 2 SHIFT-UC trial, Gossamer is utilizing a tablet formulation of GB004.
Summary of Completed Phase 1b Clinical Trial in UC
The Phase 1b trial was designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and PK of a 120 mg once-daily dose of GB004 in a solution formulation over a 28-day treatment period in UC patients with active disease despite treatment with 5-ASA therapy. In addition, PD and clinical activity were studied as exploratory measures. 34 patients were randomized 2:1 to receive either GB004 (n=23) or placebo (n=11). GB004 was generally well tolerated during the trial with no effects on systemic EPO or VEGF observed, relative to placebo. The most frequent AEs experienced by patients on the GB004 group were nausea and dysgeusia, all of which were mild in severity, aside from one case of moderate nausea. All patients completed the trial, except for a single patient in the GB004 group who experienced an SAE of worsening UC, which was deemed by the investigator to be unrelated to study drug.
GB004 demonstrated a gut-targeted PK profile with rapid clearance from systemic circulation and multi-fold higher concentrations of drug in the gut, as compared to the plasma after eight hours of dosing. Data from gut biopsies showed increased expression of genes associated with HIF-1α stabilization and enhanced epithelial barrier function, such as TJP1 and CLDN1, and evidence of reduced gut epithelial neutrophil activity in the GB004 group compared to placebo. While this four-week study was not powered to show differences in clinical outcomes, several encouraging trends related to treatment with GB004 were observed at day 28. Mucosal healing, defined as the achievement of both histologic remission and endoscopic improvement in the sigmoid or rectum, was observed in four of 23 patients (17.4%) in the GB004 group compared to zero of 11 patients in the placebo group. Ten of 23 patients (43.5%) in the GB004 group achieved histologic remission in either the sigmoid or rectum compared to two of 11 patients (18.2%) in the placebo group. Favorable trends were also observed in clinical response (6/20 [30.0%] vs. 2/11 [18.2%]) and improvement in the rectal bleeding sub-score (13/21 [61.9%] vs. 5/11 [45.5%]). Rectal bleeding resolution was seen in 12 of 21 (57.1%) patients receiving GB004 vs. four of 11 placebo patients (36.4%). One patient in the GB004 group achieved clinical remission; no patients in the placebo group achieved clinical remission.
Summary of Ongoing Phase 2 Clinical Trial in UC (SHIFT-UC Study)
In October 2020, we commenced the Phase 2 SHIFT-UC trial, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center clinical trial in UC patients with active mild-to-moderate UC disease, despite treatment with 5-ASA therapy. In the fourth quarter of 2021, we announced the completion of enrollment. Patients are randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of two doses of GB004 in tablet form and placebo. Patients are required to remain on stable background 5-ASA therapy throughout the trial. The 12-week primary endpoint of the SHIFT-UC study is clinical remission, with secondary endpoints including clinical response, histological remission, endoscopic improvement and mucosal healing. The trial will also evaluate these endpoints at week 36. We are also assessing relevant safety endpoints and exploratory endpoints. Patients may also enter an open-label extension upon completion of the placebo-controlled period or by meeting disease activity criteria during the placebo-controlled period at or after week 12. The co-primary endpoint of the SHIFT-UC study is percentage of participants with a treatment emergent adverse event, from the first dose of the open-label extension through week 28 of the open-label extension. Topline results for the 12-week primary endpoint for the SHIFT-UC trial are expected in the second quarter of 2022. Topline results for the 36-week treat-through endpoint are expected in the fourth quarter of 2022.
GB5121 (CNS-Penetrant BTK Inhibitor)
GB5121 is an oral, irreversible, covalent, small molecule inhibitor of BTK, in clinical development for the treatment of PCNSL. GB5121 was selected based on its CNS penetration and kinase selectivity. BTK is expressed in several immune cells including B cells and myeloid cells, where it mediates signaling downstream of multiple receptors. Inhibition of BTK results in the immediate blockade and down-regulation of several cellular activities that drive autoimmunity and inflammation. Active BTK signaling is also present in many B cell malignancies. BTK inhibitors are approved in the United States to treat oncology indications. In preclinical mouse models, GB5121 has demonstrated superior CNS penetration at studied doses when compared to selected BTK inhibitors. We believe the CNS penetration observed in these preclinical studies supports the development of GB5121 as a potential therapy for the treatment of hematologic malignancies in the CNS, including PCNSL. GB5121 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical study in healthy volunteers. We expect to initiate a global Phase 1b/2 clinical trial in PCNSL patients in the first half of 2022. GB5121 was internally developed and is wholly owned.
Mechanism of Action
BTK plays a critical and multifaceted role within the immune system. BTK is a non-receptor protein-tyrosine kinase that belongs to the TEC family of kinases. It is present in hematopoietic cells such as B cells, macrophages, neutrophils
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and mast cells. BTK is a critical mediator of B cell receptor, or BCR, signaling and the adaptive immune response. Upon stimulation of BCR, the BTK pathway results in an increased level of intracellular calcium and activation of transcription factors involved in B cell proliferation, differentiation and survival. The pathway is also key for the proliferation, migration and survival of malignant B cells, and inhibition of this pathway has been effective in treating several hematological malignancies. BTK inhibitors are approved by the FDA for the treatment of multiple B cell lymphomas.
While BTK inhibitors provide a valuable treatment option for patients with hematologic malignancies, existing treatments may be suboptimal for the treatment of CNS disease. The blood brain barrier, or BBB, is comprised of endothelial cells that serve as a highly discriminatory boundary, separating the systemic circulation and the extracellular fluid of the CNS. The BBB effectively protects the brain from circulating pathogens, but it also restricts the ability of pharmaceutical agents from crossing from the systemic circulation into the CNS, including most BTK inhibitors. GB5121 demonstrated superior CNS penetration at studied doses in preclinical mouse models, when compared to other BTK inhibitors targeting oncological conditions.
Treatment with BTK inhibitors is associated with on-target and off-target AEs, such as rash, diarrhea, infection, bleeding, cytopenias and cardiovascular AEs, including atrial fibrillation. Molecules with modest selectivity may incur increased off-target AEs through unintended interaction with off-target kinases. Later generation BTK inhibitors have focused on minimizing off-target toxicities with increased selectivity, but limited CNS penetration makes these molecules potentially suboptimal for the treatment of CNS disease. In pre-clinical assays, GB5121 has been observed to be highly selective for BTK, and we believe that higher selectivity has the potential to limit the adverse events associated with modestly selective BTK inhibitors.
Overview of Primary CNS Lymphoma
PCNSL is a rare, aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that originates from the brain, eyes and cerebrospinal fluid without evidence of systemic involvement. Standard lymphoma therapies are inadequate due to poor penetration of the BBB. First-line PCNSL treatment typically includes polychemotherapy on backbone high-dose methotrexate, followed by consolidative whole brain radiotherapy. Despite this treatment option, durable remission is achieved in only 50% of patients. Treatment is associated with significant neurotoxicity, and for those patients who cannot tolerate methotrexate or for those whose cancer progresses, there is no FDA approved treatment.
In human trials, ibrutinib, a non-selective BTK inhibitor with limited ability to cross the BBB, has demonstrated efficacy at high doses in recurrent or refractory PCSNL patients. We believe the high dose necessary to reach therapeutic levels in the CNS, as well as an affinity for other kinases, including EGFR, JAK3 and HER2, are likely responsible for some of the toxicities associated with ibrutinib therapy. We believe that the high specificity for BTK and high CNS penetration observed in preclinical models could potentially allow GB5121 to achieve the clinical efficacy seen with ibrutinib at lower systemic doses, which could improve tolerability. We selected GB5121 to move forward into human clinical trials based on the potency, specificity and high brain penetration observed in preclinical models.
Clinical Development History of GB5121
Summary of Ongoing Phase 1 Clinical Study
In the fourth quarter of 2021, we commenced a dose-escalating Phase 1 open-label study in healthy human volunteers to evaluate the safety, tolerability, PK and PD of GB5121 in humans. The study includes both SAD and MAD portions as well as clinical pharmacology assessments.
Summary of Planned Phase 1b/2 Clinical Trial in PCNSL
We plan to initiate the Phase 1b portion of a global Phase 1b/2 clinical trial in the first half of 2022. The Phase 1b portion of the trial will enroll patients with recurrent or refractory primary or secondary CNS lymphoma or with recurrent or refractory primary vitreoretinal lymphoma. The primary endpoints of the Phase 1b will include safety and tolerability, and the secondary endpoints will include overall response rate, or ORR, and duration of response. Phase 2 dose selection will be informed by the results from the Phase 1b. The Phase 2 portion of the of the trial will enroll recurrent or refractory PCNSL patients and is expected to initiate in the first half of 2023. The primary endpoint of the Phase 2 portion of the trial will be ORR, and secondary endpoints will include duration of response, overall survival, progression free survival, safety and tolerability.
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GB7208 (CNS-Penetrant BTK Inhibitor)
GB7208 is an oral, small molecule, BTK inhibitor in preclinical development for the treatment of MS. Like GB5121, GB7208 was selected based on its CNS penetration and kinase selectivity. Immune cells are believed to play an important role in the pathology of MS, and BTK inhibitors are in late-stage clinical development for the treatment of autoimmune indications, such as MS. In preclinical mouse models, GB7208 has demonstrated superior CNS penetration at studied doses, when compared to selected BTK inhibitors in development for autoimmune indications, including MS. GB7208 is currently undergoing preclinical testing, and pending the outcomes of our ongoing preclinical work, we expect to initiate a Phase 1 study in healthy volunteers in the second half of 2022. GB7208 was internally developed and is wholly owned.
Our Research Capabilities and Preclinical Programs
Including GB7208, we have six programs in preclinical development. We are continuing to build our research capabilities, specifically focusing on our areas of expertise within immunology, inflammation and oncology, in order to advance new programs into the clinic, as well as to optimize our existing programs.
