Recent entries to the ocular clinical trials by Pfizer listed in ClinicalTrials.gov (see here and here) suggest that its first-generation RNAi Therapeutics candidate for wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema, PF-04523655, is about to meet the same fate as did those for similar indications by Opko and Sirna Therapeutics (Merck)/Allergan before. The phase II study in diabetic macular edema (DEGAS) has already been terminated in December 2010 as ‘the objectives of the study could no longer be achieved’; a study run in parallel with the same candidate for wet AMD (MONET) meanwhile is still ongoing, but without recruiting new patients and after having been intermittently terminated in January as a result of the DEGAS trial.
Although making no mention of the clinical trials interruptions, Quark revealed in its Preliminary Prospectus filed this February that results from the DEGAS study are about to be unveiled this month. Quark is the company from which Pfizer had sub-licensed the AtuRNAi trigger candidate developed originally by Silence Therapeutics and is now making renewed attempts to go public. The Company would likely need such capital quite urgently in case those programs were indeed terminated as most of the recent funding had come from the Pfizer partnership in the form of $52.5M in milestones and cost reimbursements according to the registration statement; about $6M of which went to Silence Therapeutics.
The recent revelations also make it apparent just how much Pfizer had already invested in RNAi Therapeutics. Given that Pfizer announced plans to close its in-house RNAi Therapeutics effort in February, it is no stretch to imagine that the ocular program troubles were the final trigger for Pfizer's decision.
Approach not on sound scientific footing
Just like the previous discontinuations of the ocular RNAi programs by Opko and Allergan/Merck (Sirna Therapeutics), Pfizer’s approach involved the intravitreal needle injection of naked siRNA oligonucleotides and yielded phase I/II results suggestive of efficacy. I was personally never able to make sense of those candidates as they lacked a sound scientific basis for how they would enter target cells in the back of the eye. A study in 2008 by Ambati from the University of Kentucky likely shed light on these results by showing that TLR3 responses triggered by some siRNA structures may ultimately cause the inhibition of blood vessel growth that is a critical factor in those diseases. With the Quark/Pfizer drug likely to meet its unavoidable fate, the door is open for second-generation ocular RNAi Therapeutics approaches that get around TLR3 and into the cytosol of cells. Such efforts include those by RXi Pharmaceuticals and Korean company BioMolecular Therapeutics.
Shares of Silence Therapeutics trade at historic lows following revelations
At this point, it is important to emphasize that the ‘study was not terminated for safety’ according to the clinicaltrials.gov site and have little to no direct bearing on the other clinical and pre-clinical AtuRNAi programs.
Nevertheless, the stock of Silence Therapeutics traded down quite sharply as the revelations made the rounds among Silence investors, giving that company a ridiculous market cap of down to 10M UK pounds. What likely triggered the meltdown is investor worry that Silence had unduly relied on milestone payments from Quark’s programs in their financial planning. I therefore contacted the company on this topic and was informed that the Company does in fact not rely on such milestones in its cash guidance as these are out of their control. The Company added that data from the DEGAS study are yet to be unveiled and that it is not aware of any discontinuation of these programs.
Fair enough, and maybe, amid the confusion and insanely low valuations of some RNAi Therapeutics companies, a buyer will see an opportunity in acquiring a promising cancer candidate and some equally promising delivery technologies to endothelial cells and the lung for…maybe $30M?
Ok... TKM sues ALNY... this space just got very interesting.
ReplyDeletewhere's the 'like' button next to the post above?
ReplyDeleteHi Dirk,
ReplyDeleteI was thinking a vote for whether there should be a management shake-up at Alnylam would be fun.
Can't wait till the Annual Meeting. John has to go. Too bad I'm no Carl Icahn!!
Now that the study results are out, and Quark are going to 2b and Pfizer still is talking developing (or at least royalty rates), would you re-visit your take?
ReplyDeleteThe results were not impressive, i.e., not competitive with current treatments in use. Quark is going to 2b on their own dime, Pfizer isn't paying for any of it. Sounds like the drug is a dud, so far.
ReplyDelete