New data supporting gradual up-titration of ponesimod to mitigate first-dose cardiodynamic effects to be presented at EACPT 2015

Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd / New data supporting gradual up-titration of ponesimod to mitigate first-dose cardiodynamic effects to be presented at EACPT 2015 . Processed and transmitted by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

ALLSCHWIL, SWITZERLAND - 25 June 2015 - Actelion Ltd (SIX: ATLN) today announced that data supporting a gradual up-titration dose regimen of ponesimod will be presented at the 12th Congress of the European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (EACPT 2015). The congress will take place in Madrid, Spain from the 27-30 June 2015 and the poster abstract can be found on page 37 of the on-line pdf.

The poster presentation summarizes the results of a clinical study comparing the effects of ponesimod on heart rate and AV-conduction using a new gradual up-titration regimen verses the up-titration regimen previously used in clinical investigation. The ponesimod up-titration regimens are based on preclinical investigations [1], pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling and simulations, and clinical experience.

The authors conclude that the cardiodynamic first-dose effects of ponesimod are mitigated by the new gradual up-titration.

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Notes to Editor:

PONESIMOD AT EACPT 2015

Poster number 341.00:

A novel gradual up-titration regimen mitigates the first-dose effects of ponesimod, a selective S1P₁ receptor modulator.

Matthias Hoch, Pierre-Eric Juif*, Andrea Vaclavkova, Andreas Krause, Adam Strong, Jim Bush, Jasper Dingemanse. *presenting author

Monday June 29, 2015, 12:30 to 14:00, Screen 2, Poster Area, Hotel Meliá Castilla, Madrid.

 

ABOUT PONESIMOD

Ponesimod, an investigational drug, is a potent, orally active, selective sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P₁) immunomodulator. Ponesimod prevents lymphocytes from leaving lymph nodes, thereby reducing circulating blood lymphocyte counts and preventing infiltration of lymphocytes into target tissues. The lymphocyte count reduction is rapid, dose-dependent, sustained upon continued dosing, and quickly reversible upon discontinuation. Initial data suggest that ponesimod does not cause lymphotoxicity by destroying/depleting lymphocytes or interfering with their cellular function. Other blood cells e.g. cells of the innate immune system are largely unaffected. Ponesimod is therefore considered a promising new oral agent for the treatment of a variety of autoimmune disorders.