Competition
The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are characterized by rapid technological advancement, significant competition and an emphasis on intellectual property. We face potential competition from many different sources, including major and specialty pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic research institutions, governmental agencies and public and private research institutions. Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize will compete with current therapies and new therapies that may become available in the future. Our commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize products that are safer, more effective, have fewer or less severe side effects or more convenient than any products that we may develop. Our competitors also may obtain FDA or other regulatory approval for their products more rapidly than we do. We believe that the key competitive factors affecting the success of any of our product candidates will include efficacy, safety profile, convenience, cost, level of promotional activity devoted to them and intellectual property protection.
We expect to face competition from existing products and products in development for each of our product candidates. Seralutinib is a PDGFR, CSF1R and c-KIT inhibitor initially targeted for PAH patients. We expect competition in this patient set will include prostanoids, available in oral form as Orenitram (United Therapeutics Corporation, or United Therapeutics) and Uptravi (Janssen), by inhalation as Tyvaso (United Therapeutics), and by infusion as Remodulin (United Therapeutics). We also may face some competition from products used in class I and II patients, such as the oral PDE5 inhibitors, including Revatio (Pfizer Inc.) and Adcirca (United Therapeutics); the sGC stimulator Adempas (Bayer AG); and oral ERAs, including Tracleer (Janssen), Letairis (Gilead Sciences, Inc.) and Opsumit (Janssen). We believe that, if approved, seralutinib could be used alongside all three classes of approved therapies. PAH is also an active indication for investigational drugs, and we may face competition in the future from ralinepag (Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and United Therapeutics), sotatercept (Merck & Co., Inc.), RVT-1201 (Altavant Sciences, Inc.), MK-5475 (Merck) and GMA310 (Gmax Biopharm LLC). Additionally, although not approved for the treatment of PAH, we may face competition from formulations of imatinib, including those from Tenax Therapeutics, Aerovate Therapeutics and Aerami Therapeutics / Vectura Group.
GB004 is a HIF-1α stabilizer with the potential to restore epithelial barrier function in patients with IBD. Patients with mild-to-moderate UC can initially be maintained in remission using a 5-ASA. For those patients who do not respond to 5-ASA, or those with more severe and / or extensive disease at diagnosis, corticosteroids are generally the next line of treatment. Patients who have become nonresponsive or intolerant to corticosteroids may move to azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine. The treatment of moderate-to-severe patients is dominated by anti-TNF biologics, though the paradigm is shifting because of the approval of agents in other classes, such as anti-integrins, anti-IL-12 / -23s, S1P1 receptor modulators and JAK inhibitors.
GB5121 and GB7208 are BTK inhibitors for the treatment of oncological and immunological indications, including PCNSL and MS. There are no FDA or EMA approved therapies for refractory or recurrent PCNSL. If approved in MS, GB7208 may face competition from existing approved and investigational therapies. While no BTK inhibitors are FDA or EMA approved for the treatment of either PCNSL or MS, we believe that if approved, GB5121 and / or GB7208 may face competition from currently FDA and EMA approved BTK inhibitors Imbruvica (AbbVie Inc. / Janssen), Calquence (AstraZeneca plc) and / or Brukinsa (BeiGene, Ltd.). Our BTK inhibitors may also face competition from BTK inhibitor Velexbru (Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), which is approved in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan for the treatment of recurrent or refractory primary central nervous system lymphoma. We may also face competition from early and late-stage investigational BTK inhibitors, including, but not limited to, evobrutinib, tolebrutinib, fenebrutinib, orelabrutinib, pirtobrutinib, rilzabrutinib and remibrutinib.
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There may be other earlier stage clinical programs that, if approved, would compete with our product candidates. Many of our competitors have substantially greater financial, technical and human resources than we have. Additional mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical industry may result in even more resources being concentrated in our competitors. Competition may increase further as a result of advances made in the commercial applicability of technologies and greater availability of capital for investment in these fields. Our success will be based in part on our ability to build and actively manage a portfolio of drugs that addresses unmet medical needs and creates value in patient therapy.
License Agreements
Pulmokine
In October 2017, we entered into a license agreement, or the Pulmokine Agreement, with Pulmokine, Inc., under which we were granted an exclusive worldwide license and sublicense to certain intellectual property rights owned or controlled by Pulmokine, including intellectual property rights co-owned by Pulmokine and Gilead Sciences, to develop and commercialize seralutinib and certain backup compounds for the treatment, prevention and diagnosis of any and all disease or conditions. We also have the right to sublicense our rights under the Pulmokine Agreement, subject to certain conditions. We are required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize at least one licensed product in the United States and in at least two countries in the European Union.
Under the terms of the Pulmokine Agreement, we made an upfront payment of $5.5 million and a milestone payment of $5.0 million to Pulmokine and are obligated to make future development and regulatory milestone payments of up to $58 million, commercial milestone payments of up to $45 million, and sales milestone payments of up to $190 million. We are also obligated to pay tiered royalties on sales for each licensed product, at percentages ranging from the mid-single digits to the high single-digits. In addition, if we choose to sublicense or assign to any third parties our rights under the Pulmokine Agreement with respect to a licensed product, or our seralutinib operating subsidiary undergoes a change of control, we must pay to Pulmokine a specified percentage of all revenue to be received in connection with such transaction.
Our royalty obligations and the Pulmokine Agreement will expire on a licensed product-by-licensed product and country-by-country basis on the later of ten years from the date of first commercial sale or when there is no longer a valid patent claim covering such licensed product or specified regulatory exclusivity for the licensed product in such country. The Pulmokine Agreement may be terminated in its entirety either by Pulmokine or by us in the event of an uncured material breach by the other party, in the event the other party is subject to specified bankruptcy, insolvency or similar circumstances, or in the event of a force majeure event under certain circumstances. The agreement may be terminated by Pulmokine if we commence a legal action challenging the validity or enforceability of any licensed patents. We may terminate the agreement, either in its entirety or on a product-by-product basis, in the event of potential safety or efficacy concerns affecting a licensed product.
The intellectual property rights co-owned by Pulmokine and Gilead Sciences are subject to a license agreement, or the Gilead Agreement, between Pulmokine and Gilead Sciences. Under the Gilead Agreement, Pulmokine is required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize at least one licensed product, which obligation can be satisfied through our development efforts required under the Pulmokine Agreement, and to pay Gilead Sciences future regulatory milestone payments and royalties. Upon termination of the Gilead Agreement for any reason, our sublicense under the Pulmokine Agreement will survive provided that we did not cause a material breach that was the basis for such termination and we agree to be bound by the terms of the Gilead Agreement.
The Pulmokine Agreement also includes a sublicense to patents concerning methods for detecting pulmonary arterial hypertension owned by The Rensselaer Center for Translational Research, Inc., or Rensselaer, and licensed to Pulmokine in an exclusive license agreement, or the Rensselaer License. Under the Rensselaer License, Pulmokine is required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize at least one licensed product covered by the Rensselaer patent rights, which obligation can be satisfied through our development efforts. If such obligation is not satisfied by Pulmokine or us, or the Rensselaer License is otherwise terminated for any reason, our sublicense under the Pulmokine Agreement will, at our option, either terminate or, subject to Rensselaer’s approval and our acceptance of the provisions of the Rensselaer License, convert to a license directly between us and Rensselaer.
Upon termination of the Pulmokine Agreement for any reason, all rights and licenses granted to us under the agreement will terminate and revert to Pulmokine, and in the event of certain termination events, we would grant Pulmokine worldwide rights to the terminated program.
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Aadi Bioscience
In June 2018, we entered into a license agreement, or the Aadi Agreement, with Aerpio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., now known as Aadi, under which we were granted an exclusive worldwide license to certain intellectual property rights owned or controlled by Aadi to develop and commercialize GB004 and certain other related compounds for all applications. We also have the right to sublicense our rights under the Aadi Agreement, subject to certain conditions. We are required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize at least one licensed product in the United States, in at least two countries in the European Union, and in Japan, in each case for at least one of the initial indications of UC or CD. The Aadi Agreement also includes a sublicense to a patent concerning methods for treating inflammatory bowel disease owned by The Regents of the University of Colorado, or UC Regents, and licensed to Aadi in a nonexclusive license agreement, or the UC Regents License. If Aadi breaches the UC Regents License and the UC Regents terminate the license, our sublicense under the Aadi Agreement will also terminate.
Under the terms of the Aadi Agreement, we made an upfront payment of $20 million to Aadi in June 2018, which represented the purchase consideration for an asset acquisition. On May 11, 2020, we entered into an amendment to the license agreement with Aadi pursuant to which we made an upfront payment of $15.0 million to Aadi for a reduction in future milestone payments and royalties. Under the amended license agreement, we are obligated to make future approval milestone payments of up to $40.0 million and a sales milestone payment of $50.0 million. We are also obligated to pay tiered royalties on sales for each licensed product, at percentages ranging from a low- to mid-single-digits, subject to certain customary reductions. In addition, if we choose to sublicense or assign to any third parties our rights under the Aadi Agreement with respect to any licensed product or if our GB004 operating subsidiary undergoes a change of control and the value of such transaction exceeds a specified value, we have an option to pay a specified percentage of all revenue to be received in connection with such transaction, and if we exercise the option Aadi will no longer be paid the development, regulatory, commercial or sales milestones or royalties on the sales of licensed products under the agreement. If we do not exercise our buy-down option with respect to a sublicense or assignment of our rights under the Aadi Agreement or with respect to a change of control of our GB004 operating subsidiary, Aadi will have an option to receive a specified percentage of all revenue received in connection with such transaction, and if Aadi exercises the option Aadi will no longer be paid the development, regulatory, commercial or sales milestones or royalties on sales of licensed products under the agreement.
