Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that its partner Biogen has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of QALSODY 100 mg/15mL injection for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in adults who have a mutation in the superoxide dismutase 1 gene. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on a reduction in plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) observed in patients treated with QALSODY. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification of clinical benefit from ongoing trial(s).
The ongoing Phase 3 ATLAS study of tofersen in people with presymptomatic SOD1-ALS will serve as the confirmatory study. QALSODY is the first and only approved treatment to target a genetic cause of ALS and the latest Ionis-discovered medicine to gain market approval.Neurofilaments are proteins that are released from neurons when they are damaged, making them a marker of neurodegeneration.
“Approval of QALSODY represents a scientific advancement for the ALS community. We thank the people with SOD1-ALS whose participation in the clinical studies made this day possible. We are proud of the Ionis scientists whose dedication made the discovery of this medicine possible, and we are appreciative of our partners at Biogen for their ongoing commitment to ALS,” said Brett P. Monia, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Ionis. “The QALSODY approval highlights our significant progress advancing RNA-based treatments targeting severe neurological diseases.”
Warnings and precautions associated with QALSODY were serious neurologic events, including myelitis and or radiculitis; papilledema and elevated intracranial pressure; and aseptic meningitis. If symptoms consistent with myelitis, radiculitis papilledema, elevated intracranial, or aseptic meningitis develop, diagnostic workup and treatment should be initiated according to the standard of care. Management may require interruption or discontinuation of QALSODY. The most common adverse reactions that occurred in ≥10% of QALSODY treated participants and more than the placebo arm were pain, fatigue, arthralgia, CSF white blood cell increased, and myalgia.
The efficacy of QALSODY was assessed in a 28-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study in patients 23 to 78 years of age with weakness attributable to ALS and a SOD1 mutation confirmed by a central laboratory. One hundred eight (108) patients were randomized 2:1 to receive treatment with either QALSODY 100 mg (n=72) or placebo (n=36) for 24 weeks.
SOURCE: PR Newswire