Pozelimab, a Human Monoclonal Antibody Against Complement Factor C5, Provided Inhibition of Intravascular Hemolysis in Patients with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

INTRODUCTION

Paroxysmal Nocturnal hemoglobuinuria (PNH) is a rare, acquired, life-threatening disorder characterised by intravascular hemolysis and increased risk of thrombosis. Current available treatments represent a significant burden to patients and include anti-complement factor 5 (C5) therapies, eculizumab and ravulizumab, both intravenous infusions, or more recently, twice weekly C3 inhibitor, Pegcetacoplan, a subcutaneous (SC) infusion treatment.

Pozelimab (REGN3918), a fully human monoclonal immunoglobulin G4 antibody directed against C5, has been shown to bind with high affinity to wild-type and variant (R885H/C) human C5 and block its activity.

In a healthy volunteer study (NCT03115996), SC administration of pozelimab was found to be generally well tolerated while providing complete inhibition of ex vivo-assessed hemolytic activity [Weyne J et al. Blood. 2018;S1:1039]. The data suggested that pozelimab may provide control of intravascular hemolysis in patients with active PNH, and thus could provide an important new alternative for patients supporting progression to a first-in-patient study of pozelimab in patients with active PNH.

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate a clinically significant reduction in intravascular hemolysis by once-weekly SC administration of pozelimab over 26 weeks of treatment in patients with active PNH.

METHODS

This is a phase 2, open-label, single-arm, 26-week treatment study in 24 patients with active symptomatic PNH who are naïve to complement inhibitor therapy, or who have received prior treatment with a complement inhibitor but not within 6 months prior to the start of the study (NCT03946748).

The treatment regimen consists of pozelimab as a single IV loading dose of 30 mg/kg followed thereafter by weekly SC 800 mg administrations.

The effect of pozelimab on intravascular hemolysis (monitored via LDH levels) and transfusion avoidance, as well as safety, is to be assessed from baseline to week 26 (study day 183; only partial data were available for some patients at the time of abstract submission). Pozelimab pharmacodynamics was assessed utilizing a sheep red blood cell (RBC) complement activity assay (CH50) and rabbit RBC complement activity assay (AH50).

RESULTS

All 24 patients completed the 26-week treatment period with no study drug discontinuation and have been enrolled into an ongoing open-label extension study (NCT04162470). An interim analysis on the first 17 patients was previously reported. All 17 patients had at least 71 days of treatment, with 10 patients receiving treatment for up to 183 days. All enrolled patients had baseline LDH levels ≥2 x upper limit of normal (ULN). Participants were enrolled in two cohorts: Cohort A for dose confirmation and Cohort B for further evaluation of efficacy and safety.

Interim Efficacy Analysis

As previously reported, treatment with pozelimab led to a rapid and sustained reduction in LDH through study week 26. All 17 patients achieved LDH reduction to below the clinically significant threshold of LDH ≤1.5 x ULN.

All but one patient achieved control of intravascular hemolysis (LDH ≤1.5 x ULN) at week 2, and all but one patient achieved normalization of LDH (LDH ≤1.0 x ULN) at week 4.

Importantly, one patient who is a carrier of a C5 variant known to be resistant to blockade by eculizumab/ravulizumab demonstrated rapid and sustained normalization of LDH.

Interim Safety

As previously reported, no serious adverse events or adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation were reported. Common treatment-emergent adverse events included headache (4 patients; 23.5%) and nausea (2 patients; 11.8%).

No breakthrough hemolysis events were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Pozelimab administered SC once weekly led to the inhibition of intravascular hemolysis in patients with active PNH and was generally well-tolerated. An update to the previously reported interim analysis will be provided.

Upon successful completion of the 26-week treatment period, patients are enrolled into an open-label extension study.