Our royalty obligations and the Aadi Agreement will expire on a licensed product-by-licensed product and country-by-country basis on the later of fifteen years from the date of first commercial sale or when there is no longer a valid patent claim covering such licensed product in such country. The agreement may be terminated either by Aadi or by us in the event of an uncured material breach by the other party or in the event the other party becomes subject to specified bankruptcy, insolvency or similar circumstances. In the event we commence a legal action challenging the validity or enforceability of any licensed patents, Aadi will have the right to terminate the agreement or elect to increase milestone and royalty payments by a specified percentage. We may terminate the agreement in the event of potential safety or efficacy concerns affecting a licensed product. Upon termination of the agreement for any reason all rights and licenses granted to us under the agreement will terminate, and in the event of certain termination events, we would grant Aadi worldwide rights to the terminated program.
Manufacturing
We currently rely on multiple third-party manufacturers for the manufacture of our product candidates for preclinical and clinical testing. We intend to rely on third-party contract manufacturers for commercial manufacturing if our product candidates receive marketing approval. Typically, there are multiple sources for all of the materials required for the manufacture of our product candidates. Our manufacturing strategy enables us to more efficiently direct financial resources to the research, development and commercialization of product candidates rather than diverting resources to internally develop manufacturing facilities. As our product candidates advance through development, we expect to enter into longer-term commercial supply agreements with key suppliers and manufacturers to fulfill and secure our production needs.
Intellectual Property
We strive to protect the proprietary technology, inventions and improvements that are commercially important to our business, including seeking, maintaining, and defending patent rights, whether developed internally or licensed from third parties. We also rely on trade secrets and know-how relating to our proprietary technology and product candidates and continuing innovation to develop, strengthen and maintain our proprietary position. We also plan to rely on data exclusivity, market exclusivity and patent term extensions when available. Our commercial success will depend in part on our ability to obtain and maintain patent and other proprietary protection for our technology, inventions and improvements; to preserve the confidentiality of our trade secrets; to defend and enforce our proprietary rights, including any patents that we may own in the future; and to operate without infringing on the valid and enforceable patents and other proprietary rights of third parties. Intellectual property rights may not address all potential threats to our competitive advantage.
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Seralutinib
As of December 31, 2021, with respect to seralutinib, we have exclusively licensed one issued U.S. patent and a number of pending applications in other jurisdictions owned by Pulmokine directed to method of use claims, which, if issued, are not due to expire before 2037, excluding any additional term for patent term extension. We also have exclusively licensed four issued U.S. patents co-owned by Pulmokine and Gilead Sciences, Inc., which are not due to expire before 2034, excluding any additional term for patent term extension; five pending U.S. patent applications, which, if issued, are not due to expire before 2034, excluding any additional term for patent term extension; and a number of patents and pending patent applications in other jurisdictions, including issued patents in Australia, Canada, the European Patent Convention and Japan, and pending applications in Australia, Canada, China, the European Patent Convention and Japan. These patents and patent applications are directed to seralutinib compound, formulation and method of use claims.
GB004
As of December 31, 2021, with respect to GB004, we have exclusively licensed from Aadi ten issued U.S. patents directed to compound, pharmaceutical composition and method of use claims, eight of which are not due to expire before 2030, and one, directed to synthetic method claims, is not due to expire before 2035, excluding any additional term for patent term extension; two pending U.S. patent applications directed to compound and method of use claims, which, if issued, are not due to expire before 2030, excluding any additional term for patent term extension; and a number of patents and pending patent applications in other jurisdictions. The patents and pending patent applications directed to compound, pharmaceutical composition and method of use claims in other jurisdictions, and which are not due to expire before 2030, include issued patents in Australia, Canada, China, the European Patent Convention, India, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and South Korea, and pending patent applications in Brazil, the European Patent Convention, India, Mexico and South Korea. The patents and pending patent applications directed to synthetic method claims in other jurisdictions, and which are not due to expire before 2035, include pending patent applications in China, the European Patent Convention, India and Japan. Additionally, as of December 31, 2021, with respect to GB004, we owned one pending US patent application and three pending international patent applications directed to formulations and solid forms of GB004, which, if issued, are not due to expire before 2040, excluding any additional term for patent term extension.
GB5121
As of December 31, 2021, with respect to GB5121, we owned one pending U.S. patent application, and a corresponding international patent application, directed to GB5121 compound, formulation and method of use claims, which, if issued, is not due to expire before 2041, excluding any additional term for patent term extension.
GB7208
As of December 31, 2021, with respect to GB7208, we owned one pending U.S. patent application, and a corresponding international patent application, directed to GB7208 compound, formulation and method of use claims, which, if issued, is not due to expire before 2042, excluding any additional term for patent term extension.
Government Regulation
Government authorities in the United States, at the federal, state and local level, and other countries extensively regulate, among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacture, quality control, approval, labeling, packaging, storage, record-keeping, promotion, advertising, distribution, marketing and export and import of products such as those we are developing. A new drug must be approved by the FDA through the new drug application, or NDA, process before it may be legally marketed in the United States.
Certain of our product candidates are subject to regulation as combination products, which means that they are composed of both a drug product and device product. If marketed individually, each component would be subject to different regulatory pathways and reviewed by different centers within the FDA. A combination product, however, is assigned to a Center that will have primary jurisdiction over its regulation based on a determination of the combination product’s primary mode of action, which is the single mode of action that provides the most important therapeutic action. In the case of our inhaled product candidate regulated as a combination product, the primary mode of action is attributable to the drug component of the product, which means that the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research has primary jurisdiction over the premarket development, review and approval. Accordingly, we plan to investigate this product through the IND framework and seek approval through the NDA pathway. We do not anticipate that the FDA will require a separate medical device authorization for the device, but this could change during the course of its review of any marketing application that we may submit.
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U.S. Drug Development Process
In the United States, the FDA regulates drugs under the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or the FDCA, and its implementing regulations. The process of obtaining regulatory approvals and the subsequent compliance with appropriate federal, state, local and foreign statutes and regulations require the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources. Failure to comply with the applicable U.S. requirements at any time during the product development process, approval process or after approval may subject an applicant to administrative or judicial sanctions. These sanctions could include the FDA’s refusal to approve pending applications, withdrawal of an approval, a clinical hold, warning letters, product recalls, product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution, injunctions, fines, refusals of government contracts, restitution, disgorgement or civil or criminal penalties. Any agency or judicial enforcement action could have a material adverse effect on us.
The process required by the FDA before a drug may be marketed in the United States generally involves the following:
• completion of preclinical laboratory tests, animal studies and formulation studies in accordance with Good Laboratory Practice, or GLP, regulations and other applicable regulations;
• submission to the FDA of an IND, which must become effective before human clinical trials may begin;
• approval by an independent institutional review board, or IRB, or ethics committee at each clinical site before each trial may be initiated;
• performance of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials in accordance with Good Clinical Practice, or GCP, regulations to establish the safety and efficacy of the proposed drug for its intended use;
• submission to the FDA of an NDA;
• satisfactory completion of an FDA advisory committee review, if applicable;
• satisfactory completion of an FDA inspection of the manufacturing facility or facilities at which the drug is produced to assess compliance with current GMP, or cGMP, requirements to assure that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the drug’s identity, strength, quality and purity, and of selected clinical investigation sites to assess compliance with GCPs; and
• FDA review and approval of the NDA to permit commercial marketing of the product for particular indications for use in the United States.
Once a pharmaceutical candidate is identified for development, it enters the preclinical testing stage. Preclinical tests include laboratory evaluations of product chemistry, toxicity and formulation, as well as animal studies. An IND sponsor must submit the results of the preclinical tests, together with manufacturing information and analytical data, to the FDA as part of the IND. An IND is a request for authorization from the FDA to administer an investigational drug product to humans. The sponsor will also include a protocol detailing, among other things, the objectives of the clinical trial, the parameters to be used in monitoring safety, and the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated, if the clinical trial lends itself to an efficacy evaluation. Some preclinical testing may continue even after the IND is submitted. The IND automatically becomes effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA, unless the FDA, within the 30-day time period, places the clinical trial on a clinical hold. In such a case, the IND sponsor and the FDA must resolve any outstanding concerns before the clinical trial can begin. Clinical holds also may be imposed by the FDA at any time before or during clinical trials due to safety concerns about on-going or proposed clinical trials or non-compliance with specific FDA requirements, and the trials may not begin or continue until the FDA notifies the sponsor that the hold has been lifted. Submission of an IND therefore may or may not result in FDA authorization to begin a clinical trial.
All clinical trials must be conducted under the supervision of one or more qualified investigators in accordance with GCP regulations, which include the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent in writing for their participation in any clinical trial. They must be conducted under protocols detailing, among other things, the objectives of the trial, dosing procedures, subject selection and exclusion criteria and the safety and effectiveness criteria to be evaluated. Each protocol must be submitted to the FDA as part of the IND as well as any subsequent protocol amendments, and timely safety reports must be submitted to the FDA and the investigators for serious and unexpected adverse events. An IRB at each institution participating in the clinical trial must review and approve each protocol before a clinical trial commences at that
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institution and must also approve the information regarding the trial and the consent form that must be provided to each trial subject or his or her legal representative, monitor the study until completed and otherwise comply with IRB regulations.
Human clinical trials are typically conducted in three sequential phases that may overlap or be combined:
• Phase 1 : The product candidate is initially introduced into healthy human volunteers and tested for safety, dosage tolerance, absorption, metabolism, distribution and excretion and, if possible, to gain an early indication of its effectiveness. In the case of some products for severe or life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, especially when the product may be too inherently toxic to ethically administer to healthy volunteers, the initial human testing is often conducted in patients.
• Phase 2 : This phase involves clinical trials in a limited patient population to identify possible adverse effects and safety risks, to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy of the product for specific targeted diseases and to determine dosage tolerance and appropriate dosage.
