Full Press Release Details
New pivotal data at EHA 2021 reinforces sutimlimab as a
first-in-class investigational C1s inhibitor with the potential to be the first approved treatment for hemolysis in people with cold agglutinin disease, a serious and
chronic autoimmune hemolytic anemia
PARIS June 11, 2021 Results from Part A of CADENZA, a pivotal Phase 3 double-blind, placebo-controlled study
evaluating the safety and efficacy of sutimlimab in people with cold agglutinin disease (CAD) without a recent history of blood transfusion (within the prior six months), will be presented in an oral session at the European Hematology Association
2021 Congress. The data demonstrated treatment with sutimlimab resulted in rapid and sustained inhibition of C1-activated hemolysis in people with CAD, noted within one week of treatment, and clinically
significant improvements in hemoglobin and fatigue when compared to placebo during the course of the study.
disease causes the body s immune system to mistakenly destroy its healthy red blood cells. People living with cold agglutinin disease experience the crippling impact of chronic hemolysis that can cause severe anemia, profound fatigue and can
have acute hemolytic crisis, said principal investigator and presenting author Professor Alexander R th, M.D., Department of Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. The
positive evidence from the CADENZA trial demonstrate significant improvements in hemolysis and meaningful impact on key measures of anemia and fatigue.
CADENZA is a second pivotal Phase 3 study investigating sutimlimab in the treatment of CAD. The primary efficacy outcome was the proportion of patients who
met all three of the following components: improvement in hemoglobin 1.5 g/dL from baseline at treatment assessment timepoint, (average of Weeks 23, 25, and 26); avoidance of transfusions from Week 5
through Week 26; and avoidance of other CAD-related therapies beyond what was permitted from Week 5 through Week 26. The secondary efficacy measures assessed improvement from baseline in key indicators of the
disease process including hemoglobin, bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and quality of life as measured by Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT)-Fatigue Score.
The results from CADENZA and data from the Phase 3 CARDINAL study, presented as a
late-breaker at the American Society of Hematology congress in 2019, will be the basis of our filing with the European Medicines Agency. Together, the studies highlight the promising potential of sutimlimab to have a meaningful impact for people
living with CAD, said Karin Knobe, M.D., Ph.D., Head of Development, Rare and Rare Blood Disorders, Sanofi. Based on the robust clinical evidence we have to-date, sutimlimab significantly
inhibits hemolysis and has the potential to be an important new treatment for CAD.
CADENZA Phase 3 study data (final Part A) presented at
The CADENZA trial is a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the efficacy and safety of sutimlimab in
patients with CAD without a recent history of blood transfusion (within the past 6 months). Eligible patients were randomized 1:1 to receive a fixed weight-based dose (6.5g or 7.5g) of sutimlimab or placebo via intravenous infusion on Day 0, Day 7
and then once every other week up to Week 26. The open-label Part B of the study is ongoing and will evaluate long-term safety as well as durability of response to sutimlimab in all participants with CAD.
Forty-two patients (mean age of 66.7 years) were enrolled and randomized to either sutimlimab (N=22) or placebo (N=20).
Overall, 19 (86%) and 20 (100%) patients in the sutimlimab and placebo groups, respectively, completed Part A and continued into Part B. Three (14%) patients from the sutimlimab group discontinued Part A early due to adverse events.
Efficacy and safety data:
Cold agglutinin disease, a rare and chronic condition
Cold agglutinin disease (CAD) is a rare, chronic autoimmune hemolytic anemia that causes the body s immune system to mistakenly attack healthy red blood
cells and cause their destruction (hemolysis) via activation of the classical complement pathway. CAD patients may experience chronic anemia, profound fatigue, acute hemolytic crisis, and other potential complications, including an increased risk of
thromboembolic events and early death.2,3,4 CAD impacts the lives of an estimated 12,000 people in the U.S., Europe, and Japan.5 Currently
there are no approved therapies for CAD.
About CARDINAL Phase 3 Study
CARDINAL was the first of two pivotal Phase 3 studies investigating sutimlimab as a potential treatment for CAD. CARDINAL is an open-label, single-arm study to assess the efficacy and safety of sutimlimab in adult patients with CAD who received a recent blood transfusion. The CARDINAL data were presented in the Late-Breaking Abstracts
Session at the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology in December 2019 and are the basis of the Biologics License Application
submission with the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Sutimlimab is an investigational, humanized monoclonal antibody that is designed to selectively target and inhibit C1s in the classical complement pathway,
which is part of the innate immune system. By blocking C1s, sutimlimab inhibits the activation of the classical complement pathway with the goal of halting C1-activated hemolysis in CAD to prevent the abnormal
destruction of healthy red blood cells. By selectively inhibiting the classical pathway upstream at C1s, sutimlimab does not inhibit the lectin and alternative complement pathways.
Sutimlimab has been granted Breakthrough Therapy by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Orphan Drug status by the FDA, European Medicines Agency
(EMA) and the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency in Japan. Sutimlimab is currently under clinical investigation and has not been approved by any regulatory authority. Sanofi plans to resubmit its Biologics License Application with the U.S
FDA in the second half of 2021.
Sanofi is dedicated to supporting
people through their health challenges. We are a global biopharmaceutical company focused on human health. We prevent illness with vaccines, provide innovative treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We stand by the few who suffer from rare
diseases and the millions with long-term chronic conditions.
With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around the globe.
| Media Relations Contacts Sally Bain Tel.: +1 (781) 264-1091 Sally.Bain@sanofi.com | Investor Relations Contacts Paris Eva Schaefer-Jansen Arnaud Delepine Nathalie Pham Investor Relations Contacts North America Felix Lauscher Fara Berkowitz Suzanne Greco IR main line: Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 77 45 45 investor.relations@sanofi.com https://www.sanofi.com/en/investors/contact | |
| Sanofi Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words expects , anticipates , believes , intends , estimates , plans and similar expressions. Although Sanofi s management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Sanofi, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, device or biological application that may be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions regarding labelling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such product candidates, the fact that product candidates if approved may not be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, Sanofi s ability to benefit from external growth opportunities, to complete related transactions and/or obtain regulatory clearances, risks associated with intellectual property and any related pending or future litigation and the ultimate outcome of such litigation, trends in exchange rates and prevailing interest rates, volatile economic and market conditions, cost containment initiatives and subsequent changes thereto, and the impact that COVID-19 will have on us, our customers, suppliers, vendors, and other business partners, and the financial condition of any one of them, as well as on our employees and on the global economy as a whole. Any material effect of COVID-19 on any of the foregoing could also adversely impact us. This situation is changing rapidly and additional impacts may arise of which we are not currently aware and may exacerbate other previously identified risks. The risks and uncertainties also include the uncertainties discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under Risk Factors and Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements in Sanofi s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements. |