New England Journal of Medicine Publishes Phase 3 Data on B-VEC in Patients with Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa
In this GEM-3 trial of 31 patients, complete wound healing at 6 months occurred in 67.4% of B-VEC wounds compared to 21.6% for placebo (difference, 45.8 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 23.6 to 68.0; p=0.002). Complete wound healing at 3 months occurred in 70.6% of the wounds exposed to B-VEC as compared with 19.7% of those exposed to placebo (difference, 51.0 percentage points; 95% CI, 29.3 to 72.6; p=0.0005).
“The impressive phase 3 results with B-VEC are the best we have seen to date in patients with DEB and, if approved, B-VEC provides hope for these patients suffering through debilitating and potentially life-threatening symptoms associated with the disease, ” said Peter Marinkovich, M.D., Director of the Blistering Disease Clinic at Stanford Health Care, Associate Professor of Dermatology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, primary investigator of the GEM-3 trial and primary author of the manuscript.
The GEM-3 trial was a randomized, double-blind, intra-patient placebo-controlled multi-center trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of B-VEC for the treatment of DEB. In the trial, matched wounds receiving topical B-VEC or placebo were evaluated in 31 DEB patients over 26 weeks. The pivotal GEM-3 trial met its primary endpoint of complete wound healing at six-months and its secondary endpoint of complete wound healing at three-months. B-VEC was well tolerated, with no drug-related serious adverse events or discontinuations due to treatment.
“B-VEC was developed by Krystal scientists as a potential first-in-class therapy for DEB,” said Suma Krishnan, President, Research & Development, Krystal Biotech. “We are working closely with the FDA to get B-VEC approved and deliver a meaningful benefit to patients with this debilitating disease.”
The Company received
About Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (DEB)
DEB is a rare and severe disease that affects the skin and mucosal tissues. It is caused by one or more mutations in a gene called COL7A1, which is responsible for the production of the protein type VII collagen (COL7) that forms anchoring fibrils that bind the dermis (inner layer of the skin) to the epidermis (outer layer of the skin). The lack of functional anchoring fibrils in DEB patients leads to extremely fragile skin that blisters and tears from minor friction or trauma. DEB patients suffer from open wounds, which leads to skin infections, fibrosis which can cause fusion of fingers and toes, and ultimately an increased risk of developing an aggressive form of squamous cell carcinoma which, in severe cases, can be fatal.
About B-VEC
B-VEC is an investigational non-invasive, topical, redosable gene therapy designed to deliver two copies of the COL7A1 gene when applied directly to DEB wounds. B-VEC was designed to treat DEB at the molecular level by providing the patient’s skin cells the template to make normal COL7 protein, thereby addressing the fundamental disease-causing mechanism.
The FDA and EMA have each granted B-VEC orphan drug designation for the treatment of DEB, and the FDA has granted B-VEC fast track designation and rare pediatric designation for the treatment of DEB. In addition, the FDA granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) to B-VEC for the treatment of DEB and the EMA granted PRIority MEdicines (PRIME) eligibility for B-VEC to treat DEB.
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Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for the Company, including statements about the clinical utility of B-VEC and other statements containing the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “likely,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “continue,” and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: uncertainties associated with regulatory review of clinical trials and applications for marketing approvals, the availability or commercial potential of B-VEC, the sufficiency of cash resources and need for additional financing and such other important factors as are set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual and quarterly reports on file with the
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Source: Krystal Biotech, Inc.