• Phase 3 : Clinical trials are undertaken to further evaluate dosage, clinical efficacy and safety in an expanded patient population, generally at geographically dispersed clinical study sites. These clinical trials are intended to establish the overall risk-benefit ratio of the product candidate and provide an adequate basis for product labeling.
Post-approval trials, sometimes referred to as Phase 4 studies, may be conducted after initial marketing approval. These trials are used to gain additional experience from the treatment of patients in the intended therapeutic indication. In certain instances, the FDA may mandate the performance of Phase 4 clinical trials as a condition of approval of an NDA.
The FDA or the sponsor may suspend a clinical trial at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the research subjects or patients are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk. Similarly, an IRB can suspend or terminate approval of a clinical trial at its institution if the clinical trial is not being conducted in accordance with the IRB’s requirements or if the drug has been associated with unexpected serious harm to patients. In addition, some clinical trials are overseen by an independent group of qualified experts organized by the sponsor, known as a data safety monitoring board or committee. Depending on its charter, this group may determine whether a trial may move forward at designated check points based on access to certain data from the trial.
During the development of a new drug, sponsors are given opportunities to meet with the FDA at certain points. These points may be prior to submission of an IND, at the end of Phase 2, and before an NDA is submitted. Meetings at other times may be requested. These meetings can provide an opportunity for the sponsor to share information about the data gathered to date, for the FDA to provide advice, and for the sponsor and the FDA to reach agreement on the next phase of development. Sponsors typically use the meetings at the end of the Phase 2 trial to discuss Phase 2 clinical results and present plans for the pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials that they believe will support approval of the new drug.
Concurrent with clinical trials, companies usually complete additional animal studies and must also develop additional information about the chemistry and physical characteristics of the drug and finalize a process for manufacturing the product in commercial quantities in accordance with cGMP requirements. The manufacturing process must be capable of consistently producing quality batches of the product candidate and, among other things, the manufacturer must develop methods for testing the identity, strength, quality and purity of the final drug. In addition, appropriate packaging must be selected and tested and stability studies must be conducted to demonstrate that the product candidate does not undergo unacceptable deterioration over its shelf life.
While the IND is active, progress reports summarizing the results of the clinical trials and nonclinical studies performed since the last progress report, among other information, must be submitted at least annually to the FDA, and written IND safety reports must be submitted to the FDA and investigators for serious and unexpected suspected adverse events, findings from other studies suggesting a significant risk to humans exposed to the same or similar drugs, findings from animal or in vitro testing suggesting a significant risk to humans, and any clinically important increased incidence of a serious suspected adverse reaction compared to that listed in the protocol or investigator brochure.
There are also requirements governing the reporting of ongoing clinical trials and completed trial results to public registries. Sponsors of certain clinical trials of FDA-regulated products are required to register and disclose specified clinical trial information, which is publicly available at www.clinicaltrials.gov. Information related to the product, patient population, phase of investigation, trial sites and investigators and other aspects of the clinical trial is then made public as part
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of the registration. Sponsors are also obligated to disclose the results of their clinical trials after completion. Disclosure of the results of these trials can be delayed until the new product or new indication being studied has been approved.
Regulation of Combination Products in the United States
Certain products may be comprised of components, such as drug components and device components that would normally be regulated under different types of regulatory authorities, and frequently by different centers at the FDA. These products are known as combination products. Specifically, under regulations issued by the FDA, a combination product may be:
• a product comprised of two or more regulated components that are physically, chemically, or otherwise combined or mixed and produced as a single entity;
• two or more separate products packaged together in a single package or as a unit and comprised of drug and device products, device and biological products, or biological and drug products;
• a drug, or device, or biological product packaged separately that according to its investigational plan or proposed labeling is intended for use only with an approved individually specified drug, or device, or biological product where both are required to achieve the intended use, indication, or effect and where upon approval of the proposed product the labeling of the approved product would need to be changed, e.g., to reflect a change in intended use, dosage form, strength, route of administration, or significant change in dose; or
• any investigational drug, or device, or biological product packaged separately that according to its proposed labeling is for use only with another individually specified investigational drug, device, or biological product where both are required to achieve the intended use, indication, or effect.
Under the FDCA and its implementing regulations, the FDA is charged with assigning a center with primary jurisdiction, or a lead center, for review of a combination product. The designation of a lead center generally eliminates the need to receive approvals from more than one FDA component for combination products, although it does not preclude consultations by the lead center with other components of FDA. The determination of which center will be the lead center is based on the “primary mode of action” of the combination product. Thus, if the primary mode of action of a drug-device combination product is attributable to the drug product, the FDA center responsible for premarket review of the drug product would have primary jurisdiction for the combination product. The FDA has also established an Office of Combination Products to address issues surrounding combination products and provide more certainty to the regulatory review process. That office serves as a focal point for combination product issues for agency reviewers and industry. It is also responsible for developing guidance and regulations to clarify the regulation of combination products, and for assignment of the FDA center that has primary jurisdiction for review of combination products where the jurisdiction is unclear or in dispute.
A combination product with a drug primary mode of action generally would be reviewed and approved pursuant to the drug approval processes under the FDCA. In reviewing the NDA application for such a product, however, FDA reviewers in the drug center could consult with their counterparts in the device center to ensure that the device component of the combination product met applicable requirements regarding safety, effectiveness, durability and performance. In addition, under FDA regulations, combination products are subject to cGMP requirements applicable to both drugs and devices, including the Quality System, regulations applicable to medical devices.
NDA Review and Approval Process
The results of product development, preclinical and other non-clinical studies and clinical trials, along with descriptions of the manufacturing process, analytical tests conducted on the chemistry of the drug, proposed labeling and other relevant information are submitted to the FDA as part of an NDA requesting approval to market the product. The submission of an NDA is subject to the payment of substantial user fees; a waiver of such fees may be obtained under certain limited circumstances. Once filed, the FDA reviews an NDA to determine, among other things, whether a product is safe and effective for its intended use and whether its manufacturing is cGMP-compliant to assure and preserve the product’s identity, strength, quality and purity. Under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or PDUFA, guidelines that are currently in effect, the FDA has a goal of ten months from the date of “filing” of a standard NDA for a new molecular entity to review and act on the submission. This review typically takes twelve months from the date the NDA is submitted to FDA because the FDA has approximately two months to make a “filing” decision after it the application is submitted. The FDA conducts a preliminary review of all NDAs within the first 60 days after submission, before accepting them for filing, to determine whether they are sufficiently complete to permit substantive review The FDA may request additional information rather than accept an NDA for filing. In this event,
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the NDA must be resubmitted with the additional information. The resubmitted application also is subject to review before the FDA accepts it for filing.
The FDA may refer an application for a novel drug to an advisory committee. An advisory committee is a panel of independent experts, including clinicians and other scientific experts, that reviews, evaluates and provides a recommendation as to whether the application should be approved and under what conditions. The FDA is not bound by the recommendations of an advisory committee, but it considers such recommendations carefully when making decisions. Before approving an NDA, the FDA will inspect the facility or facilities where the product is manufactured. The FDA will not approve an application unless it determines that the manufacturing processes and facilities are in compliance with cGMP requirements and adequate to assure consistent production of the product within required specifications. Additionally, before approving an NDA, the FDA may inspect one or more clinical trial sites to assure compliance with GCP requirements.
After the FDA evaluates an NDA, it will issue an approval letter or a Complete Response Letter. An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the drug with prescribing information for specific indications. A Complete Response Letter indicates that the review cycle of the application is complete and the application will not be approved in its present form. A Complete Response Letter usually describes the specific deficiencies in the NDA identified by the FDA and may require additional clinical data, such as an additional clinical trial or other significant and time consuming requirements related to clinical trials, nonclinical studies or manufacturing. If a Complete Response Letter is issued, the sponsor must resubmit the NDA or, addressing all of the deficiencies identified in the letter, or withdraw the application. Even if such data and information are submitted, the FDA may decide that the NDA does not satisfy the criteria for approval.
If a product receives regulatory approval, the approval may be significantly limited to specific diseases and dosages or the indications for use may otherwise be limited, which could restrict the commercial value of the product. In addition, the FDA may require a sponsor to conduct Phase 4 testing, which involves clinical trials designed to further assess a drug’s safety and effectiveness after NDA approval, and may require testing and surveillance programs to monitor the safety of approved products which have been commercialized. The FDA may also place other conditions on approval including the requirement for a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, or REMS, to assure the safe use of the drug. If the FDA concludes a REMS is needed, the sponsor of the NDA must submit a proposed REMS. The FDA will not approve the NDA without an approved REMS, if required. A REMS could include medication guides, physician communication plans or elements to assure safe use, such as restricted distribution methods, patient registries and other risk minimization tools. Any of these limitations on approval or marketing could restrict the commercial promotion, distribution, prescription or dispensing of products. Marketing approval may be withdrawn for non-compliance with regulatory requirements or if problems occur following initial marketing.
In addition, the Pediatric Research Equity Act, or PREA, requires a sponsor to conduct pediatric clinical trials for most drugs, for a new active ingredient, new indication, new dosage form, new dosing regimen or new route of administration. Under PREA, original NDAs and supplements must contain a pediatric assessment unless the sponsor has received a deferral or waiver. The required assessment must evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the product for the claimed indications in all relevant pediatric subpopulations and support dosing and administration for each pediatric subpopulation for which the product is safe and effective. The sponsor or FDA may request a deferral of pediatric clinical trials for some or all of the pediatric subpopulations. A deferral may be granted for several reasons, including a finding that the drug is ready for approval for use in adults before pediatric clinical trials are complete or that additional safety or effectiveness data needs to be collected before the pediatric clinical trials begin. The FDA must send a non-compliance letter to any sponsor that fails to submit the required assessment, keep a deferral current or fails to submit a request for approval of a pediatric formulation.
