Lecanemab Receives Priority Review Status in Japan JCN Newswire

Lecanemab Receives Priority Review Status in Japan

January 30, 2023
TOKYO and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan 30, 2023 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. and Biogen Inc. announced today that an application for manufacturing and marketing approval for lecanemab (generic name, U.S. brand name: LEQEMBI), an anti-amyloid-beta (Abeta) protofibril* antibody, in Japan has been designated for Priority Review by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). Priority Review in Japan is granted to new medicines recognized as having high medical utility for serious diseases, and once designated for Priority Review, the target total review period is shortened. In Japan, Eisai submitted the manufacturing and marketing approval for lecanemab to the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) on January 16, 2023. This application is based on the results of the Phase III Clarity AD study and the Phase IIb clinical study (Study 201), which demonstrated that lecanemab treatment showed a reduction of clinical decline in early AD. Lecanemab selectively binds and eliminates soluble, toxic Abeta aggregates (protofibrils) that are thought to contribute to the neurotoxicity in AD. As such, lecanemab may have the potential to have an effect on disease pathology and to slow down the progression of the disease. The Clarity AD study of lecanemab met its primary endpoint and all key secondary endpoints with highly statistically significant results. In November 2022, the results of the Clarity AD study were presented at the 2022 Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) conference and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a peer-reviewed medical journal. In the U.S., lecanemab was granted accelerated approval as a treatment for AD by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 6, 2023. On the same day, Eisai submitted a Supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the FDA for approval under the traditional pathway. In Europe, Eisai submitted a marketing authorization application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on January 9, 2023 and accepted on January 26, 2023. In China, Eisai initiated submission of data for a BLA to the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in December 2022. Eisai serves as the lead of lecanemab development and regulatory submissions globally with both Eisai and Biogen co-commercializing and co-promoting the product and Eisai having final decision-making authority. *Protofibrils are large Abeta aggregated soluble species of 75-500 Kd. (1),(2)For more information, visit www.eisai.com/news/2023/news202312.html. Copyright 2023 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
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Eisai Files Marketing Authorization Application for Anti-Amyloid-Beta Protofibril Antibody Lecanemab for Early Alzheimer’s Disease in Japan JCN Newswire

Eisai Files Marketing Authorization Application for Anti-Amyloid-Beta Protofibril Antibody Lecanemab for Early Alzheimer’s Disease in Japan

January 16, 2023
TOKYO and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan 16, 2023 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. and Biogen Inc. announced today that Eisai has submitted a marketing authorization application for lecanemab (Brand Name in the U.S.: LEQEMBI), an investigational anti-amyloid beta (Abeta) protofibril(1) antibody for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild AD dementia (collectively known as early AD) with confirmed presence of amyloid pathology in the brain to the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA).This application is based on the results of the Phase III Clarity AD study and Phase IIb clinical study (Study 201), which demonstrated the lecanemab treatment showed a reduction of clinical decline in early AD. Prior to submitting this application, Eisai utilized the prior assessment consultation system of PMDA, with the aim of shortening the review period for lecanemab. In the Clarity AD study, lecanemab treatment resulted in highly statistically significant results, reducing clinical decline on the global cognitive and functional scale as the primary endpoint (CDR-SB(2): Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes) as early as six months, and over time across all time points. All key secondary endpoints also showed highly statistically significant results. Especially, treatment with lecanemab showed a statistically significant reduction in amyloid plaque burden at all timepoints starting at 3 months in the amyloid PET study and statistically significantly slowed decline of activities of daily living on ADCS MCI-ADL(3). The most common adverse events (>10%) in the lecanemab group were infusion reactions, ARIA-H (combined cerebral microhemorrhages, cerebral macrohemorrhages, and superficial siderosis), ARIA-E (edema/effusion), headache, and fall.In November 2022, the results of Clarity AD study were presented at the 15th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) conference and simultaneously published in the peer-reviewed medical journal the New England Journal of Medicine(New Window).In the U.S., lecanemab was granted accelerated approval as a treatment for AD by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 6, 2023. On the same day, Eisai submitted a Supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the FDA for approval under the traditional pathway. In Europe, Eisai submitted marketing authorization application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on January 9, 2023. In China, Eisai initiated submission of data for BLA to the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China in December 2022.Eisai serves as the lead of lecanemab development and regulatory submissions globally with both Eisai and Biogen co-commercializing and co-promoting the product and Eisai having final decision-making authority.This release discusses investigational uses of an agent in development and is not intended to convey conclusions about efficacy or safety. There is no guarantee that such an investigational agent will successfully gain health authority approval.For more information, visit www.eisai.com/news/2023/news202307.html.MEDIA CONTACT:Eisai Co., Ltd.Public Relations DepartmentTEL: +81-(0)3-3817-5120Eisai Inc. (U.S.)Libby Holman+ 1-201-753-1945Libby_Holman@eisai.com INVESTOR CONTACT:Eisai Co., Ltd.Investor Relations DepartmentTEL: +81-(0)03-3817-5122 Copyright 2023 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
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Eisai Submits Marketing Authorization Application for Lecanemab as Treatment for Early Alzheimer’s Disease in Europe JCN Newswire

