Amicus Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company, has suspended enrollment for the Phase II clinical trial of its investigational drug AT2220 for the treatment of Pompe disease and that it has received verbal notice from the FDA that the trial is on clinical hold.
After evaluation of available data the company plans to work closely with the FDA and if appropriate will amend the Phase II protocol with the objective of restarting the trial as expeditiously as possible.
Amicus has initiated the Phase II clinical trial of AT2220 in adults with Pompe disease in June, 2008. Based on encouraging safety data from both preclinical and Phase I studies, the approved Phase II trial protocol involved initial treatment with a high dose of AT2220. Approximately two patients enrolled in the trial experienced self-reported adverse events and subsequently withdrew from the trial. The events were categorized by the site investigator as serious and probably related to treatment with AT2220.
After initial evaluation of the events, Amicus suspended patient enrollment for the Phase II trial. In compliance with regulatory requirements and internal standard operating procedures, the two events were reported to the relevant health authorities, including FDA, and in a subsequent discussion with the FDA the trial was placed on clinical hold status pending further evaluation of the events.
Amicus is developing AT2220 as part of a strategic collaboration with Shire Human Genetic Therapies, a business unit of Shire, to develop and commercialize Amicus’s three lead pharmacological chaperone compounds for lysosomal storage disorders. Under the agreement, Shire received commercial rights outside of the US. Amicus retains all US rights.
John Crowley, president and CEO of Amicus, said: We will work closely with the investigators and the FDA to address these issues, modify the protocol as appropriate, and get the trial back on track as quickly as possible. We are committed to exploring this new therapy for people living with Pompe disease in as safe a manner as possible.