Orphan Drug Designation
Under the Orphan Drug Act, the FDA may grant orphan designation to a drug intended to treat a rare disease or condition, which is a disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States or, if it affects more than 200,000 individuals in the United States, there is no reasonable expectation that the cost of developing and making a drug product available in the United States for this type of disease or condition will be recovered from sales of the product. Orphan designation must be requested before submitting an NDA. After the FDA grants orphan designation, the identity of the therapeutic agent and its potential orphan use are disclosed publicly by the FDA. Orphan designation does not convey any advantage in or shorten the duration of the regulatory review and approval process.
If a product that has orphan designation subsequently receives the first FDA approval for the disease or condition for which it has such designation, the product is entitled to orphan product exclusivity, which means that the FDA may not approve any other applications to market the same drug for the same disease or condition for seven years, except in limited circumstances, such as a showing of clinical superiority to the product with orphan exclusivity or inability to manufacture the product in sufficient quantities. The designation of such drug also entitles a party to financial incentives such as opportunities for grant funding toward clinical trial costs, tax advantages and user-fee waivers. However, competitors, may
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receive approval of different products for the indication for which the orphan product has exclusivity or obtain approval for the same product but for a different indication for which the orphan product has exclusivity.
In addition, if an orphan designated product receives marketing approval for an indication broader than what is designated, it may not be entitled to orphan exclusivity. In addition, orphan drug exclusive marketing rights in the United States may be lost if the FDA later determines that the request for designation was materially defective or, as noted above, if the second applicant demonstrates that its product is clinically superior to the approved product with orphan exclusivity or the manufacturer of the approved product is unable to assure sufficient quantities of the product to meet the needs of patients with the rare disease or condition.
Expedited Development and Review Programs
A sponsor may seek approval of its product candidate under programs designed to accelerate FDA’s review and approval of new drugs and biological products that meet certain criteria. For example, the FDA has a fast track designation program that is intended to expedite or facilitate the process for reviewing new drug products that meet certain criteria. Specifically, a product candidate is eligible for fast track designation if it is intended to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs for the disease or condition. Fast track designation applies to the combination of the product and the specific indication for which it is being studied. The sponsor of a fast track product candidate has opportunities for more frequent interactions with the applicable FDA review team during development. With regard to a fast track product, the FDA may also consider for review sections of the NDA on a rolling basis before the complete application is submitted, if the sponsor provides a schedule for the submission of the sections of the NDA, the FDA agrees to accept sections of the NDA and determines that the schedule is acceptable, and the sponsor pays any required user fees upon submission of the first section of the NDA.
A product candidate intended to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition may also be eligible for breakthrough therapy designation to expedite its development and review. A product candidate can receive breakthrough therapy designation if preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the product candidate, alone or in combination with one or more other drugs or biologics, may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development. The designation includes all of the fast track program features, as well as more intensive FDA interaction and guidance beginning as early as Phase 1 and an organizational commitment to expedite the development and review of the product candidate, including involvement of senior managers.
Any NDA for a product candidate submitted to the FDA for approval, including for a product candidate with a fast track designation or breakthrough designation, may also be eligible for other types of FDA programs intended to expedite development and review, such as priority review and accelerated approval. An NDA is eligible for priority review if the product candidate is designed to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, and if approved, would provide a significant improvement in safety or effectiveness compared to available alternatives for such disease or condition. The FDA will attempt to direct additional resources to the evaluation of an application designated for priority review in an effort to facilitate the review. The FDA endeavors to review applications with priority review designations within six months of the filing date as compared to ten months for review of new molecular entity NDAs under its current PDUFA review goals.
In addition, a product candidate may be eligible for accelerated approval. Drug products intended to treat serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions may be eligible for accelerated approval upon a determination that the product has an effect on a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit, or on a clinical endpoint that can be measured earlier than irreversible morbidity or mortality, that is reasonably likely to predict an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality or other clinical benefit, taking into account the severity, rarity, or prevalence of the condition and the availability or lack of alternative treatments. As a condition of approval, the FDA will generally require that a sponsor of a drug receiving accelerated approval perform adequate and well-controlled post-marketing clinical trials. In addition, the FDA currently requires as a condition for accelerated approval pre-approval of promotional materials, which could adversely impact the timing of the commercial launch of the product. FDA may withdraw approval of a drug or indication approved under accelerated approval on an expedited basis if, for example, the confirmatory trial fails to verify the predicted clinical benefit of the product or if the sponsor fails to conduct such trials in a timely manner.
Fast track designation, breakthrough therapy designation, priority review and accelerated approval do not change the standards for approval but may expedite the development or approval process. Even if a product candidate qualifies for one or more of these programs, the FDA may later decide that the product candidate no longer meets the conditions for qualification or decide that the time period for FDA review or approval will not be shortened.
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Post-Approval Requirements
Once an approval is granted, the FDA may withdraw the approval if compliance with regulatory standards is not maintained or if problems occur after the product reaches the market. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product may result in restrictions on the product or even complete withdrawal of the product from the market. After approval, some types of changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications, certain manufacturing changes and additional labeling claims, are subject to further FDA review and approval. Drug manufacturers and other entities involved in the manufacture and distribution of approved drugs are required to register their establishments with the FDA and certain state agencies, and are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA and certain state agencies for compliance with cGMP regulations and other laws and regulations. In addition, the FDA may impose a number of post-approval requirements as a condition of approval of an NDA. For example, the FDA may require post-marketing testing, including Phase 4 clinical trials, and surveillance to further assess and monitor the product’s safety and effectiveness after commercialization.
Any drug products manufactured or distributed pursuant to FDA approvals will be subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA, including, among other things, record-keeping requirements, reporting of adverse experiences with the drug, providing the FDA with updated safety and efficacy information, drug sampling and distribution requirements, complying with certain electronic records and signature requirements, and complying with FDA promotion and advertising requirements. The FDA strictly regulates labeling, advertising, promotion and other types of information on products that are placed on the market and imposes requirements and restrictions on drug manufacturers, such as those related to direct-to-consumer advertising, the prohibition on promoting products for uses or in patient populations that are not described in the product’s approved labeling (known as “off-label use”), industry-sponsored scientific and educational activities, and promotional activities involving the internet.
Discovery of previously unknown problems or the failure to comply with the applicable regulatory requirements may result in restrictions on the marketing of a product or withdrawal of the product from the market as well as possible civil or criminal sanctions. Failure to comply with the applicable U.S. requirements at any time during the product development process, approval process or after approval, may subject an applicant or manufacturer to administrative or judicial civil or criminal sanctions and adverse publicity. FDA sanctions could include refusal to approve pending applications, withdrawal of an approval, clinical holds on post-approval clinical trials, warning or untitled letters, product recalls, product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution, injunctions, fines, refusals of government contracts, mandated corrective advertising or communications with doctors, debarment, restitution, disgorgement of profits, or civil or criminal penalties.
Marketing Exclusivity
Market exclusivity provisions under the FDCA can delay the submission or the approval of certain marketing applications. The FDCA provides a five-year period of non-patent data exclusivity within the United States to the first applicant to obtain approval of an NDA for a new chemical entity. A drug is a new chemical entity if the FDA has not previously approved any other new drug containing the same active moiety, which is the molecule or ion responsible for the action of the drug substance. During the exclusivity period, the FDA may not approve or even accept for review an abbreviated new drug application, or ANDA, or an NDA submitted under Section 505(b)(2), or 505(b)(2) NDA, submitted by another company for another drug based on the same active moiety, regardless of whether the drug is intended for the same indication as the original innovative drug or for another indication, where the applicant does not own or have a legal right of reference to all the data required for approval. However, an application may be submitted after four years if it contains a certification of patent invalidity or non-infringement to one of the patents listed with the FDA by the innovator NDA holder.
The FDCA alternatively provides three years of marketing exclusivity for an NDA, or supplement to an existing NDA if new clinical investigations, other than bioavailability studies, that were conducted or sponsored by the applicant are deemed by the FDA to be essential to the approval of the application, for example new indications, dosages or strengths of an existing drug. This three-year exclusivity covers only the modification for which the drug received approval on the basis of the new clinical investigations and does not prohibit the FDA from approving ANDAs or 505(b)(2) NDAs for drugs containing the active agent for the original indication or condition of use. Five-year and three-year exclusivity will not delay the submission or approval of a full NDA. However, an applicant submitting a full NDA would be required to conduct or obtain a right of reference to all of the preclinical studies and adequate and well-controlled clinical trials necessary to demonstrate safety and effectiveness.
Pediatric exclusivity is another type of marketing exclusivity available in the United States. Pediatric exclusivity provides for an additional six months of marketing exclusivity attached to another period of exclusivity if a sponsor conducts clinical trials in children in response to a written request from the FDA. The issuance of a written request does not
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require the sponsor to undertake the described clinical trials. In addition, orphan drug exclusivity, as described above, may offer a seven-year period of marketing exclusivity, except in certain circumstances.
U.S. Coverage and Reimbursement
Significant uncertainty exists as to the coverage and reimbursement status of any product candidate for which we may seek regulatory approval. Sales in the United States will depend, in part, on the availability of sufficient coverage and adequate reimbursement from third-party payors, which include government health programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and the Veterans Administration, as well as managed care organizations and private health insurers. Prices at which we or our customers seek reimbursement for our product candidates can be subject to challenge, reduction or denial by third-party payors.
The process for determining whether a third-party payor will provide coverage for a product is typically separate from the process for setting the reimbursement rate that the payor will pay for the product. A third-party payor’s decision to provide coverage for a product does not imply that an adequate reimbursement rate will be available. Additionally, in the United States there is no uniform policy among payors for coverage or reimbursement. Third-party payors often rely upon Medicare coverage policy and payment limitations in setting their own coverage and reimbursement policies, but also have their own methods and approval processes. Therefore, coverage and reimbursement for products can differ significantly from payor to payor. If coverage and adequate reimbursement are not available, or are available only at limited levels, successful commercialization of, and obtaining a satisfactory financial return on, any product we develop may not be possible.