Eisai Submits Marketing Authorization Application for Lecanemab as Treatment for Early Alzheimer’s Disease in Europe

January 11, 2023
TOKYO, Jan 11, 2023 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. and Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB) announced today that Eisai has submitted a marketing authorization application (MAA) for lecanemab (Brand Name in the U.S.: LEQEMBI), an investigational anti-amyloid beta (Abeta) protofibril antibody, for the treatment of early Alzheimer's disease (mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild AD dementia) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This application is based on the results of the Phase III Clarity AD study and the Phase IIb clinical study (Study 201), which demonstrated that lecanemab treatment showed a reduction of clinical decline in early AD, and is subject to a validation to determine whether the EMA accepts the application for review.The Clarity AD study met its primary endpoint (CDR-SB(1): Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes) and all key secondary endpoints with highly statistically significant results. The most common adverse events (>10%) in the lecanemab group were infusion reactions, ARIA-H (combined cerebral microhemorrhages, cerebral macrohemorrhages, and superficial siderosis), ARIA-E (edema/effusion), headache, and fall.In November 2022, the results of the Clarity AD study were presented at the 2022 Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) conference, and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine, peer-reviewed medical journals.In the U.S., lecanemab was granted accelerated approval as a treatment for AD by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 6, 2023. Eisai submitted a Supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the FDA for approval under the traditional pathway on the same day. In China, Eisai has initiated submission of data for BLA to the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China in December 2022. In Japan, Eisai plans to submit a marketing authorization application by the end of Eisai's fiscal year 2022, which ends March 31, 2023.Eisai serves as the lead of lecanemab development and regulatory submissions globally with both Eisai and Biogen co-commercializing and co-promoting the product and Eisai having final decision-making authority.(1) CDR-SB is a numeric scale used to quantify the various severity of symptoms of dementia. Based on interviews of people living with AD and family/caregivers, qualified healthcare professionals assess cognitive and functional performance in six areas: memory, orientation, judgment and problem solving, community affairs, home and hobbies, and personal care. The total score of the six areas is the score of CDR-SB, and CDR-SB is also used as an appropriate item for evaluating the effectiveness of therapeutic drugs targeting the early stages of AD.Media Contacts:Eisai Co., Ltd.Public Relations DepartmentTEL: +81 (0)3-3817-5120Eisai Europe, Ltd.(Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Russia)EMEA Communications Department+44 (0) 786 601 1272EMEA-comms@eisai.netBiogen Inc.Natacha Gassenbach+ 1-857-777-6573public.affairs@biogen.comInvestor Contacts: Eisai Co., Ltd. Investor Relations DepartmentTEL: +81 (0) 3-3817-5122Biogen Inc.Mike Hencke+ 1-781-464-2442IR@biogen.com Copyright 2023 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
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Eisai Presents Full Results of Lecanemab Phase 3 Confirmatory Clarity Ad Study for Early Alzheimer’s Disease at Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) Conference JCN Newswire

Eisai Presents Full Results of Lecanemab Phase 3 Confirmatory Clarity Ad Study for Early Alzheimer’s Disease at Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) Conference

