VX-880 is the first investigational stem cell-derived therapy utilizing fully differentiated, insulin-producing pancreatic islet cells for the treatment of type 1 diabetes –

– VX-880 is the first and only pancreatic islet replacement therapy known to receive Fast Track Designation –

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 10, 2021--

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track Designation for VX-880 and that the company has initiated a clinical trial for VX-880 in patients who have type 1 diabetes (T1D) with severe hypoglycemia and impaired hypoglycemic awareness.

“This program has its roots in the groundbreaking work that began in Dr. Doug Melton’s lab, progressed at Semma Therapeutics, and has been accelerated and brought to the clinic by the team at Vertex,” said Bastiano Sanna, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief of Cell and Genetic Therapies at Vertex. “Ours is the only approach that produces fully differentiated and fully functional insulin-secreting pancreatic islets. We are very pleased to have received FDA’s Fast Track Designation, which facilitates the development and expedites the review of drugs that treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. We continue to work with urgency to bring this innovative therapy to patients.”

“It’s a remarkable time for T1D research efforts worldwide, as this investigational treatment enters the clinic,” said Camillo Ricordi, M.D., Professor of Surgery, Director of the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) and the Cell Transplant Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and Steering Committee Chair for the VX-880 clinical trial. “The field’s experience with the limited cadaveric islet transplants available, where some patients have experienced prolonged insulin independence for years, provides important proof-of-concept for the potential of cell therapy to be transformative for patients living with T1D.”

The first clinical trial sites at the University of Miami Health System, the University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts General Hospital are open for enrollment, and additional sites will be activated this year. To learn more visit clinicaltrials.gov.

About VX-880

VX-880, formerly known as STx-02, is an investigational allogeneic human stem cell-derived islet cell therapy that is being evaluated for patients who have T1D with impaired hypoglycemic awareness and severe hypoglycemia. VX-880 has the potential to restore the body’s ability to regulate glucose levels by restoring pancreatic islet cell function, including insulin production.

The VX-880 clinical trial will involve an infusion of fully differentiated, functional islet cells, as well as the chronic administration of concomitant immunosuppressive therapy, to protect the islet cells from immune rejection.

About the Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial

The clinical trial is a Phase 1/2, single-arm, open-label study in patients who have T1D with impaired hypoglycemic awareness and severe hypoglycemia. This will be a sequential, multi-part clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of different doses of VX-880. Approximately 17 patients will be enrolled in the clinical trial.

About Type 1 Diabetes

T1D results from the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas, leading to loss of insulin production and impairment of blood glucose control. The absence of insulin leads to abnormalities in how the body processes nutrients, leading to high blood glucose levels. High blood glucose can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis and over time, to complications such as kidney disease/failure, eye disease (including vision loss), heart disease, stroke, nerve damage and even death.

Due to the limitations and complexities of insulin delivery systems, it can be difficult to achieve and maintain balance in glucose control in patients with T1D. Hypoglycemia often results because of the difficulty in balancing the different factors that impact glucose levels, including insulin, diet and exercise. Hypoglycemia remains a critical limiting factor in glycemic management, and severe hypoglycemia can cause loss of consciousness, coma, seizures, injury, and can be fatal. Over time, patients with T1D can develop impaired awareness of hypoglycemia, meaning they are no longer able to perceive the early signs of a hypoglycemic event, which can be dangerous and result in life threatening events.

There are currently limited treatment options beyond insulin for the management of T1D.


Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements made by Dr. Bastiano Sanna and Dr. Camillo Ricordi in this press release, statements etc. etc. see & read more on
https://news.vrtx.com/press-release/vertex-announces-fda-fast-track-designation-and-initiation-phase-12-clinical-trial-vx