Third-party payors are increasingly challenging the price and examining the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of medical products and services, in addition to their safety and efficacy. In order to obtain coverage and reimbursement for any product that might be approved for marketing, we may need to conduct expensive studies in order to demonstrate the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of any products, which would be in addition to the costs expended to obtain regulatory approvals. Third-party payors may not consider our product candidates to be medically necessary or cost-effective compared to other available therapies, or the rebate percentages required to secure favorable coverage may not yield an adequate margin over cost or may not enable us to maintain price levels sufficient to realize an appropriate return on our investment in drug development.
U.S. Healthcare Reform
In the United States, there has been, and continues to be, several legislative and regulatory changes and proposed changes regarding the healthcare system that could prevent or delay marketing approval of product candidates, restrict or regulate post-approval activities, and affect the profitable sale of product candidates.
Among policy makers and payors in the United States, there is significant interest in promoting changes in healthcare systems with the stated goals of containing healthcare costs, improving quality and/or expanding access. In the United States, the pharmaceutical industry has been a particular focus of these efforts and has been significantly affected by major legislative initiatives. In March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or ACA, was passed, which substantially changed the way healthcare is financed by both the government and private insurers, and significantly impacts the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. The ACA, among other things: (1) increased the minimum Medicaid rebates owed by manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program and extended the rebate program to individuals enrolled in Medicaid managed care organizations; (2) created a new methodology by which rebates owed by manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program are calculated for certain drugs and biologics that are inhaled, infused, instilled, implanted or injected; (3) established an annual, nondeductible fee on any entity that manufactures or imports certain specified branded prescription drugs and biologic agents apportioned among these entities according to their market share in certain government healthcare programs; (4) expanded the availability of lower pricing under the 340B drug pricing program by adding new entities to the program; (5) expanded the eligibility criteria for Medicaid programs; (6) created a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee, identify priorities in, and conduct comparative clinical effectiveness research, along with funding for such research; (7) created a new Medicare Part D coverage gap discount program, in which manufacturers must agree to offer 50% (which was increased to 70% commencing January 1, 2019) point-of-sale discounts off negotiated prices of applicable brand drugs to eligible beneficiaries during their coverage gap period, as a condition for the manufacturer’s outpatient drugs to be covered under Medicare Part D; (8) established a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee, identify priorities in, and conduct comparative clinical effectiveness research, along with funding for such research; and (9) established a Center for Medicare Innovation at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, to test innovative payment and service delivery models to lower Medicare and Medicaid spending, potentially including prescription drugs.
Since its enactment, there have been judicial and political challenges to certain aspects of the ACA. On June 17, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the most recent judicial challenge to the ACA brought by several states without
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specifically ruling on the constitutionality of the ACA. Prior to the Supreme Court’s decision, President Biden issued an executive order to initiate a special enrollment period from February 15, 2021 through August 15, 2021 for purposes of obtaining health insurance coverage through the ACA marketplace. The executive order also instructed certain governmental agencies to review and reconsider their existing policies and rules that limit access to healthcare, including among others, reexamining Medicaid demonstration projects and waiver programs that include work requirements, and policies that create unnecessary barriers to obtaining access to health insurance coverage through Medicaid or the ACA.
Other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the ACA was enacted. On August 2, 2011, the Budget Control Act of 2011 was signed into law, which, among other things, resulted in aggregate reductions of Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year, which went into effect on April 1, 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments to the statute, will remain in effect through 2030, with the exception of a temporary suspension from May 1, 2020 through March 31, 2022, unless additional Congressional action is taken. On January 2, 2013, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was signed into law, which, among other things, reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals, and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years.
Moreover, there has recently been heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products, which has resulted in several Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to product pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for drug products. The likelihood of success of these and other measures proposed by the former Trump administration is unclear, particularly in light of the new Biden administration. At the state level, legislatures have increasingly passed legislation and implemented regulations designed to control pharmaceutical product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing.
Additionally, on May 30, 2018, the Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2017, or Right to Try Act, was signed into law. The law, among other things, provides a federal framework for patients to access certain investigational new drug products that have completed a Phase I clinical trial. Under certain circumstances, eligible patients can seek treatment without enrolling in clinical trials and without obtaining FDA approval under the FDA expanded access program. There is no obligation for a drug manufacturer to make its drug products available to eligible patients as a result of the Right to Try Act.
U.S. Healthcare Fraud and Abuse Laws and Compliance Requirements
Federal and state healthcare laws and regulations restrict business practices in the biopharmaceutical industry. These laws include anti-kickback and false claims laws and regulations, and transparency laws and regulations.
The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits, among other things, individuals or entities from knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind to induce or in return for purchasing, leasing, ordering or arranging for or recommending the purchase, lease or order of any item or service reimbursable under Medicare, Medicaid or other federal healthcare programs. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of this statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation.
The federal civil and criminal false claims laws, including the civil False Claims Act, prohibit, among other things, any individual or entity from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false claim for payment to the federal government or knowingly making, using or causing to be made or used a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim to the federal government. In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the civil False Claims Act and the civil monetary penalties statute.
The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, created additional federal civil and criminal statutes that prohibit, among other things, knowingly and willfully executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program.
The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires certain manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, with specific exceptions, to report annually to CMS information related to payments or other transfers of value made to physicians (defined to include doctors, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists and chiropractors), certain other health care professionals beginning in 2022, and teaching hospitals, and applicable manufacturers and applicable group purchasing organizations to
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report annually to CMS ownership and investment interests held by physicians (as defined by statute) and their immediate family members.
Similar state and local laws and regulations may also restrict business practices in the biopharmaceutical industry, such as state anti-kickback and false claims laws, which may apply to business practices, including but not limited to, research, distribution, sales and marketing arrangements and claims involving healthcare items or services reimbursed by non-governmental third-party payors, including private insurers, or by patients themselves; state laws that require pharmaceutical companies to comply with the pharmaceutical industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government, or otherwise restrict payments that may be made to healthcare providers and other potential referral sources; state laws and regulations that require drug manufacturers to file reports relating to pricing and marketing information or which require tracking gifts and other remuneration and items of value provided to physicians, other healthcare providers and entities; and state and local laws that require the registration of pharmaceutical sales representatives.
Efforts to ensure compliance with applicable healthcare laws and regulations can involve substantial costs. Violations of healthcare laws can result in significant penalties, including the imposition of significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, monetary fines, disgorgement, individual imprisonment, possible exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other U.S. healthcare programs, integrity oversight and reporting obligations, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, and curtailment or restructuring of operations.
U.S. Data Privacy and Security Laws
Numerous state and federal laws, regulations and standards govern the collection, use, access to, confidentiality and security of health-related and other personal information, and could apply now or in the future to our operations or the operations of our partners. In the United States, numerous federal and state laws and regulations, including data breach notification laws, health information privacy and security laws, including HIPAA, and federal and state consumer protection laws and regulations (e.g., Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act) that govern the collection, use, disclosure, and protection of health-related and other personal information could apply to our operations or the operations of our partners. In addition, certain state laws, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, the California Privacy Rights Act, or CPRA, govern the privacy and security of personal information, including health-related information in certain circumstances, some of which are more stringent than HIPAA and many of which differ from each other in significant ways and may not have the same effect, thus complicating compliance efforts. Failure to comply with these laws, where applicable, can result in the imposition of significant civil and/or criminal penalties and private litigation. Privacy and security laws, regulations, and other obligations are constantly evolving, may conflict with each other to make compliance efforts more challenging, and can result in investigations, proceedings, or actions that lead to significant penalties and restrictions on data processing.
Foreign Regulation
In order to market any product outside of the United States, we need to comply with numerous and varying regulatory requirements of other countries and jurisdictions regarding quality, safety and efficacy and governing, among other things, clinical trials, marketing authorization, commercial sales and distribution of our products.
Whether or not we obtain FDA approval for a product, we would need to obtain the necessary approvals by the comparable foreign regulatory authorities before we can commence clinical trials or marketing of the product in foreign countries and jurisdictions. Although many of the issues discussed above with respect to the United States apply similarly in the context of the European Union, or EU, the approval process varies between countries and jurisdictions and can involve additional product testing and additional administrative review periods. The time required to obtain approval in other countries and jurisdictions might differ from and be longer than that required to obtain FDA approval. Regulatory approval in one country or jurisdiction does not ensure regulatory approval in another, but a failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval in one country or jurisdiction may negatively impact the regulatory process in others.
Failure to comply with applicable foreign regulatory requirements, may be subject to, among other things, fines, suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approvals, product recalls, seizure of products, operating restrictions and criminal prosecution.
Non-clinical studies and clinical trials
Similar to the U.S., the various phases of non-clinical and clinical research in the EU are subject to significant regulatory controls.
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Non-clinical studies are performed to demonstrate the health or environmental safety of new chemical or biological substances. Non-clinical studies must be conducted in compliance with the principles of good laboratory practice, or GLP, as set forth in EU Directive 2004/10/EC. In particular, non-clinical studies, both in vitro and in vivo, must be planned, performed, monitored, recorded, reported and archived in accordance with the GLP principles, which define a set of rules and criteria for a quality system for the organizational process and the conditions for non-clinical studies. These GLP standards reflect the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development requirements.