November 30, 2022
TOKYO, Nov 30, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. and Biogen Inc. announced today that the results from Eisai's large global Phase 3 confirmatory Clarity AD clinical study of lecanemab (development code: BAN2401), an investigational anti-amyloid beta (Abeta) protofibril antibody for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild AD (collectively known as early AD) with confirmed presence of amyloid pathology in the brain, were presented at the 2022 Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) conference, in San Francisco, California and virtually.Figure 1: CDR-SB as Primary endpoint change (18 months)Summary of Presentations in the Scientific Session featuring Lecanemab at CTADDesign of Clarity AD StudyEisai's Clarity AD was a global confirmatory Phase 3 placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group, randomized study in 1,795 people with early AD (lecanemab group: 898 placebo group: 897) at 235 sites in North America, Europe, and Asia. The participants were randomized 1:1 to receive either placebo or lecanemab 10-mg/kg IV biweekly, and the randomization was stratified according to clinical subgroup (MCI due to AD or mild AD), presence or absence of concomitant approved AD symptomatic medication at baseline (e.g., acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, or both), ApoE4 status and geographical region. Eligibility criteria allowed patients with a broad range of comorbidities/comedications, including but not limited to hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, renal disease and anti-coagulants. As a result of Eisai's recruitment strategy of diversity in the Clarity AD study, 4.5% and 22.5% of the randomized participants in the U.S. were Black and Hispanic, respectively.The primary endpoint was change from baseline at 18 months in the CDR-SB1 (Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes), the global cognitive and functional scale, and key secondary endpoints were the change from baseline at 18 months in amyloid Positron Emission Tomography (PET) using Centiloids, AD Assessment Scale - Cognitive Subscale 14 (ADAS-Cog142), AD Composite Score (ADCOMS3) and AD Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living Scale for Mild Cognitive Impairment (ADCS MCI-ADL4). In addition, longitudinal changes in brain tau pathology as measured by tau PET (n=257) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of AD pathology (n=281) were evaluated in optional sub-studies.Efficacy Results of Clarity ADMean change of CDR-SB from baseline at 18 months as the primary endpoint was 1.21 and 1.66 for lecanemab and placebo groups, respectively. Lecanemab treatment resulted in highly statistically significant results, reducing clinical decline on the global cognitive and functional scale, compared with placebo at 18 months by -0.45 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): -0.67, -0.23; P=0.00005), representing a 27% slowing of decline. Starting as early as six months (difference: -0.17 [95% CI: -0.29, -0.05]; PAll key secondary endpoints also showed highly statistically significant results compared with placebo (PFor more information, visit www.eisai.com/news/2022/pdf/enews202285pdf.pdf. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
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Eleven Experts from Leading Medical Institutions and Eight Experts from Eisai Publish Full Results of Lecanemab Phase 3 Confirmatory Clarity Ad Study for Early Alzheimer’s Disease in the New England Journal of Medicine JCN Newswire

Eleven Experts from Leading Medical Institutions and Eight Experts from Eisai Publish Full Results of Lecanemab Phase 3 Confirmatory Clarity Ad Study for Early Alzheimer’s Disease in the New England Journal of Medicine

November 30, 2022
TOKYO, Nov 30, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. and Biogen Inc. announced today that the results from Eisai's large global Phase 3 confirmatory Clarity AD clinical study of lecanemab (development code: BAN2401), an investigational anti-amyloid beta (Abeta) protofibril antibody for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild AD (collectively known as early AD) with confirmed presence of amyloid pathology in the brain, were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the world's most prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals. For the details of the paper, please refer to: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2212948.The rapid publication of the Clarity AD study results demonstrates Eisai's strong commitment to trust and transparency based on Eisai's human health care mission. Eisai and Biogen remain committed to disclosing data and information on lecanemab. If approved, we will work to bring the drug expeditiously to people living with early AD and their families.Eisai serves as the lead of lecanemab development and regulatory submissions globally with both Eisai and Biogen co-commercializing and co-promoting the product and Eisai having final decision-making authority.This release discusses investigational uses of an agent in development and is not intended to convey conclusions about efficacy or safety. There is no guarantee that such an investigational agent will successfully gain health authority approval.For more information, visit www.eisai.com/news/2022/pdf/enews202284pdf.pdf. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
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Eisai to Present Full Findings from Lecanemab Confirmatory Phase 3 Clinical Trial (Clarity AD) and Other Alzheimer’s Disease Research at The 15th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) Conference JCN Newswire

Eisai to Present Full Findings from Lecanemab Confirmatory Phase 3 Clinical Trial (Clarity AD) and Other Alzheimer’s Disease Research at The 15th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) Conference

