Late-breaking presentation at ACG 2023 showed histologic and endoscopic improvements were maintained with no new safety signals to week 52 with higher dose Dupixent in these children

Data reinforce the role of type 2 inflammation in EoE and the importance of targeting both IL-4 and IL-13 pathways

sBLA for Dupixent to treat children aged 1 to 11 years with EoE is under Priority Review in the U.S.; if approved, Dupixent would be the first and only FDA-approved treatment for these children with EoE

PARIS and TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Oct. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Sanofi today announced that positive results from a Phase 3 trial evaluating the investigational use of Dupixent^® (dupilumab) showed consistent efficacy and safety for up to one year (52 weeks) in children aged 1 to 11 years with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). These results represent the first analysis of longer-term data in this age group and will be featured in a late-breaking session on October 25 at the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting.

“Eosinophilic esophagitis, or EoE, is a chronic and debilitating condition that can impact children in their most vulnerable years of life, causing persistent difficulties with eating, abdominal pain, and/or failure to thrive,” said Mirna Chehade, M.D., MPH, Mount Sinai Center for Eosinophilic Disorders, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York and principal investigator of the trial. “Dupilumab is the first and only therapeutic approved for adults and certain adolescents with EoE. Some children with EoE may have sub-optimal response to currently unapproved standard of care therapies, underscoring the need for treatments targeting key pathways driving inflammation in EoE. Data from this Phase 3 trial support the potential of dupilumab to treat EoE in children, with sustained efficacy and safety, which is particularly critical for these children.”

The late-breaking data to be presented at ACG feature results from children enrolled in the extended active treatment period (Part B) of a Phase 3 trial, following 16 weeks of Dupixent treatment or placebo in Part A of the trial. All children in Part B were treated with higher or lower dose Dupixent for an additional 36 weeks, providing up to 52 weeks of data.

In Part B, there were 37 patients who continued on higher dose Dupixent and 18 who switched from placebo to higher dose Dupixent. At one year, outcomes of secondary endpoints (as evaluated with descriptive statistics based on all observed data) among children who continued on higher dose Dupixent and for those switching from placebo to higher dose Dupixent was, respectively, as follows:

• 63% and 53% achieved histological disease remission
• 0.97 and 0.89 reduction from baseline in disease severity and 0.89 and 0.86 reduction from baseline in extent, respectively, as measured at the microscopic level in biopsy specimens
• 4.8 and 3.6-point reduction in abnormal endoscopic findings from baseline
• 0.30 and 0.47-point numerical improvement in caregiver reported pediatric signs and symptoms, as measured by PESQ-C
• 5.96 and 5.48 percentile increase in body weight for age percentile from baseline
  

Safety results in Part B of the trial were generally consistent with Part A and the known safety profile of Dupixent in its FDA-approved EoE indication for adult and adolescent patients aged 12 years and older who weigh at least 40 kg. AEs reported in ≥20% of patients who remained on higher dose Dupixent in Part B and those who switched from placebo to higher dose Dupixent in Part B, respectively, included: COVID-19 (n=11/37, n=5/18; all cases were mild or moderate and did not lead to study treatment discontinuation), injection site reaction (n=5/37, n=5/18), cough (n=3/37, n=4/18) and headache (n=3/37, n=4/18).

In September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration accepted for Priority Review the supplemental Biologics License Application for higher dose Dupixent to treat children aged 1 to 11 years with EoE, with a target action date of January 31, 2024. This potential use of Dupixent in children with EoE aged 1 to 11 years is currently under clinical development, and its safety and efficacy have not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority in this setting.

About Eosinophilic Esophagitis
EoE is a chronic, progressive disease driven in part by type 2 inflammation that damages the esophagus and prevents it from working properly. In children, common symptoms of EoE include heartburn, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, trouble swallowing, food refusal and failure to thrive. These symptoms can impact growth and development and can cause food-related fear and anxiety, which can persist through adulthood. Dietary adjustments, which oftentimes include the elimination of food groups, are the standard treatment for EoE, as well as the use of treatments not approved for the disease, such as proton pump inhibitors and swallowed topical corticosteroids. Continuous treatment of EoE may be needed to reduce the risk of complications and disease recurrence.

About the Dupixent Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis Trial
The Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of Dupixent in young children aged 1 to 11 years with EoE, as determined by histological, endoscopic and patient- or caregiver-reported measures. At baseline, 98% of these patients had at least one co-existing type 2 inflammatory disease such as food allergy, allergic rhinitis, asthma and atopic dermatitis.

Part A, a 16-week, double-blind treatment period, enrolled 102 patients and evaluated Dupixent subcutaneously at either a higher dose or lower dose regimen based on weight (ranging from ≥5 kg to <60 kg). The dosing frequency ranged between every two weeks and every four weeks, based on weight. The primary endpoint was histological disease remission, which was defined as peak esophageal intraepithelial eosinophil count of ≤6 eosinophils (eos)/high power field (hpf).

Part B was a 36-week extended active treatment period in which eligible children from Part A in the Dupixent group maintained their dose level; those in the placebo group were randomized to either a higher or lower dose. In Part B, secondary endpoints included:

• Histological disease remission (peak esophageal intraepithelial eosinophil count of ≤6 eosinophils [eos]/high power field [hpf])
• Histopathologic measures of the severity and extent of tissue scarring in the esophagus (EoE-HSS grade and stage scores, which measure changes in eight cellular and tissue features on 0-3 scales, respectively)
• Abnormal endoscopic findings (EoE Endoscopic Reference Score [EoE-EREFS] on a 0-18 scale)
• Changes in caregiver-reported symptoms (proportion of days with 1 or more EoE signs [e.g., stomach pain, vomiting, food refusal] by the Pediatric EoE Sign/Symptom Questionnaire-caregiver version [PESQ-C])
• Change from baseline in body weight for age percentile
  

The trial is ongoing with a 108-week open-label extension period (Part C) to evaluate longer-term outcomes.