Certain countries outside of the United States have a similar process that requires the submission of a clinical study application much like the IND prior to the commencement of human clinical studies. Clinical studies of medicinal products in the EU must be conducted in accordance with EU and national regulations and the International Conference on Harmonization, or ICH, guidelines on GCP as well as the applicable regulatory requirements and the ethical principles that have their origin in the Declaration of Helsinki. If the sponsor of the clinical trial is not established within the EU, it must appoint an EU entity to act as its legal representative. The sponsor must take out a clinical trial insurance policy, and in most EU countries, the sponsor is liable to provide ‘no fault’ compensation to any study subject injured in the clinical trial.
The regulatory landscape related to clinical trials in the EU has been subject to recent changes. The EU Clinical Trials Regulation, or CTR, which was adopted in April 2014 and repeals the EU Clinical Trials Directive, became applicable on January 31, 2022. Unlike directives, the CTR is directly applicable in all EU member states without the need for member states to further implement it into national law. The CTR notably harmonizes the assessment and supervision processes for clinical trials throughout the EU via a Clinical Trials Information System, which contains a centralized EU portal and database.
While the Clinical Trials Directive required a separate clinical trial application, or CTA, to be submitted in each member state, to both the competent national health authority and an independent ethics committee, much like the FDA and IRB respectively, the CTR introduces a centralized process and only requires the submission of a single application to all member states concerned. The CTR allows sponsors to make a single submission to both the competent authority and an ethics committee in each member state, leading to a single decision per member state. The CTA must include, among other things, a copy of the trial protocol and an investigational medicinal product dossier containing information about the manufacture and quality of the medicinal product under investigation. The assessment procedure of the CTA has been harmonized as well, including a joint assessment by all member states concerned, and a separate assessment by each member state with respect to specific requirements related to its own territory, including ethics rules. Each member state’s decision is communicated to the sponsor via the centralized EU portal. Once the CTA is approved, clinical study development may proceed.
The CTR foresees a three-year transition period. The extent to which ongoing and new clinical trials will be governed by the CTR varies. For clinical trials whose CTA was made under the Clinical Trials Directive before January 31, 2022, the Clinical Trials Directive will continue to apply on a transitional basis for three years. Additionally, sponsors may still choose to submit a CTA under either the Clinical Trials Directive or the CTR until January 31, 2023 and, if authorised, those will be governed by the Clinical Trials Directive until January 31, 2025. By that date, all ongoing trials will become subject to the provisions of the CTR.
Medicines used in clinical trials must be manufactured in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices , or GMP. Other national and EU-wide regulatory requirements may also apply.
Marketing Authorization
To market a medicinal product in the EU, we must obtain a marketing authorization, or MA. To obtain regulatory approval of an investigational medicinal product under EU regulatory systems, we must submit a marketing authorization application, or MAA. The process for doing this depends, among other things, on the nature of the medicinal product. There are two types of MAs:
• ”Centralized MAs” are is issued by the European Commission through the centralized procedure, based on the opinion of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, of the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, and are valid throughout the EU. The centralized procedure is mandatory for certain types of products, such as: (i) medicinal products derived from biotechnology medicinal products, (ii) designated orphan medicinal products, (iii) advanced therapy medicinal products, or ATMPs, and (iv) medicinal products containing a new active substance indicated for the treatment certain diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, auto-immune and other dysfunctions and viral diseases. The centralized procedure is optional for products containing a new active substance not yet authorized in the EU, or for products
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that constitute a significant therapeutic, scientific or technical innovation or which are in the interest of public health in the EU.
• “National MAs” are issued by the competent authorities of the EU member states, only cover their respective territory, and are available for products not falling within the mandatory scope of the centralized procedure. Where a product has already been authorized for marketing in an EU member state, this national MA can be recognized in another member state through the mutual recognition procedure. If the product has not received a national MA in any member state at the time of application, it can be approved simultaneously in various member states through the decentralized procedure. Under the decentralized procedure an identical dossier is submitted to the competent authorities of each of the member states in which the MA is sought, one of which is selected by the applicant as the reference member state.
Under the above described procedures, before granting the MA, the regulatory authorities make an assessment of the risk-benefit balance of the product on the basis of scientific criteria concerning its quality, safety and efficacy.
Under the centralized procedure the maximum timeframe for the evaluation of a MAA by the EMA is 210 days. In exceptional cases, the CHMP might perform an accelerated review of a MAA in no more than 150 days (not including clock stops). Innovative products that target an unmet medical need and are expected to be of major public health interest may be eligible for a number of expedited development and review programs, such as the Priority Medicines, or PRIME, scheme, which provides incentives similar to the breakthrough therapy designation in the U.S. In March 2016, the EMA launched an initiative, the PRIME scheme, a voluntary scheme aimed at enhancing the EMA’s support for the development of medicines that target unmet medical needs. It is based on increased interaction and early dialogue with companies developing promising medicines, to optimize their product development plans and speed up their evaluation to help them reach patients earlier. Product developers that benefit from PRIME designation can expect to be eligible for accelerated assessment but this is not guaranteed. Many benefits accrue to sponsors of product candidates with PRIME designation, including but not limited to, early and proactive regulatory dialogue with the EMA, frequent discussions on clinical trial designs and other development program elements, and accelerated MAA assessment once a dossier has been submitted. Importantly, a dedicated contact and rapporteur from the CHMP is appointed early in the PRIME scheme facilitating increased understanding of the product at EMA’s committee level. An initial meeting initiates these relationships and includes a team of multidisciplinary experts at the EMA to provide guidance on the overall development and regulatory strategies.
MAs have an initial duration of five years. After these five years, the authorization may be renewed for an unlimited period on the basis of a reevaluation of the risk-benefit balance.
Data and marketing exclusivity
In the EU, new products authorized for marketing, or reference products, generally receive eight years of data exclusivity and an additional two years of market exclusivity upon MA. If granted, the data exclusivity period prevents generic or biosimilar applicants from relying on the preclinical and clinical trial data contained in the dossier of the reference product when applying for a generic or biosimilar MA in the EU during a period of eight years from the date on which the reference product was first authorized in the EU. During the additional two‑year period of market exclusivity, a generic or biosimilar MAA can be submitted, and the innovator’s data may be referenced, but no generic or biosimilar product can be marketed until 10 years have elapsed from the initial MA of the reference product in the EU. The overall 10-year market exclusivity period can be extended to a maximum of eleven years if, during the first eight years of those 10 years, the MA holder obtains an authorization for one or more new therapeutic indications which, during the scientific evaluation prior to their authorization, are held to bring a significant clinical benefit in comparison with existing therapies. However, there is no guarantee that a product will be considered by the EU’s regulatory authorities to be a new chemical entity, and products may not qualify for data exclusivity.
Pediatric development
In the EU, MAAs for new medicinal products have to include the results of trials conducted in the pediatric population, in compliance with a pediatric investigation plan, or PIP, agreed with the EMA’s Pediatric Committee, or PDCO. The PIP sets out the timing and measures proposed to generate data to support a pediatric indication of the drug for which marketing authorization is being sought. The PDCO can grant a deferral of the obligation to implement some or all of the measures of the PIP until there are sufficient data to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the product in adults. Further, the obligation to provide pediatric clinical trial data can be waived by the PDCO when these data is not needed or appropriate because the product is likely to be ineffective or unsafe in children, the disease or condition for which the product is intended occurs only in adult populations, or when the product does not represent a significant therapeutic benefit over existing
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treatments for pediatric patients. Once the MA is obtained in all EU member states and study results are included in the product information, even when negative, the product is eligible for six months’ supplementary protection certificate extension (if any is in effect at the time of approval) or, in the case of orphan pharmaceutical products, a two year extension of the orphan market exclusivity is granted.
Orphan drug designation
The criteria for designating an “orphan medicinal product” in the EU are similar in principle to those in the United States. A medicinal product may be designated as orphan if its sponsor can establish that (1) the product is intended for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of a life threatening or chronically debilitating condition (2) either (a) such condition affects not more than five in 10,000 persons in the EU when the application is made, or (b) the product, without the benefits derived from the orphan status, would not generate sufficient return in the EU to justify the necessary investment; and (3) there exists no satisfactory method of diagnosis, prevention or treatment of the condition in question that has been authorized for marketing in the EU or, if such method exists, the product will be of significant benefit to those affected by that condition.
In the EU, an application for designation as an orphan product can be made any time prior to the filing of an MAA. Orphan drug designation entitles a party to incentives such fee reductions or fee waivers, protocol assistance, and access to the centralized procedure. Upon grant of a MA, orphan medicinal products are entitled to a ten-year period of market exclusivity for the approved therapeutic indication, which means that the EMA cannot accept another MAA, or grant a MA, or accept an application to extend a MA for a similar product for the same indication for a period of ten years. The period of market exclusivity is extended by two years for orphan medicinal products that have also complied with an agreed PIP. No extension to any supplementary protection certificate can be granted on the basis of pediatric studies for orphan indications. Orphan drug designation does not convey any advantage in, or shorten the duration of, the regulatory review and approval process.
The orphan exclusivity period may, however, be reduced to six years if, at the end of the fifth year, it is established that the product no longer meets the criteria for orphan drug designation, for example because the product is sufficiently profitable not to justify market exclusivity, or where the prevalence of the condition has increased above the threshold. Granting of an authorization for another similar orphan medicinal product can happen at any time if: (i) the second applicant can establish that its product, although similar to the authorized product, is safer, more effective or otherwise clinically superior, (ii) inability of the applicant to supply sufficient quantities of the orphan medicinal product or (iii) where the applicant consents to a second orphan medicinal product application. A company may voluntarily remove a product from the orphan register.
Post-Approval Requirements
Similar to the United States, both MA holders and manufacturers of medicinal products are subject to comprehensive regulatory oversight by the EMA, the European Commission and/or the competent regulatory authorities of the member states. The holder of a MA must establish and maintain a pharmacovigilance system and appoint an individual qualified person for pharmacovigilance who is responsible for oversight of that system. Key obligations include expedited reporting of suspected serious adverse reactions and submission of periodic safety update reports, or PSURs.