November 21, 2022
TOKYO, Nov 21, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. will present the efficacy, safety and biomarker findings from the company's Phase 3 confirmatory Clarity AD clinical trial for lecanemab (development code: BAN2401), an investigational anti-amyloid beta (Abeta) protofibril antibody for the potential treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild AD (collectively known as early AD) with confirmed presence of amyloid pathology in the brain, at the 15th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) conference. At the meeting, which will be held in San Francisco, CA and virtually from November 29 to December 2, Eisai and esteemed faculty will present the full data in a scientific session on the first day of the meeting (November 29 at 4:50 p.m. PT). Additionally, other important research from the lecanemab clinical development program and Eisai's AD pipeline, including the company's investigational anti-microtubule binding region (MTBR) tau antibody (E2814), will be presented in four oral and ten poster presentations.Topline results from Clarity AD were announced in late September and showed that lecanemab met the primary endpoint and all key secondary endpoints with highly statistically significant results, and the profile of Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities (ARIA) incidence was within expectations.Key Eisai Lecanemab CTAD Presentations- Clarity AD: Full results from the Phase 3 confirmatory Clarity AD clinical trial of lecanemab in patients with early AD will be presented in a scientific session on November 29 at 4:50 p.m. PT. Eisai will host a live webcast of presentations in the session and can be viewed live on the investors section of the Eisai Co., Ltd. website.- Abeta Protofibrils Binding Properties: Research studying the characterization of Aβ protofibrils and theunique binding properties and mechanisms of Aβ clearance of lecanemab (Poster #P029)- AHEAD 3-45 Study:o An evaluation of tau PET screening data from the Phase 3 AHEAD 3-45 study of lecanemab for associations with plasma p-tau217 and cognitive testing (Late Breaker Oral #LB1)o A study exploring increased accuracy of amyloid PET prediction in preclinical AD using plasma levels for Abeta42/40 and p-tau217 ratios from the Phase 3 screening data from the AHEAD 3-45 study (Late Breaker Oral #LB2)"Based on the Clarity AD results, the investigational anti-amyloid beta protofibril antibody lecanemab has the potential to make a clinically meaningful difference for people living with the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and their families by slowing cognitive and functional decline," said Lynn Kramer, M.D., Chief Clinical Officer, Alzheimer's Disease and Brain Health at Eisai Co., Ltd. "Eisai is excited to share the results of the company's confirmatory Phase 3 Clarity AD clinical study at CTAD and present important data exploring lecanemab's potential efficacy, safety and use in a variety of early AD patient sub-populations."Eisai aims to file for traditional approval in the U.S. and for marketing authorization applications in Japan and Europe by the end of Eisai's FY2022, which ends March 31, 2023. In July 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted Eisai's Biologics License Application (BLA) for lecanemab under the accelerated approval pathway and granted it Priority Review. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date is January 6, 2023. The FDA has agreed that the results of Clarity AD can serve as the confirmatory study to verify the clinical benefit of lecanemab. In an effort to secure traditional FDA approval for lecanemab as soon as possible, Eisai submitted the BLA through the FDA's Accelerated Approval Pathway so that the agency could complete its review of all lecanemab data with the exception of the data from the confirmatory Clarity AD study. In March 2022, Eisai began submitting application data, with the exception of Clarity AD data, to Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) under the prior assessment consultation system, with the aim of obtaining early approval for lecanemab so that people living with early AD may have access to the therapy as soon as possible.For more information, visit www.eisai.com/news/2022/pdf/enews202279pdf.pdf. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
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Eisai’s Lecanemab Confirmatory Phase 3 Clarity AD Study Met Primary Endpoint JCN Newswire

