Qfitlia Becomes the Sixth Alnylam-Discovered RNAi Therapeutic Approved by U.S. FDA and First and Only to Treat Hemophilia A or B With or Without Inhibitors
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the leading RNAi therapeutics company, highlighted the significance of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of Qfitlia™ (fitusiran), the sixth Alnylam-discovered RNAi therapeutic approved in the U.S., and the first and only therapeutic to lower antithrombin (AT), a protein that inhibits blood clotting, with the goal of promoting thrombin generation to rebalance hemostasis and prevent bleeds. Qfitlia is indicated in the U.S. for routine prophylaxis to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with hemophilia A or B, with or without factor VIII or IX inhibitors (neutralizing antibodies). Alnylam scientists discovered Qfitlia, published the first clinical data in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2017 showing reduced bleeding rates in hemophilia patients, and initiated the Phase 3 development program. In 2014, Sanofi obtained global rights to co-develop and co-commercialize Qfitlia under a license and collaboration agreement. The agreement was amended in 2018, with Sanofi obtaining global development and commercialization rights to Qfitlia, and Alnylam becoming eligible to receive tiered royalties of 15 to 30 percent on global net sales.
Qfitlia is the sixth Alnylam-discovered medicine using its RNAi therapeutic platform to be approved to date. The approval marks the completion of the “products” goal in Alnylam’s P5x25 strategy, a set of corporate goals for 2025. Qfitlia has the potential to benefit the estimated one million people living with hemophilia A and B around the world.
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“Today’s approval of Qfitlia is an important moment for Alnylam and our RNAi therapeutics platform, and for the patients living with hemophilia, who now have access to what we believe will be a transformative medicine,” said Yvonne Greenstreet, MBChB, Chief Executive Officer of Alnylam. “Clinical studies showed that by lowering antithrombin, Qfitlia was able to prophylactically reduce annualized bleeding rates by 90%. Importantly, based on its unique mechanism of action, Qfitlia has demonstrated efficacy in patients with hemophilia A or B, with or without inhibitors, with a subcutaneous injection regimen once every two months. We are excited about the potential of Qfitlia to be an important non-factor option for patients with this burdensome disease.”
Qfitlia is indicated in the U.S. to treat hemophilia A or B for adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with or without inhibiting antibodies to factor VIII (hemophilia A) or factor IX (hemophilia B). Regulatory submissions for Qfitlia have also been completed in China and Brazil.
Source: Businesswire