More than 1,200 patients enrolled in the United States, Mexico, and Brazil
Study expected to include patients with top priority COVID-19 variants, including Delta
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, September 23, 2021 – Appili Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: APLI; OTCQX: APLIF) (the “Company” or “Appili”), a biopharmaceutical company focused on drug development for infectious diseases, today announced it has completed enrollment in its global Phase 3 PRESECO (PREventing SEvere COVID-19) trial evaluating oral Avigan®/Reeqonus™(favipiravir) as a potential COVID-19 treatment. Appili expects to report top-line data from this trial in approximately 60 days.
Appili launched the PRESECO clinical trial in November 2020 to evaluate oral Avigan/Reeqonus as a potential at-home therapy for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Enrollment targets were subsequently increased to maximize the number of patients and COVID-19 variant cases, including Delta, in the trial. With today’s announcement, the double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, global, multi-center trial has enrolled 1,231 patients from 38 study sites across the United States, Mexico, and Brazil.
“Completing enrollment in this large Phase 3 pivotal trial in just ten months is a tremendous accomplishment for Appili. With this major milestone now achieved, we have a clear path to completing the PRESECO data analysis in the coming weeks and determining if Avigan/Reeqonus has the potential to meet the urgent global clinical need for a safe and effective oral treatment for this deadly disease,” said Armand Balboni, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Appili Therapeutics.
The primary goal of PRESECO is to evaluate the impact of oral Avigan/Reeqonus on time to COVID-19 symptom resolution. The study also aims to evaluate the effect of oral treatment on progression to more severe COVID-19 disease. Finally, this Phase 3 clinical trial includes a viral shedding sub-study, which is evaluating impact of the treatment on time to viral clearance. Viral isolates will also be sequenced for identification of COVID-19 variants.
“As we have seen over the past 18 months, this virus continues to mutate, enhancing its ability to infect and cause significant symptoms, especially in those who have not been vaccinated. My hope is that Avigan/Reeqonus will emerge as a standard of care treatment for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients, resolve patient’s symptoms more rapidly, and limit progression to more severe disease” said Yoav Golan, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Appili Therapeutics.
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About the PRESECO Clinical Trial
The Phase 3 PRESECO (PREventing SEvere COVID-19 Disease) study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, multi-center, global superiority trial investigating the safety and efficacy of oral Avigan/Reeqonus in the early treatment for adults infected with COVID-19 and showing mild-to-moderate symptoms. Participants were enrolled at multiple clinical trial sites in the United States, Brazil and Mexico. Participants are outpatients with mild-to-moderate symptoms who have had a recent positive COVID-19 test (within 72 hours of enrollment). Participants self-administer the drug regimen in their homes, with clinical investigators monitoring patients remotely.
About Avigan/Reeqonus
Avigan/Reeqonus is a broad-spectrum antiviral in oral tablet form. It is a selective inhibitor of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) with potent antiviral activity against single-stranded RNA viruses, including coronaviruses. Developed by FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd. (FFTC) and approved in Japan as a treatment and stockpile countermeasure for pandemic influenza. Unlike most other interventions that researchers are evaluating in COVID-19, Avigan/Reeqonus has already been thoroughly studied in human trials and has a well-known safety profile, with over 3,000 subjects receiving at least one dose of the drug. Avigan/Reeqonus’ oral tablet form is shelf-stable and has an established commercial manufacturing process, which may provide advantages over other COVID-19 interventions, which often require temperature-controlled storage and/or injection or intravenous administration.
Appili has joined a consortium of companies, including Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Global Response Aid, and FFTC, for the worldwide development and distribution of Avigan/Reeqonus tablets for the potential treatment and prevention of COVID-19 (excluding Japan, China, and Russia). This consortium is designed to ensure that Avigan/Reeqonus is thoroughly evaluated in rigorous clinical studies and, if it receives the proper regulatory approvals, has the infrastructure in place to support worldwide manufacturing and distribution.
About Appili Therapeutics
Appili Therapeutics is an infectious disease biopharmaceutical company that is purposefully built, portfolio-driven, and people-focused to fulfill its mission of solving life-threatening infections. By systematically identifying urgent infections with unmet needs, Appili’s goal is to strategically develop a pipeline of novel therapies to prevent deaths and improve lives. As part of a global consortium, Appili is sponsoring late-stage clinical trials evaluating the antiviral Avigan/Reeqonus for the worldwide treatment and prevention of COVID-19. The Company is also advancing a diverse range of anti-infectives, including a broad-spectrum antifungal, a vaccine candidate to eliminate a serious biological weapon threat, and two novel antibiotic programs. Led by a proven management team, Appili is at the epicenter of the global fight against infection. For more information, visit www.AppiliTherapeutics.com.
Forward looking statements
This news release contains “forward-looking statements,” which reflect the current expectations of the Company’s management for future growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities, including statements with respect to: the the ongoing Avigan® /Reeqonus (generic name: favipiravir) clinical trial and the likelihood that such clinical trial will be consummated on the terms and timeline provided herein or at all; the anticipated timing for completion of each study and the release of study data; the potential use of favipiravir for the treatment of COVID-19 (including as an early treatment of COVID-19 to control disease progression and limit virus spread); and the development, manufacturing and commercialization plans of the parties with respect to favipiravir. Wherever possible, words such as “may,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “potential for” and similar expressions have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements contained in this press release are provided in reliance on certain assumptions, including with respect to: timing of clinical results; securing all requisite required approvals and funding for the clinical trial;; other expectations and assumptions concerning the clinical trial (including with respect to the timely completion of such trials and their potential outcomes and benefits); and the ability of the parties to successfully develop, manufacture and commercialize favipiravir for the treatment of COVID-19 following successful completion of the requisite clinical trials and receipt of all requisite regulatory and other approvals. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot give assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct.
Forward-looking statements involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, without limitation, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; known and unknown risks and liabilities relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; risks relating to the inability of Appili to initiate or complete all requisite clinical trials (including risks relating to the outcome thereof) and to secure all required funding and approvals relating thereto; risks relating to the development, manufacturing and commercialization of favipiravir in Canada, the U.S and other jurisdictions; unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the aforesaid expectations and assumptions not to be correct; and the other risk factors listed in the annual information form of the Company dated June 23, 2021 and the other filings made by the Company with the Canadian securities’ regulatory authorities (which may be viewed under the Company’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com). Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results, performance or achievements may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. These factors should be considered carefully, and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.
The Company is not making any express or implied claims that it has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain the COVID-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time.
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Media Contact
Mackenzie Mittleman
APCO Worldwide
T: 1-760-578-5079
E: [email protected]
Investor Relations Contact
Stéphane Paquette; Senior Director, Corporate Development
Appili Therapeutics
E: [email protected]