Eisai’s Lecanemab Confirmatory Phase 3 Clarity AD Study Met Primary Endpoint

September 28, 2022
TOKYO, Sep 28, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. and Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB) announced positive topline results from Eisai's large global Phase 3 confirmatory Clarity AD clinical trial of lecanemab (development code: BAN2401), an investigational anti-amyloid beta (Abeta) protofibril antibody for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild AD (collectively known as early AD) with confirmed presence of amyloid pathology in the brain. Lecanemab met the primary endpoint (CDR-SB: Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes*) and all key secondary endpoints with highly statistically significant results. Eisai will discuss this data with regulatory authorities in the U.S., Japan and Europe with the aim to file for traditional approval in the US and for marketing authorization applications in Japan and Europe by the end of Eisai's FY2022, which ends March 31, 2023. Additionally, Eisai will present the Clarity AD study results on November 29, 2022, at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Congress (CTAD), and publish the findings in a peer-reviewed medical journal.Lecanemab treatment met the primary endpoint and reduced clinical decline on the global cognitive and functional scale, CDR-SB, compared with placebo at 18 months by 27%, which represents a treatment difference in the score change of -0.45 (p=0.00005) in the analysis of Intent-to-treat (ITT) population. Starting as early as six months, across all time points, the treatment showed highly statistically significant changes in CDR-SB from baseline compared to placebo (all p-values are less than 0.01). All key secondary endpoints were also met with highly statistically significant results compared with placebo (pThe incidence of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities-edema/effusion (ARIA-E), an adverse event associated with anti-amyloid antibodies, was 12.5% in the lecanemab group and 1.7% in the placebo group. The incidence of symptomatic ARIA-E was 2.8% in the lecanemab group and 0.0% in the placebo group. The ARIA-H (ARIA cerebral microhemorrhages, cerebral macrohemorrhages, and superficial siderosis) rate was 17.0% in the lecanemab group and 8.7% in the placebo group. The incidence of symptomatic ARIA-H was 0.7% in the lecanemab group and 0.2% in the placebo group. There was no imbalance in isolated ARIA-H (i.e., ARIA-H in patients who did not also experience ARIA-E) between lecanemab (8.8%) and placebo (7.6%). The total incidence of ARIA (ARIA-E and/or ARIA-H) was 21.3% in the lecanemab group and 9.3% in the placebo group. Overall, lecanemab's ARIA incidence profile was within expectations. Clarity AD was a global confirmatory Phase 3 placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group, randomized study in 1,795 people with early AD. The treatment group was administered a dosage of 10 mg/kg bi-weekly of lecanemab, with participants allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive either placebo or lecanemab. The baseline characteristics of both placebo and lecanemab groups are similar and well balanced. Eligibility criteria allowed patients with a broad range of comorbidities/comedications: hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, renal disease and anti-coagulants, etc. Eisai's recruitment strategy for the Clarity AD clinical trial ensured greater inclusion of ethnic and racial populations in the U.S., resulting in approximately 25% of the total U.S. enrollment including Hispanic and African American persons living with early AD. Due to the inclusive eligibility criteria and the successful recruitment of diverse ethnic and racial populations in the U.S., Clarity AD's population is generally comparable to the country's Medicare population. "Since Eisai launched Aricept in the U.S. and Japan in the late 1990s and obtained its approval in over 100 countries, Eisai has provided the drug to people living with dementia while building empathy for them and their families through disease education efforts and community involvement. The positive result of the lecanemab, an anti-Abeta protofibril antibody, pivotal study after almost 25 years since Aricept's launch is an important milestone for Eisai in fulfilling our mission to meet the expectations of the Alzheimer's disease community. Alzheimer's disease not only presents a great challenge for patients and their families, but it also negatively impacts society, including decreased productivity, increased social costs and disease-related anxiety. We believe that helping to alleviate these burdens will positively impact society as a whole," said Haruo Naito, Chief Executive Officer at Eisai. "Additionally, the lecanemab Clarity AD study results prove the amyloid hypothesis, in which the abnormal accumulation of Aβ in the brain is one of the main causes of Alzheimer's disease, when targeted with a protofibril-binding therapy. Eisai believes these findings will create new horizons in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease as well as further activate innovation for new treatment options. The successful results of the Clarity AD clinical trial would not be possible without the truly inspiring dedication of the study's participants, their families and caregivers and the clinical investigators around the world. We thank all the people involved in the study for their invaluable contributions.""Today's announcement gives patients and their families hope that lecanemab, if approved, can potentially slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, and provide a clinically meaningful impact on cognition and function," said Michel Vounatsos, Chief Executive Officer at Biogen. "Importantly, the study shows that removal of aggregated amyloid beta in the brain is associated with a slowing of disease in patients at the early stage of the disease. We want to thank the many patients who participated in this groundbreaking global study and want to acknowledge the clinical investigators who worked tirelessly to increase the enrollment of traditionally underrepresented populations. As pioneers in neuroscience, we believe defeating this disease will require multiple approaches and treatment options, and we look forward to continuing the discussion about the significance of these findings with the patient, scientific, and medical communities."In July 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted Eisai's Biologics License Application (BLA) for lecanemab under the accelerated approval pathway and granted Priority Review. The Prescription Drugs User Fee Act action date (PDUFA) is set for January 6, 2023. The FDA has agreed that the results of Clarity AD can serve as the confirmatory study to verify the clinical benefit of lecanemab. In an effort to secure traditional FDA approval for lecanemab as soon as possible, Eisai submitted the BLA through the FDA's Accelerated Approval Pathway so that the agency could complete its review of all lecanemab data with the exception of the data from the confirmatory Clarity AD study.In March 2022, Eisai began submitting application data, with the exception of Clarity AD data, to Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) under the prior assessment consultation system with the aim of obtaining early approval for lecanemab so that people living with early AD may have access to the therapy as soon as possible.Eisai serves as the lead of lecanemab development and regulatory submissions globally with both Eisai and Biogen co-commercializing and co-promoting the product and Eisai having final decision-making authority.*CDR-SB is a numeric scale used to quantify the various severity of symptoms of dementia. Based on interviews of people living with AD and family/caregivers, qualified healthcare professionals assess cognitive and functional performance in six areas: memory, orientation, judgment and problem solving, community affairs, home and hobbies, and personal care. The total score of the six areas is the score of CDR-SB, and CDR-SB is also used as an appropriate item for evaluating the effectiveness of therapeutic drugs targeting the early stages of AD. For more information, visit www.eisai.com/news/2022/news202271.html. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
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Eisai Presents New Findings on Lecanemab’s Investigational Subcutaneous Formulation and Modeling Simulation of ApoE4 Genotype on Aria-E Incidence at AAIC 2022 JCN Newswire

Eisai Presents New Findings on Lecanemab’s Investigational Subcutaneous Formulation and Modeling Simulation of ApoE4 Genotype on Aria-E Incidence at AAIC 2022

