VANCOUVER, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY) (“CytoDyn” or the “Company”), a late-stage biotechnology company developing leronlimab, a CCR5 antagonist with the potential for multiple therapeutic indications, today filed a request with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for approval of expanded access use of leronlimab for multi-drug resistance (MDR) HIV patients. The Company has also previously sought FDA approval for CytoDyn to charge for leronlimab used in this patient population and is preparing to file the last portion of this request.
Recent data reported in “NIH-Funded Study Estimates Global Progress Toward UNAIDS Goal” indicates there are still far too many HIV patients who experience difficulty in achieving suppressed viral load. A viral load of about 1000 cp/mL or less is needed to ensure patients cannot transmit HIV to others. The MDR HIV patients are at the risk of contracting AIDS when their condition progresses such that their CD4 count drops below 200 cp/mL.
Nader Pourhassan, Ph.D., CytoDyn’s President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “Our Phase 3 pivotal trial, which yielded a statistically significant primary endpoint for efficacy (p=0.0032), had an 81% success rate in suppressing viral load (VL<50 cp/mL) in the MDR population after 24 weeks of leronlimab treatment. This compares to other recent antibody products approved for this population with around 45% suppressed viral load. This population of HIV patients has limited treatment options, and almost all those who completed our pivotal Phase 3 trial, CD02, requested to continue with leronlimab treatment in an extension arm of our CD02 trial. Currently we have 24 patients (almost half of the patients in CD02), on leronlimab treatment, some for as many as four years. Expanded access approval from the FDA will allow us to provide leronlimab to MDR HIV patients who are in great need of a new regimen to add to their current ones. Additionally, CytoDyn will be filing final documentation with the FDA soon in connection with its request to charge for the use of leronlimab under expanded access.”
About CytoDyn
CytoDyn is a late-stage biotechnology company developing innovative treatments for multiple therapeutic indications using leronlimab, a novel humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the CCR5 receptor. CCR5 plays a critical role in the ability of HIV to enter and infect healthy T-cells and appears to be implicated in tumor metastasis and immune-mediated illnesses, such as NASH.
CytoDyn successfully completed a Phase 3 pivotal trial using leronlimab combined with standard antiretroviral therapies in HIV-infected patients who were heavily treatment-experienced individuals with limited treatment options. CytoDyn is working diligently to resubmit its BLA for this HIV combination therapy since receiving a Refusal to File in July 2020. In July 2021, CytoDyn announced that it had submitted a dose justification report to the FDA, an integral step in the resubmission process for its BLA, which it expects to complete during the first quarter of calendar 2022. The first and second portion of the main three section of the BLA has been resubmitted to the FDA. CytoDyn also completed a Phase 2b/3 investigative trial with leronlimab used as a once-weekly monotherapy for HIV-infected patients. CytoDyn plans to initiate a registration-directed study of leronlimab monotherapy indication. If successful, it could support a label expansion approval. Clinical results to date from two trials have shown that leronlimab can maintain a suppressed viral load in a sub-population of R5 HIV patients who chose to switch from their daily pills regimen to once-a-week subcutaneous dose of leronlimab. Several patients on leronlimab’s Phase 2b extension ,arm have remained virally suppressed for almost 7 years and many patients in our Phase 2b/3 investigative trial are passing two and some four years of monotherapy with suppressed viral load.
CytoDyn recently completed a Phase 2 clinical trial with leronlimab in mTNBC and a Phase 2 basket trial in solid tumor cancers (22 different cancer indications) A Phase 2 investigative trial for post-acute sequelae of SARS COV-2, also known as COVID-19 long-hauler’s, and a Phase 2 clinical trial for NASH are continuing. CytoDyn has already completed a Phase 2 and Phase 3 trial for mild-to-moderate and severe-to-critical COVID-19 patients, respectively, for which CytoDyn did not meet its primary or secondary endpoints, except for the secondary endpoint in the critically ill subpopulation. More information is at www.cytodyn.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Words and expressions reflecting optimism, satisfaction or disappointment with current prospects, as well as words such as “believes,” “hopes,” “intends,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” “plans,” “anticipates” and variations thereof, or the use of future tense, identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements specifically include statements about leronlimab, its ability to provide positive health outcomes, the possible results of clinical trials, studies or other programs or ability to continue those programs, the ability to obtain regulatory approval for commercial sales, and the market for actual commercial sales. The Company’s forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance, and actual results could vary materially from those contained in or expressed by such statements due to risks and uncertainties including: (i) the regulatory determinations of leronlimab’s efficacy to treat human immunodeficiency virus (“HIV”) patients with multiple resistance to current standard of care, COVID-19 patients, and metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (“mTNBC”), among other indications, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and various drug regulatory agencies in other countries; (ii) the Company’s ability to raise additional capital to fund its operations; (iii) the Company’s ability to meet its debt obligations; (iv) the Company’s ability to enter into partnership or licensing arrangements with third-parties; (v) the Company’s ability to identify patients to enroll in its clinical trials in a timely fashion; (vi) the Company’s ability to achieve approval of a marketable product; (vii) the design, implementation and conduct of the Company’s clinical trials; (viii) the results of the Company’s clinical trials, including the possibility of unfavorable clinical trial results; (ix) the market for, and marketability of, any product that is approved; (x) the existence or development of vaccines, drugs, or other treatments that are viewed by medical professionals or patients as superior to the Company’s products; (xi) regulatory initiatives, compliance with governmental regulations and the regulatory approval process; (xii) legal proceedings, investigations or inquiries affecting the Company or its products; (xiii) general economic and business conditions; (xiv) changes in foreign, political, and social conditions; (xv) stockholder actions or proposals with regard to the Company, its management, or its board of directors; and (xvi) various other matters, many of which are beyond the Company’s control. The Company urges investors to consider specifically the various risk factors identified in its most recent Form 10-K, and any risk factors or cautionary statements included in any subsequent Form 10-Q or Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements to take into account events or circumstances that occur after the date of this press release.
