VICTORIA, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUPH / TSX:AUP) (“Aurinia” or the “Company”), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the global immunology market, today announced the AURION open-label study of voclosporin for the treatment of lupus nephritis (LN) 48-week results will be presented at the 12th International Congress on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (LUPUS 2017) & the 7th Asian Congress on Autoimmunity (ACA 2017) taking place March 26-29, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. The abstract, titled, “AURION Study: 48-Week Data of Multi-Target Therapy with Voclosporin, Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) and Steroids for Active Lupus Nephritis,” will be presented by Robert Huizinga, Aurinia Vice President of Clinical Affairs on March 27, 2017.
“AURION has provided early proof of concept data to support voclosporin’s use in the treatment of active LN. “The ability to quickly predict responses and remission rates using biomarkers can help clinicians optimize patient care and long-term outcomes," said Richard M. Glickman, Aurinia’s Chief Executive Officer.
The AURION study is an open-label exploratory study in 10 patients to assess the short -term predictors of response using voclosporin (23.7mg BID) in combination with MMF and oral corticosteroids in patients with active lupus nephritis. The primary objective of the study is to examine biomarkers of disease activity at eight weeks and their ability to predict response at 24 and 48 weeks. The 24-week data released in October 2016 showed a majority of patients achieved complete remission, and all inflammatory markers and anti-dsDNA trended towards normalization. In addition, renal function remained stable, and voclosporin was well-tolerated with no unexpected safety concerns observed.
Following the presentation, a copy will be available on Aurinia’s corporate website at: www.auriniapharma.com.
About AURION
The AURION study or “Aurinia Early
Urinary Protein Reduction Predicts Response Study” is an open-label,
exploratory study being conducted in 10 patients across two sites in
Malaysia to assess the short term predictors of response using
voclosporin (23.7mg) in combination with mycophenolate mofetil and oral
corticosteroids in patients with active lupus nephritis. This study will
examine biomarkers of disease activity at 8 weeks and their ability to
predict response at 24 and 48 weeks.
About Voclosporin
Voclosporin, an investigational
drug, is a novel and potentially best-in-class calcineurin inhibitor
(“CNI”) with clinical data in over 2,200 patients across indications.
Voclosporin is an immunosuppressant, with a synergistic and dual
mechanism of action that has the potential to improve near- and
long-term outcomes in LN when added to standard of care (MMF). By
inhibiting calcineurin, voclosporin blocks IL-2 expression and T-cell
mediated immune responses. It is made by a modification of a single
amino acid of the cyclosporine molecule which has shown a more
predictable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic relationship, an
increase in potency, an altered metabolic profile, and potential for
flat dosing. The Company anticipates that upon regulatory approval,
patent protection for voclosporin will be extended in the United States
and certain other major markets, including Europe and Japan, until at
least October 2027 under the Hatch-Waxman Act and comparable laws in
other countries.
About Lupus Nephritis (LN)
LN in an inflammation of
the kidney caused by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (“SLE”) and represents
a serious progression of SLE. SLE is a chronic, complex and often
disabling disorder and affects more than 500,000 people in the United
States (mostly women). The disease is highly heterogeneous, affecting a
wide range of organs & tissue systems. It is estimated that as many as
60% of all SLE patients have clinical LN requiring treatment. Unlike
SLE, LN has straightforward disease outcomes where an early response
correlates with long-term outcomes, measured by proteinuria. In patients
with LN, renal damage results in proteinuria and/or hematuria and a
decrease in renal function as evidenced by reduced estimated glomerular
filtration rate (eGFR), and increased serum creatinine levels. LN is
debilitating and costly and if poorly controlled, LN can lead to
permanent and irreversible tissue damage within the kidney, resulting in
end-stage renal disease (ESRD), thus making LN a serious and potentially
life-threatening condition.
About Aurinia
Aurinia is a clinical stage
biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing
therapies to treat targeted patient populations that are suffering from
serious diseases with a high unmet medical need. The company is
currently developing voclosporin, an investigational drug, for the
treatment of LN. The company is headquartered in Victoria, BC and
focuses its development efforts globally. www.auriniapharma.com
Forward Looking Statements
This press release
contains forward-looking statements, including statements related to
Aurinia's regulatory strategy, Aurinia's analysis, assessment and
conclusions of the results of the AURION clinical study, and the
efficacy and safety of voclosporin. It is possible that such results or
conclusions may change based on further analyses of these data. Words
such as "plans," "intends," “may,” "will," "believe," and similar
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements are based upon Aurinia’s current
expectations. Forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties. Aurinia’s actual results and the timing of events could
differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking
statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include,
without limitation, the risk that Aurinia’s analyses, assessment and
conclusions of the results of the AURION clinical study set forth in
this release may change based on further analyses of such data, and the
risk that Aurinia’s clinical studies for voclosporin may not lead to
regulatory approval. These and other risk factors are discussed under
"Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Aurinia’s Annual Information Form for
the year ended December 31, 2015 filed with Canadian securities
authorities and available at www.sedar.com
and on Form 40-F with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission and
available at www.sec.gov,
each as updated by subsequent filings, including filings on Form 6-K.
Aurinia expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release
publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements
contained herein to reflect any change in Aurinia's expectations with
regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on
which any such statements are based.
