Actelion's New Drug Application for selexipag (Uptravi) is accepted by the US FDA with a standard review time - Seite 2

ABOUT SELEXIPAG

Selexipag, originally discovered and synthesized by Nippon Shinyaku, is a potent, orally available, selective IP prostacyclin receptor agonist.

Selexipag selectively targets the prostacyclin receptor (also called IP-receptor). The IP receptor is one of 5 types of prostanoid receptor. Prostacyclin activates the IP receptor inducing vasodilation and inhibiting proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. Selexipag, unlike prostacyclin analogs, is selective for the IP receptor over other prostanoid receptors. In preclinical models selective IP receptor agonism has shown to maintain efficacy and reduce the risk of side effects mediated by activation of other prostanoid receptors, such as EP₁ and EP₃ receptors. [1,2,3]

Selexipag was previously evaluated in a Phase II, 43-patient, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, where patients were randomized in a 3:1 ratio receiving selexipag or placebo on top of PDE-5 inhibitor and/or ERA. [4]

ABOUT GRIPHON

GRIPHON, (Prostacyclin (PGI2) Receptor agonist In Pulmonary arterial HypertensiON) was a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the long term efficacy and safety of oral selexipag in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

The GRIPHON study was the largest outcome trial ever conducted in PAH, enrolling patients in 181 centers from 39 countries in North and Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Africa.

GRIPHON enrollment was completed in May 2013 with 1,156 patients and represents the largest randomized, controlled study in PAH patients. Patients received twice daily administration of selexipag or placebo and were also permitted to receive background therapy of endothelin receptor antagonist and/or a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor when on a stable dose for at least 3 months prior to enrollment. At baseline, 80% of patients were receiving oral medication specific for PAH: either an ERA, a PDE-5 inhibitor, or a combination of the two.

This pivotal, event-driven study was designed to demonstrate a prolongation of time to the first morbidity/mortality event for selexipag compared to placebo and to evaluate the safety of the selexipag in PAH patients. All morbidity and mortality events reported by the investigators were adjudicated by an independent Critical Event Committee blinded to the study treatment.