Basilea initiates clinical phase 3 study with antifungal fosmanogepix in candidemia and invasive candidiasis

Allschwil, Switzerland, September 24, 2024

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil (SIX: BSLN), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to meeting the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections, announced today that it has initiated the Fosmanogepix Against Standard-of-care Treatment in Invasive Candidiasis (FAST-IC) phase 3 study. This registrational study evaluates the efficacy and safety of Basilea’s broad-spectrum antifungal fosmanogepix in the treatment of adult patients with candidemia and/or invasive candidiasis, that is Candida yeast bloodstream or deep-seated tissue infections.¹ 

Fosmanogepix is a first-in-class antifungal treatment candidate with a novel mechanism of action. It is available in intravenous and oral formulations and has been evaluated for efficacy and safety in a phase 1 / phase 2 program, including three open-label phase 2 studies for the treatment of Candidemia, including Candida auris, and invasive mold infections.^{2, 3, 4, 5}

Dr. Marc Engelhardt, Chief Medical Officer of Basilea, said: “We are very pleased to have activated the first study center in the phase 3 program for fosmanogepix and look forward to enrolling patients into FAST-IC. Invasive Candida infections are life-threatening complications for many hospitalized patients and associated with high mortality, and fosmanogepix offers a potential new treatment option in this high medical need area. In addition, we are working towards starting the second phase 3 study investigating fosmanogepix in the treatment of adult patients with invasive mold infections around year-end.”

FAST-IC is a global, multi-center, randomized, active-controlled, double-blind phase 3 study and investigates intravenous (i.v.) fosmanogepix versus a standard-of-care regimen of i.v. caspofungin in adult patients with candidemia and/or invasive candidiasis. The study is expected to enroll approximately 450 patients, who will be randomized in a 2:1 ratio to either fosmanogepix or caspofungin. There is an optional oral switch to fosmanogepix in the fosmanogepix group and to fluconazole in the caspofungin group. The Swiss-based global company PSI CRO AG will manage the phase 3 program.

Basilea acquired fosmanogepix from Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an affiliate of Pfizer Inc., in November 2023. Under the terms of the asset purchase agreement, Basilea assumed all rights and obligations from previous agreements, and will make a USD 6.0 million milestone payment under these obligations, upon the enrolment of the first patient, which is fully reflected in Basilea’s most recent financial guidance for the full year 2024.

This project has been funded in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Administration of Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR); Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under OT number: 75A50124C00033. The contract and federal funding are not an endorsement of the study results, product, or company.

About fosmanogepix

Fosmanogepix is a clinical-stage broad-spectrum antifungal. It has a novel mechanism of action and its active moiety has shown activity against common species of Candida and Aspergillus, including multi-drug-resistant strains, such as Candida auris and Candida glabrata, as well as rare difficult-to-treat molds including Fusarium spp., Scedosporium spp., and some fungi from the Mucorales order.² Fosmanogepix intravenous and oral formulations have been evaluated in clinical phase 2 studies for the treatment of patients with Candidemia, including Candida auris, and invasive mold infections.² Fosmanogepix has received Fast Track and Orphan Drug designations from the US Food and Drug Administration for seven separate indications, and is designated as a Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP).

About invasive mold infections

Invasive aspergillosis and invasive infections with rare molds (e.g., Fusarium spp., Scedosporium spp., and Mucorales fungi) are life-threatening infections that predominantly affect immunocompromised patients, including patients with hematologic malignancies (blood cancer), transplant patients, or patients with other immunodeficiency disorders. These infections are associated with high morbidity and mortality.^{6, 7}

About invasive candidiasis

Invasive candidiasis, including deep-seated tissue candidiasis and candidemia, is an increasingly important nosocomial infection, especially in patients hospitalized in intensive care units. Candida species are ranked as the fourth main cause of bloodstream infections in hospitals in the US.⁸ The prognosis of invasive candidiasis remains difficult, with a reported mortality rate as high as 40%, even when patients receive antifungal therapy.⁹

About Basilea

Basilea is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Switzerland. We are committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative drugs to meet the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections. We have successfully launched two hospital brands, Cresemba for the treatment of invasive fungal infections and Zevtera for the treatment of bacterial infections. In addition, we have preclinical and clinical anti-infective assets in our portfolio. Basilea is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Please visit basilea.com.

Disclaimer

This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements, such as "believe", "assume", "expect", "forecast", "project", "may", "could", "might", "will" or similar expressions concerning Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil and its business, including with respect to the progress, timing and completion of research, development and clinical studies for product candidates. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, Allschwil is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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This press release can be downloaded from www.basilea.com.

References

1. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05421858
2. K. J. Shaw, A. S. Ibrahim. Fosmanogepix:A Review of the First-in-Class Broad Spectrum Agent for the Treatment of Invasive Fungal Infections. Journal of Fungi (Basel) 2020 (6), 239
3. M. R. Hodges, E. Ople, P. Wedel et al. Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Intravenous and Oral Fosmanogepix, a First-in-Class Antifungal Agent, in Healthy Volunteers. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2023 (67), e01623-22
4. J. A. Vazquez, P. G. Pappas, K. Boffard et al. Clinical Efficacy and Safety of a Novel Antifungal, Fosmanogepix, in Patients with Candidemia Caused by Candida auris: Results from a Phase 2 Trial. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy2023 (67), e01419-22
5. P. G. Pappas, J. A. Vazquez, I. Oren et al. Clinical safety and efficacy of novel antifungal, fosmanogepix, for the treatment of candidaemia: results from a Phase 2 trial. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2023 (78), 2471-2480
6. J. Cadena, G. R. Thompson 3rd, T. F..Patterson. Aspergillosis: Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Infectious Disease Clinics of North America 2021 (35), 415-434
7. M. Slavin, S. van Hal, T. C. Sorrell et al. Invasive infections due to filamentous fungi other than Aspergillus: epidemiology and determinants of mortality. Clinical Microbiology and Infection 2015 (21), 490.e1-490.e10
8. Candidemia (Blood Infection) and Other Candida Infections. 2019 Factsheet by the American Thoracic Society: https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/candidemia.pdf (Accessed: September 23, 2024)
9. B. J. Kullberg, M. C. Arendrup. Invasive Candidiasis. The New England Journal of Medicine 2015 (373), 1445-1456

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