August 4, 2022
TOKYO and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug 4, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. and Biogen Inc. announced that Eisai presented new findings on a subcutaneous formulation of lecanemab (BAN2401) and the modeling simulation of the impact of ApoE4 genotype on the incidence of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities - edema/effusion (ARIA-E) - in subjects treated with lecanemab, an investigational anti-amyloid beta (Abeta) protofibril antibody for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild AD (collectively known as early AD) with confirmed presence of amyloid pathology in the brain. The data were shared at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) in San Diego, CA.Key Eisai presentations include:Eisai Abstract #69438: Absolute Bioavailability of a Single, Fixed Subcutaneous Dose of Lecanemab in Healthy SubjectsThis Phase 1 study was an open-label, parallel-group study conducted in healthy subjects: 30 subjects were randomized into a 10 mg/kg intravenous (IV) dose group and 29 subjects (5 of which were Japanese) were randomized into a single fixed 700mg SC dose group. The absolute bioavailability of lecanemab following a single SC injection was 49.7% (90% CI: 43.54 - 56.83). After SC dosing, the Cmax was observed 72 hours post-dose and was 4-fold lower compared to IV infusion, which reflects the relatively long absorption phase following SC dose administration compared with 1-hour IV infusion. Lecanemab's half-life (~7 days) was similar following SC and IV administrations. The incidence of adverse events was similar between SC and IV administrations. No positive results for neutralizing antibodies (NAb) were recorded in this study. Lecanemab PK for the 5 Japanese subjects was similar to that of the non-Japanese subjects following a single subcutaneous dose administration.Eisai Abstract #69429: Subcutaneous Dose Selection of Lecanemab for Treatment of Subjects with Early Alzheimer's DiseaseIn this analysis, modeling and simulation was conducted to evaluate the equivalence of a fixed weekly SC dose to a body weight-based 10 mg/kg IV bi-weekly dose with regard to lecanemab exposure. The analysis showed that a fixed lecanemab SC dose of 720 mg administered weekly may potentially result in comparable exposure (AUC) and efficacy as measured by reduction in amyloid PET SUVr to 10mg/kg IV dose administered bi-weekly. The exposure-response model is based on the established correlation between ARIA-E and Cmax. SC lecanemab dose is predicted to have a lower incidence of ARIA-E compared to IV lecanemab due to lower Cmax following SC administration.Eisai Virtual Developing Topics Presentation Abstract #69402 / Session VDT-4-29: Modeled Impact of ApoE4 Genotype on ARIA-E Incidence in Patients Treated with LecanemabIn this analysis, the results of the Phase 2 (Study 201) core study were used to explore the effect of ApoE4 genotype on ARIA-E incidence by modeling and simulation. The model predictions were compared to the ARIA-E incidence observed in subjects newly initiated on lecanemab 10 mg/kg bi- weekly in the Phase 2 (Study 201) open-label long-term study (OLE study). The effect of the ApoE4 genotype was analyzed in the exposure-ARIA-E model with three categorical covariates (homozygous carriers, heterozygous carriers, and noncarriers) using the results of the Phase 2 (Study 201) core study. ApoE4 genotype (homozygous) was a significant covariate in the exposure-ARIA-E model, and the incidence of ARIA-E correlated best with Cmax at steady state. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant difference in ARIA-E incidence between ApoE4 noncarriers and heterozygous carriers. The predicted incidence of ARIA-E when lecanemab was dosed at 10 mg/kg bi-weekly was 22.5% in ApoE4 homozygous carriers, 6.8% in heterozygous carriers, and 5.4% in ApoE4 noncarriers. In the OLE study, the incidence of ARIA-E observed in ApoE4 homozygotes newly initiated on lecanemab 10 mg/kg bi-weekly treatment was 25% (1 out of 4), comparable to the model prediction of 22.5%. Amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) are an adverse event associated with amyloid-lowering therapies, and it is important to monitor for and manage during treatment."In an effort to simplify the patient journey and fulfill our human health care mission, Eisai is developing a subcutaneous formulation of lecanemab that patients may be able to use at home," said Michael Irizarry, M.D., Senior Vice President, Deputy Chief Clinical Officer, Alzheimer's Disease and Brain Health, Eisai Inc. "The new data Eisai presented today about the bioavailability of subcutaneous dosing, and comparability with intravenous dosing, was used by Eisai to define the appropriate subcutaneous dosing that is currently being tested in the Phase 3 Clarity AD open-label extension. In addition, Eisai has expanded on the previous modeling that explored the effect of the ApoE4 genotype on ARIA-E to further our understanding of patient populations who are most impacted by ARIA-E in the lecanemab clinical trials. The modeling will be updated with data from Eisai's Phase 3 Clarity AD confirmatory study reading out in fall 2022.""We will continue to inform the treatment of patients with Alzheimer's disease and further our development of new therapies," said Dominic Walsh, Head of Neurodegenerative Research Unit at Biogen. "Subcutaneous administration may provide a convenient option for patients and their caregivers in the future, and we look forward to a continued co-development with Eisai on this formulation."On July 5, 2022, Eisai announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted the Biologics License Application (BLA) for lecanemab under the accelerated approval pathway and was granted priority review, with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of January 6, 2023. The readout of the primary endpoint data of Clarity AD will occur in the fall of 2022. The FDA has agreed that the results of Clarity AD when completed, can serve as the confirmatory study to verify the clinical benefit of lecanemab.This release discusses investigational uses of an agent in development and is not intended to convey conclusions about efficacy or safety. There is no guarantee that such an investigational agent will successfully complete clinical development or gain health authority approval.For more information, visit www.eisai.com/news/2022/pdf/enews202260pdf.pdf. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
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Eisai Publishes Potential Economic Value of Investigational Lecanemab in Peer-Reviewed Neurology and Therapy Journal JCN Newswire

