Roche announces new results from EMBARK demonstrating significant
sustained benefits of Elevidys in ambulatory individuals with
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)
- Across three key functional
outcomes, North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA), Time to Rise
(TTR) and 10-meter walk/run (10MWR), results were statistically
significant and clinically meaningful two years after treatment
with Elevidys, compared to a pre-specified propensity-weighted
untreated external control group
- Functional differences
between individuals treated with Elevidys and those in the external
control group increased between one year and two years after
treatment
- No new safety signals
observed further reinforcing the consistent and manageable safety
profile observed with Elevidys to date
Basel, 27 January 2025 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY)
announced today positive topline results from year two of the
EMBARK trial, a global, randomised, double-blind phase III study of
Elevidys™ (delandistrogene moxeparvovec), the first approved gene
therapy for the treatment of individuals with Duchenne muscular
dystrophy. Two years after treatment with Elevidys, statistically
significant and clinically meaningful improvements were observed
across three key motor function measures of NSAA, TTR and 10MWR,
when compared to a pre-specified propensity-weighted untreated
external control group.* Functional differences between individuals
treated with Elevidys and those in the external control group
increased between one and two years after dosing. Together, these
results demonstrate consistent, sustained benefit in favour of
Elevidys.
Detailed results from year two of the EMBARK study will be
shared at an upcoming medical meeting and discussed with health
authorities. One-year data from part one of the EMBARK study were
published in Nature Medicine in October 2024.
“After two years of treatment with Elevidys, we are seeing
multiple sustained benefits in the day-to-day lives of these young
boys, all of which are indicators of its disease modifying
potential in Duchenne,” said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Roche’s
Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development.
"These results, which include improvements in standing, walking and
running, represent meaningful progress and we plan to share them
with health authorities as quickly as possible.”
Individuals treated in part one of EMBARK (n=63) showed
clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvements on
the NSAA were sustained two years after treatment with
Elevidys.
“As Duchenne progresses, children will lose the ability to walk,
have difficulty breathing, and develop heart problems, all of which
severely impact their health and ability to fully participate in
life,” said Professor Francesco Muntoni, Director of Dubowitz
Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children,
UK. “Encouraging results from year two of the EMBARK trial suggest
that with innovative treatments like Elevidys, the period of
mobility and independence can potentially be improved, reducing the
physical and emotional challenge Duchenne poses for these young
boys and their families.”
For individuals treated in part one, two years after treatment,
functional motor improvements include:
Functional endpoints (treated in part one) |
Measure compared to the external control group (LSM mean
difference) |
NSAA |
+2.88 points (improvement), P<0.0001 |
TTR |
-2.06 seconds (improvement), P<0.0033 |
10MWR |
-1.36 seconds (improvement), P<0.0028 |
Individuals who received a placebo in part one crossed over at 52
weeks and were treated with Elevidys in part two. Despite being one
year older than those treated in part one, the crossover treated
group (n=59) experienced similar changes 52 weeks after treatment,
favouring Elevidys compared to the external control. Individuals
treated in part one were between the ages of four and seven years,
and in part two, individuals were between the ages of five and nine
years.
For individuals treated in part two, one year after treatment,
functional motor improvements include:
Functional endpoints (treated in part two) |
Measures compared to the external control (pre-therapy
baseline; LSM mean difference) |
NSAA |
+2.34 points (improvement), P<0.0001 |
TTR |
-2.70 seconds (improvement), P<0.0001 |
10MWR |
-1.07 seconds (improvement), P=0.0001 |
Muscle biopsies from a subset of patients taken 64 weeks after
dosing in part one showed consistent and sustained expression of
micro-dystrophin, as measured by western blot. Muscle pathology on
MRI continues to show minimal progression in underlying muscle
pathology and remains highly consistent with the functional
benefits shown.
No new safety signals were observed, reinforcing the consistent
and manageable safety profile of Elevidys to date.
Elevidys is approved for people living with Duchenne aged four
years old and over regardless of their ambulatory status in the US,
United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.
Elevidys is also approved for the treatment of ambulatory
individuals aged four through seven years in Brazil and Israel.
Filings have also been submitted to the European Medicines Agency
(EMA) and regulatory authorities in Japan, Switzerland, Singapore,
Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.
In 2019, Roche entered into a global collaboration agreement
with Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. to commercialise Elevidys in
territories outside the U.S.
Elevidys clinical development programme
- Study 101 (NCT03375164), a Phase I/II study evaluating the
safety of Elevidys in four ambulatory participants aged 4 to <8
years old with Duchenne. The study is complete.
- Study 102 (NCT03769116), a Phase II clinical trial evaluating
the safety and efficacy of Elevidys in patients with Duchenne aged
4 to <8 years. The study is complete.
- ENDEAVOR (Study 103, NCT04626674), a two-part, open-label,
Phase Ib study assessing Elevidys micro-dystrophin protein
expression and safety of Elevidys in seven cohorts of boys with
Duchenne, across different ages, mutations and stages of disease
progression.
- Study 104 (NCT06241950), a Phase I open-label, systemic gene
delivery study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and expression
of Elevidys in association with imlifidase in individuals aged 4 to
9 years with pre-existing antibodies to recombinant
adeno-associated virus serotype, rAAVrh74.
- HORIZON (Study 105, NCT06597656), a Phase I open-label,
systemic gene delivery study to evaluate the safety, tolerability
and expression of Elevidys following plasmapheresis in individuals
aged 4 to 8 years with pre-existing antibodies to adeno-associated
virus serotype, AAVrh74.
