CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Acceleron Pharma Inc. (Nasdaq:XLRN), a leading biopharmaceutical company in the discovery and development of TGF-beta therapeutics to treat serious and rare diseases, today announced positive preliminary results from Part 1 of the Phase 2 clinical trial with ACE-083 in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease at the Peripheral Nerve Society (PNS) annual meeting held in Baltimore, Maryland. CMT is one of the most common inherited neurological diseases and is associated with significant focal muscle weakness. The Company plans to initiate Part 2 of the ACE-083 CMT Phase 2 trial in the third quarter of 2018.
“Preliminary Phase 2 results of ACE-083 in patients with CMT show robust mean increases in total and contractile muscle volume, reductions in fat fraction, and an encouraging safety profile,” said Robert K Zeldin, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Acceleron. “We now look forward to initiating the randomized, placebo-controlled portion of the Phase 2 trial in which we will evaluate ACE-083’s potential to improve function over a six-month treatment period.”
Part 1 of the trial was an open-label, dose-escalation study that enrolled a total of 18 patients (in three cohorts of six patients each) with CMT1 or CMTX who received ACE-083 at dose levels of 150 mg, 200 mg, or 240 mg. ACE-083 was administered by injection into the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle bilaterally once every three weeks for three months to evaluate safety and increases in muscle volume. The TA, which is located in the lower leg, is the primary muscle responsible for ankle dorsiflexion, or the ability to lift the front of the foot when taking a step. TA weakness can result in foot drop and increased risk of falls.
Muscle volume was measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) three weeks after the last injection of ACE-083. Muscle volume and fat fraction are represented as the changes from baseline averaged for each side.
- Mean total muscle volume (TMV) increases ranged from 12.6% to 14.2%.
- Mean absolute decreases (improvement) in fat fraction ranged from 1.7% to 3.5%.
In addition, treatment with ACE-083 resulted in mean increases from baseline in contractile muscle volume (an MRI-derived calculation to measure viable, functional muscle volume as part of the TMV), ranging from 15.8% to 19.6%.
The most common adverse events—injection-site reactions, muscle spasms, and myalgia—were mild or moderate (grades 1-2).
“There are currently no FDA-approved therapies for patients with CMT with muscle weakness. The muscle volume and fat fraction changes demonstrated in Part 1 of the ACE-083 trial are encouraging,” said Florian P. Thomas, M.D., neurologist and principal investigator at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University. “We’re hopeful that ACE-083 may become an important option for patients.”
The 2018 PNS ACE-083 Part 1 oral and poster presentations are available in the “Science” section on Acceleron’s website, www.acceleronpharma.com.
The double-blind, placebo-controlled Part 2 of the CMT Phase 2 trial will enroll approximately 40 patients who will be randomized (1:1) to receive either placebo or ACE-083. Patients will be evaluated for changes in muscle volume, fat fraction, strength, function and safety over a six-month primary treatment period, followed by a six-month open-label treatment period. Preliminary results are expected by the end of 2019.
For additional information on this clinical trial, please visit clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT03124459.
About ACE-083
ACE-083 is a locally-acting therapeutic candidate, based on the naturally-occurring protein follistatin, which utilizes the Myostatin+ approach to inhibit multiple TGF-beta ligands. It is designed to have a concentrated effect along targeted muscles to maximize growth and strength selectively in the muscles into which the drug is administered. Acceleron is developing ACE-083 for disorders such as CMT disease and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), in which improved muscle strength in target muscles may provide a clinical benefit and enhance quality of life. For more information, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
About Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
CMT is one of the most common inherited neurologic diseases. It is estimated to affect more than 125,000 people in the United States. The primary clinical manifestations of CMT include muscle weakness in the lower legs and arms. The lower leg muscle weakness can result in foot drop leading to a high-stepped gait and frequent tripping or falls. The disease is typically diagnosed by the presence of a characteristic pattern of muscle weakness, nerve conduction studies, and genetic testing. There are no FDA-approved drug therapies for CMT.
About Acceleron
Acceleron is a Cambridge-based, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of therapeutics to treat serious and rare diseases. The Company's leadership in the understanding of TGF-beta biology and protein engineering generates innovative compounds that engage the body's ability to regulate cellular growth and repair.
Acceleron focuses its research and development efforts in hematologic, neuromuscular, and pulmonary diseases. In hematology, the Company and its global collaboration partner, Celgene, are developing luspatercept for the treatment of chronic anemia in myelodysplastic syndromes, beta-thalassemia, and myelofibrosis. Acceleron is also advancing its neuromuscular franchise with two distinct Myostatin+ agents, ACE-083 and ACE-2494, and a Phase 2 pulmonary program with sotatercept in pulmonary arterial hypertension.
For more information, please visit www.acceleronpharma.com. Follow Acceleron on Social Media: @AcceleronPharma and LinkedIn.
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