Eisai Publishes Potential Economic Value of Investigational Lecanemab in Peer-Reviewed Neurology and Therapy Journal

June 22, 2022
TOKYO, Jun 22, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. today announced publication of results from an early phase evaluation that aimed to estimate potential economic value of its investigational anti-amyloid-beta (Abeta) protofibril antibody lecanemab in people living with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) using a validated disease simulation model, AD Archimedes Condition Event (AD ACE) model1,2,3 from the healthcare payer and societal perspectives in the United States, in the peer-reviewed journal Neurology and Therapy. This is the second publication of lecanemab's potential value. It follows the evaluation of the long-term health outcomes using simulation modeling of lecanemab published in Neurology and Therapy in April 2022.4 While the healthcare payer perspective focuses on direct care costs (e.g., outpatient and inpatient services, medications, intervention costs, nursing home and home healthcare services), the societal perspective further considers societal costs (e.g., productivity loss and informal care costs). As reported in the previous publication, it was suggested that compared to standard of care* (SoC), individuals treated with lecanemab in addition to SoC (lecanemab+SoC) may potentially experience slower disease progression to mild, moderate and severe AD from baseline by 2.51, 3.13 and 2.34 years on average, respectively. The preliminary results of this model-based simulation could possibly translate into additional quality-adjusted life years (QALY**) and reduction in the formal and informal care costs***. Additionally, the AD ACE model framework used in this study allowed assessment of the potential value of lecanemab in different scenarios and sensitivity analyses, including the impact of patient subsets, alternative treatment stopping rules**** and potential dosing regimens as well as major sources of uncertainty. Eisai is committed to conducting and sharing these types of clinical and socioeconomic analyses to establish trust as we work to potentially bring lecanemab to people living with early AD who have confirmed presence of amyloid pathology in the brain. To that end, Eisai would like to provide a common foundation for stakeholders' discourse regarding the potential clinical and socioeconomic value of lecanemab from the societal perspective, not to assign a price for lecanemab at this time. This model-based simulation was conducted using the results of a Phase 2b clinical trial (Study 201) evaluating the efficacy and safety of lecanemab for early AD with confirmed amyloid pathology as well as published literature. It also estimated the potential economic value of lecanemab+SoC over a broad range of willingness-to-pay thresholds from $50,000 to $200,000 per QALY gained as recommended by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER)*****. Lecanemab+SoC was predicted to result in a gain of 0.61 QALYs and a decrease in total non-treatment costs of $8,707 per person from the healthcare payer perspective (Societal perspective: 0.64 QALYs gain and $11,214 decrease) compared to the SoC for patients with early AD who have confirmed presence of amyloid pathology. The potential annual value-based price (VBP) of lecanemab was estimated at $9,249 to $35,605 (Societal perspective: $10,400 to $38,053) based on this early economic assessment. ICER's value framework5 indicates that value cannot be wholly derived from measures of clinical and cost-effectiveness, so contextual considerations and an examination of other benefits and disadvantages are also added into the framework when assessing long-term value. This may lead to using the societal perspective and higher end of the broad range of willingness-to-pay threshold in estimating the justifiable price of lecanemab, given the large societal burden of AD relative to direct healthcare costs. Many people living with AD received informal care from their family and friends totaling more than 16 billion hours of unpaid care valued at $271.6 billion in the U.S. in 2021.6 These predicted and simulated findings suggest that early treatment with lecanemab may reduce these costs and economic burdens, and provide insights for healthcare decision-makers regarding the potential clinical and socioeconomic value of lecanemab. The Phase 3 lecanemab Clarity AD data will soon be available to inform the model inputs and refine the findings. In the event that lecanemab receives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval, Eisai may determine a VBP using this framework along with other considerations, such as affordability, health system sustainability, etc. "Eisai's goal is to create therapies, such as our investigational anti-amyloid beta protofibril antibody