- EMBARK (Study 301, NCT05096221), a multinational, Phase III,
randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessing the
safety and efficacy of Elevidys in ambulatory boys aged 4 to 7
years. The study duration is two years.
- ENVOL (Study 302, NCT06128564), a Phase II study evaluating the
safety of Elevidys and expression of Elevidys micro-dystrophin
protein in young children, including babies and newborns.
- ENVISION (Study 303, NCT05881408), a global Phase III study
investigating the safety and efficacy of Elevidys in participants
who are ambulatory (aged 8 to <18 years old) and non-ambulatory
(no age limitation). The study Is recruiting.
- EXPEDITION (Study 305, NCT05967351), a Phase III long-term
five-year follow-up study evaluating the safety and efficacy of
Elevidys in those who have received Elevidys in a previous clinical
study. EXPEDITION is enrolling by invitation.
About EMBARK
EMBARK is a multinational, phase III, randomised, double-blind,
two-part crossover, placebo-controlled study assessing the safety
and efficacy of Elevidys in ambulatory boys with a confirmed
mutation in the DMD gene, aged four to seven years at the
beginning of the trial.
Eligible participants received a single dose of Elevidys during
either part one or part two of the study. The study is
complete.
Participants (n=126) received 1.33x1014 vector
genomes per kilogram bodyweight (vg/kg) of Elevidys or placebo. In
part one, participants were randomised according to age (4-5y or
6-7y) or NSAA total score at screening (≤22 or >22) to receive
either Elevidys or placebo, with a follow-up period for 52 weeks.
In part two, participants crossed over - meaning, those who were
previously treated with placebo in part one received Elevidys and
participants who were previously treated with Elevidys received
placebo, with a follow-up period for 52 weeks.
The primary endpoint of the trial was change from baseline in
NSAA total score at week 52. Secondary endpoints included:
- The quantity of Elevidys micro-dystrophin protein expression at
Week 12 as measured by western blot of biopsied muscle tissue
- Change from baseline to Week 52 in time to rise from floor
- Change from baseline to Week 52 in 10-metre walk/run
(10MWR)
- Change from baseline to Week 52 in stride velocity 95th centile
(as measured by Syde®, a wearable device)
- Change from baseline to Week 52 in 100-metre walk/run
- Change from baseline to Week 52 in time to ascend four
steps
NSAA is a 17-item rating scale that is used to measure
functional motor abilities and monitor disease progression in
ambulant children with DMD.
About ELEVIDYS™
Elevidys™ (delandistrogene moxeparvovec, also known as SRP-9001) is
the first approved disease-modifying gene therapy for Duchenne and
is designed to address the underlying cause of Duchenne through
targeted skeletal, respiratory and cardiac muscle expression of
shortened dystrophin produced by Elevidys. Elevidys is a one-time
treatment administered through a single intravenous dose. Elevidys
is contraindicated in individuals with any deletion in exons 8
and/or 9 in the DMD gene.
About Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Duchenne is a rare, genetic, muscle-wasting disease that progresses
rapidly from early childhood. Approximately 1 in 5,000 boys
worldwide are born with Duchenne, while Duchenne in girls is very
rare. Everyone who has Duchenne will lose the ability to walk,
upper limb, lung and cardiac function and mean life expectancy is
28 years. A diagnosis of Duchenne will require full-time caregiving
which is most often provided by parents, the majority of whom will
find it difficult to carry out usual work or household activities
and suffer from depression and physical pain.
Duchenne is caused by mutations of the DMD gene, which
affects the production of the muscle protein, dystrophin.
Dystrophin is a critical component of a protein complex that
strengthens muscle fibers and protects them from injury during
muscle contraction. Due to a genetic mutation in the DMD
gene, people with Duchenne do not make functional dystrophin; their
muscle cells are more sensitive to injury and muscle tissue is
progressively replaced with scar tissue and fat. As dystrophin is
also deficient in vital organ systems such as the cardiovascular
and respiratory systems, the effect is thus inevitably fatal, with
an average survival limited to the third decade of life.
About Roche in Neuroscience
Neuroscience is a major focus of research and development at Roche.
Our goal is to pursue groundbreaking science to develop new
treatments that help improve the lives of people with chronic and
potentially devastating diseases.
Roche is investigating more than a dozen medicines for
neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis, spinal
muscular atrophy, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder,
Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and
Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Together with our partners, we are
committed to pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding to
solve some of the most difficult challenges in neuroscience
today.
About Roche
Founded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, as one of the first
industrial manufacturers of branded medicines, Roche has grown into
the world’s largest biotechnology company and the global leader in
in-vitro diagnostics. The company pursues scientific excellence to
discover and develop medicines and diagnostics for improving and
saving the lives of people around the world. We are a pioneer in
personalised healthcare and want to further transform how
healthcare is delivered to have an even greater impact. To provide
the best care for each person we partner with many stakeholders and
combine our strengths in Diagnostics and Pharma with data insights
from the clinical practice.
For over 125 years, sustainability has been an integral part of
Roche’s business. As a science-driven company, our greatest
contribution to society is developing innovative medicines and
diagnostics that help people live healthier lives. Roche is
committed to the Science Based Targets initiative and the
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Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the
Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai
Pharmaceutical, Japan.
For more information, please visit www.roche.com.
* The pre-specified external control used contemporary datasets
taken from three separate studies in Duchenne, two randomised
controlled clinical trials and one natural history study, creating
a prospectively defined consolidated comparison group of
individuals with Duchenne, matched for variables, including age,
steroid usage, baseline NSAA and timed function tests with the
EMBARK part one treated patients. The prospectively defined
propensity score analysis allows for a robust and rigorous
balancing of multiple variables.
All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected
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