All new MAA must include a risk management plan, or RMP describing the risk management system that the company will put in place and documenting measures to prevent or minimize the risks associated with the product. The regulatory authorities may also impose specific obligations as a condition of the MA. Such risk-minimization measures or post-authorization obligations may include additional safety monitoring, more frequent submission of PSURs, or the conduct of additional clinical trials or post-authorization safety studies.
The advertising and promotion of medicinal products is also subject to laws concerning promotion of medicinal products, interactions with physicians, misleading and comparative advertising and unfair commercial practices. All advertising and promotional activities for the product must be consistent with the approved summary of product characteristics, and therefore all off-label promotion is prohibited. Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines is also prohibited in the EU. Although general requirements for advertising and promotion of medicinal products are established under EU directives, the details are governed by regulations in each member state and can differ from one country to another.
The aforementioned EU rules are generally applicable in the European Economic Area, or EEA, which consists of the 27 EU member states plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.
Failure to comply with EU and member state laws that apply to the conduct of clinical trials, manufacturing approval, MA of medicinal products and marketing of such products, both before and after grant of the MA, manufacturing of
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pharmaceutical products, statutory health insurance, bribery and anti-corruption or with other applicable regulatory requirements may result in administrative, civil or criminal penalties. These penalties could include delays or refusal to authorize the conduct of clinical trials, or to grant MA, product withdrawals and recalls, product seizures, suspension, withdrawal or variation of the MA, total or partial suspension of production, distribution, manufacturing or clinical trials, operating restrictions, injunctions, suspension of licenses, fines and criminal penalties.
Brexit and the Regulatory Framework in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom, or UK, left the EU on January 31, 2020, following which existing EU medicinal product legislation continued to apply in the UK during the transition period under the terms of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement. The transition period, which ended on December 31, 2020, maintained access to the EU single market and to the global trade deals negotiated by the EU on behalf of its members. The transition period provided time for the UK and EU to negotiate a framework for partnership for the future, which was then crystallized in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, or TCA, and became effective on the January 1, 2021. The TCA includes specific provisions concerning pharmaceuticals, which include the mutual recognition of GMP inspections of manufacturing facilities for medicinal products and GMP documents issued, but does not foresee wholesale mutual recognition of UK and EU pharmaceutical regulations.
EU laws which have been transposed into UK law through secondary legislation continue to be applicable as “retained EU law”. However, new legislation such as the EU CTR will not be applicable. The UK government has passed a new Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021, which introduces delegated powers in favor of the Secretary of State or an ‘appropriate authority’ to amend or supplement existing regulations in the area of medicinal products and medical devices. This allows new rules to be introduced in the future by way of secondary legislation, which aims to allow flexibility in addressing regulatory gaps and future changes in the fields of human medicines, clinical trials and medical devices.
As of January 1, 2021, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, is the UK’s standalone medicines and medical devices regulator. As a result of the Northern Ireland protocol, different rules will apply in Northern Ireland than in England, Wales, and Scotland, together, Great Britain, or GB; broadly, Northern Ireland will continue to follow the EU regulatory regime, but its national competent authority will remain the MHRA. The MHRA has published a guidance on how various aspects of the UK regulatory regime for medicines will operate in GB and in Northern Ireland following the expiry of the Brexit transition period on December 31, 2020. The guidance includes clinical trials, importing, exporting, and pharmacovigilance and is relevant to any business involved in the research, development, or commercialization of medicines in the UK. The new guidance was given effect via the Human Medicines Regulations (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, or the “Exit Regulations”.
The MHRA has introduced changes to national licensing procedures, including procedures to prioritize access to new medicines that will benefit patients, including a 150-day assessment and a rolling review procedure. All existing EU MAs for centrally authorized products were automatically converted or grandfathered into UK MAs, effective in GB (only), free of charge on January 1, 2021, unless the MA holder chooses to opt-out. In order to use the centralized procedure to obtain a MA that will be valid throughout the EEA, companies must be established in the EEA. Therefore after Brexit, companies established in the UK can no longer cannot use the EU centralized procedure and instead an EEA entity must hold any centralized MAs. In order to obtain a UK MA to commercialize products in the UK, an applicant must be established in the UK and must follow one of the UK national authorization procedures or one of the remaining post-Brexit international cooperation procedures to obtain an MA to commercialize products in the UK. The MHRA may rely on a decision taken by the European Commission on the approval of a new (centralized procedure) MA when determining an application for a GB authorization; or use the MHRA’s decentralized or mutual recognition procedures which enable MAs approved in EU member states (or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) to be granted in GB.
There will be no pre-MA orphan designation. Instead, the MHRA will review applications for orphan designation in parallel to the corresponding MA application. The criteria are essentially the same, but have been tailored for the market, i.e., the prevalence of the condition in GB, rather than the EU, must not be more than five in 10,000. Should an orphan designation be granted, the period or market exclusivity will be set from the date of first approval of the product in GB.
Regulation of Combination Products in the EU
The EU regulates medical devices and medicinal products separately, through different legislative instruments, and the applicable requirements will vary depending on the type of drug-device combination product. EU guidance has been published to help manufacturers select the right regulatory framework.
Drug-delivery products intended to administer a medicinal product where the medicinal product and the device form a single integral product are regulated as medicinal products in the EU. The EMA is responsible for evaluating the
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quality, safety and efficacy of MAAs submitted through the centralized procedure, including the safety and performance of the medical device in relation to its use with the medicinal product. The EMA or the EU member state national competent authority will assess the product in accordance with the rules for medicinal products described above but the device part must comply with the Medical Devices Regulation (including the general safety and performance requirements provided in Annex I). MAA must include – where available – the results of the assessment of the conformity of the device part with the Medical Devices Regulation contained in the manufacturer’s EU declaration of conformity of the device or the relevant certificate issued by a notified body. If the MAA does not include the results of the conformity assessment and where for the conformity assessment of the device, if used separately, the involvement of a notified body is required, the competent authority must require the applicant to provide a notified body opinion on the conformity of the device.
By contrast, in case of drug-delivery products intended to administer a medicinal product where the device and the medicinal product do not form a single integral product (but are e.g. co-packaged), the medicinal product is regulated in accordance with the rules for medicinal products described above while the device part is regulated as a medical device and will have to comply with all the requirements set forth by the Medical Devices Regulation.
The characteristics of non-integral devices used for the administration of medicinal products may impact the quality, safety and efficacy profile of the medicinal products. To the extent that administration devices are co-packaged with the medicinal product or, in exceptional cases, where the use of a specific type of administration device is specifically provided for in the product information of the medicinal product, additional information may need to be provided in the MAA for the medicinal product on the characteristics of the medical device(s) that may impact on the quality, safety and/or efficacy of the medicinal product.
The requirements regarding quality documentation for medicinal products when used with a medical device, including single integral products, co-packaged and referenced products, are outlined in the EMA guideline of July 22, 2021, which became applicable as of January 1, 2022.
The aforementioned EU rules are generally applicable in the EEA.
Data privacy and security laws
We are also subject to laws and regulations in non-U.S. countries governing data privacy and the protection of personal data, including health-related data. Laws and regulations in the EU and other jurisdictions apply broadly to the collection, use, storage, disclosure, processing and security of personal data, and have generally become more stringent over time.
For example, the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, imposes strict requirements for processing the personal data of individuals within the EEA. Failure to comply with the requirements of GDPR and the applicable national data protection laws of the EU member states may result in fines of up to €20 million or up to 4% of the total worldwide annual turnover of the preceding financial year, whichever is higher, and other administrative penalties. Additionally, following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, from January 1, 2021, companies have had to comply with the GDPR and the United Kingdom GDPR, or UK GDPR, each regime having the ability to fine up to the greater of €20 million/ £17.5 million or 4% of global turnover. The relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union in relation to certain aspects of data protection law remains unclear, for example around how data can lawfully be transferred between each jurisdiction, which exposes us to further compliance risk.
Human Capital
We have assembled a deeply experienced and highly skilled group of industry veterans, scientists, clinicians and key opinion leaders from leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, as well as leading academic centers from around the world. Our employees are a team of highly dedicated, passionate individuals who pride themselves on a culture of respect, humility, transparency, inclusion, dedication, collaboration and fun. Our ultimate goal is to enhance and extend the lives of patients.
Our philosophy is to offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package to support our greatest assets, our people, and our human capital resources objectives include, as applicable, identifying, attracting, retaining and motivating our highly qualified management and our clinical, scientific and other employees and consultants. The principal purposes of our equity and cash incentive plans are to attract, retain and motivate personnel through the granting of stock-based and cash-based compensation awards, in order to align our interests and the interests of our stockholders with those of our employees and consultants.
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As of February 25, 2022, we had 185 full-time employees and no part-time employees. Of those 185 employees, 58, or 31%, have a Ph.D. or M.D., and 87, or 47%, are women. None of our employees are represented by labor unions or covered by collective bargaining agreements. We consider our relationship with our employees to be good.
Corporate Information
We were incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware on October 26, 2015 under the name FSG, Bio, Inc. and changed our name to Gossamer Bio, Inc. in 2017. Our principal executive offices are located at 3013 Science Park Road, San Diego, California 92121, and our telephone number is (858) 684-1300.
Available Information
Our internet address is www.gossamerbio.com. Our investor relations website is located at http://ir.gossamerbio.com. We make available free of charge on our investor relations website under “filings” our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, our directors’ and officers’ Section 16 reports and any amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after filing or furnishing such materials to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. They are also available for free on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. We use our investor relations website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Investors should monitor such website, in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts. Information relating to our corporate governance is also included on our investor relations website. The information in or accessible through the SEC and our website are not incorporated into, and are not considered part of, this filing. Further, our references to the URLs for these websites are intended to be inactive textual references only.