lecanemab, that may help impact the anxieties of people living with Alzheimer's disease and their families. For Alzheimer's disease, it is important to evaluate the holistic value of therapies taking into account not only medical costs but also the immense societal costs," said Ivan Cheung, Senior Vice President, President Neurology Business Group and Global Alzheimer's Disease Officer, Eisai Co., Ltd., Chairman and CEO, Eisai Inc. "As part of Eisai's commitment to our human health care mission, trust and transparency, we will continue to publish data and information about lecanemab and look forward to sharing the results of the lecanemab confirmatory Phase 3 Clarity AD clinical trial this fall." Eisai completed lecanemab's rolling submission of a Biologics License Application (BLA) for the treatment of early AD to the FDA under the accelerated approval pathway in May 2022. The Clarity AD Phase 3 clinical study for lecanemab in early AD is ongoing and completed enrollment in March 2021 with 1,795 patients. The readout of the primary endpoint data of Clarity AD will occur in the fall of 2022. The FDA has agreed that the results of Clarity AD, when completed, can serve as the confirmatory study to verify the clinical benefit of lecanemab. Dependent upon the results of the Clarity AD clinical trial, Eisai may submit for full approval of lecanemab to the FDA during Eisai's fiscal year 2022, which ends in March2023. In Japan, in March 2022, Eisai initiated submission of application data to the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) under the prior assessment consultation system with the goal of obtaining early approval for lecanemab, and aims to file for the manufacturing and marketing approval based on the results of Clarity AD during Eisai's fiscal year 2022. Also, in Europe, based on the results of the Clarity AD study, Eisai plans to submit a new drug application in fiscal year 2022. This release discusses investigational uses of an agent in development and is not intended to convey conclusions about efficacy or safety. There is no guarantee that such an investigational agent will successfully complete clinical development or gain health authority approval. * Standard of Care (SoC) for AD currently consists of lifestyle modifications and pharmacologic treatment of symptoms.** The quality-adjusted life year (QALY) is a measure of the value of health outcomes. Since health is a function of length of life (i.e., quantity) and quality of life (QOL), the QALY was developed as an attempt to combine the value of these attributes into a single index number. One QALY equates to one year in perfect health. QALY scores range from 1 (full health) to 0 (dead). For example, a new intervention may increase length of life by 3 years and improve quality of life by 70% (QALY score of 2.1) compared to an existing intervention that may increase length of life by 3 years and only improve QOL by 50% (QALY score of 1.5), the incremental QALY for this new intervention will be 0.6 QALYs.*** Formal and informal care costs do not include lecanemab drug cost.**** Alternative treatment stopping rules were explored in scenario analyses where treatment with lecanemab was stopped after a fixed duration of 1.5, 3 and 5 years.***** ICER is a non-profit research organization in the U.S. that evaluates the evidence on the clinical and economic value of prescription drugs, medical tests, devices and health system delivery innovations. 1 Kansal AR, Tafazzoli A, Ishak KJ, Krotneva S. Alzheimer's disease Archimedes condition-event simulator: Development and validation. Alzheimers Dement (NY). 2018;4:76-88. Published 2018 Feb 16. doi:10.1016/j.trci.2018.01.001.2) Tafazzoli and Kansal. Disease simulation in drug development, External validation confirms benefit in decision making. The Evidence Forum. 2018. bit.ly/3NgEeDD(3) Tafazzoli A, Weng J, Sutton K, et al. Validating simulated cognition trajectories based on ADNI against 436 trajectories from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) dataset. 11th edition of Clinical Trials on 437 Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD); Barcelona, Spain: 2018.(4) Tahami Monfared AA, Tafazzoli A, Ye W, Chavan A, Zhang Q. Long-Term Health Outcomes of Lecanemab in Patients with Early Alzheimer's Disease Using Simulation Modeling. Neurol Ther 11, 863-880 (2022). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40120-022-00350-y.(5) ICER Value Framework 2020-2023. 2022. bit.ly/39HjYO3(6) Alzheimer's Association. 2022 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures 2022 Available from: bit.ly/3bkCR9VMedia Inquiries:Public Relations Department,Eisai Co., Ltd.+81-(0)3-3817-5120 Eisai Inc. USLibby HolmanLibby_Holman@Eisai.com201-753-1945 Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
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