About Dupixent
Dupixent, which was invented using Regeneron's proprietary VelocImmune^® technology, is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits the signaling of the interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) pathways and is not an immunosuppressant. The Dupixent development program has shown significant clinical benefit and a decrease in type 2 inflammation in Phase 3 trials, establishing that IL-4 and IL-13 are key and central drivers of the type 2 inflammation that plays a major role in multiple related and often co-morbid diseases. These diseases include approved indications for Dupixent, such as atopic dermatitis, asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), prurigo nodularis and EoE.

Dupixent has received regulatory approvals in one or more countries around the world for use in certain patients with atopic dermatitis, asthma, CRSwNP, EoE or prurigo nodularis in different age populations. Dupixent is currently approved for one or more of these indications in more than 60 countries, including in Europe, the U.S. and Japan. More than 750,000 patients are being treated with Dupixent globally.

About Regeneron’s VelocImmune Technology
Regeneron's VelocImmune technology utilizes a proprietary genetically engineered mouse platform endowed with a genetically humanized immune system to produce optimized fully human antibodies. When Regeneron's co-Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer George D. Yancopoulos was a graduate student with his mentor Frederick W. Alt in 1985, they were the first to envision making such a genetically humanized mouse, and Regeneron has spent decades inventing and developing VelocImmune and related VelociSuite^® technologies. Dr. Yancopoulos and his team have used VelocImmune technology to create a substantial proportion of all original, FDA-approved or authorized fully human monoclonal antibodies. This includes REGEN-COV^® (casirivimab and imdevimab), Dupixent, Libtayo^® (cemiplimab-rwlc), Praluent^® (alirocumab), Kevzara^® (sarilumab), Evkeeza^® (evinacumab-dgnb), Inmazeb^® (atoltivimab, maftivimab and odesivimab-ebgn) and Veopoz™ (pozelimab-bbfg).

Dupilumab Development Program
Dupilumab is being jointly developed by Regeneron and Sanofi under a global collaboration agreement. To date, dupilumab has been studied across more than 60 clinical trials involving more than 10,000 patients with various chronic diseases driven in part by type 2 inflammation.

In addition to the currently approved indications, Regeneron and Sanofi are studying dupilumab in a broad range of diseases driven by type 2 inflammation or other allergic processes in Phase 3 trials, including pediatric EoE, chronic pruritus of unknown origin, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with evidence of type 2 inflammation and bullous pemphigoid. These potential uses of dupilumab are currently under clinical investigation, and the safety and efficacy in these conditions have not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority.

U.S. INDICATIONS
DUPIXENT is a prescription medicine used:

• to treat adults and children 6 months of age and older with moderate-to-severe eczema (atopic dermatitis or AD) that is not well controlled with prescription therapies used on the skin (topical), or who cannot use topical therapies. DUPIXENT can be used with or without topical corticosteroids. It is not known if DUPIXENT is safe and effective in children with atopic dermatitis under 6 months of age.
• with other asthma medicines for the maintenance treatment of moderate-to-severe eosinophilic or oral steroid dependent asthma in adults and children 6 years of age and older whose asthma is not controlled with their current asthma medicines. DUPIXENT helps prevent severe asthma attacks (exacerbations) and can improve your breathing. DUPIXENT may also help reduce the amount of oral corticosteroids you need while preventing severe asthma attacks and improving your breathing. DUPIXENT is not used to treat sudden breathing problems. It is not known if DUPIXENT is safe and effective in children with asthma under 6 years of age.
• with other medicines for the maintenance treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) in adults whose disease is not controlled. It is not known if DUPIXENT is safe and effective in children with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis under 18 years of age.
• to treat adults and children 12 years of age and older, who weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kg), with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). It is not known if DUPIXENT is safe and effective in children with eosinophilic esophagitis under 12 years of age and who weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kg).
• to treat adults with prurigo nodularis (PN). It is not known if DUPIXENT is safe and effective in children with prurigo nodularis under 18 years of age.
  

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Do not use if you are allergic to dupilumab or to any of the ingredients in DUPIXENT^®.

Before using DUPIXENT, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

• have eye problems.
• have a parasitic (helminth) infection.
• are scheduled to receive any vaccinations. You should not receive a “live vaccine” right before and during treatment with DUPIXENT.
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether DUPIXENT will harm your unborn baby.
  • A pregnancy registry for women who take DUPIXENT during pregnancy collects information about the health of you and your baby. To enroll or get more information call 1-877-311-8972 or go to https://mothertobaby.org/ongoing-study/dupixent/.
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known whether DUPIXENT passes into your breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the- counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Especially tell your healthcare provider if you are taking oral, topical, or inhaled corticosteroid medicines; have asthma and use an asthma medicine; or have atopic dermatitis, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, eosinophilic esophagitis, or prurigo nodularis and also have asthma. Do not change or stop your corticosteroid medicine or other asthma medicine without talking to your healthcare provider. This may cause other symptoms that were controlled by the corticosteroid medicine or other asthma medicine to come back.

DUPIXENT can cause serious side effects, including:

• Allergic reactions. DUPIXENT can cause allergic reactions that can sometimes be severe. Stop using DUPIXENT and tell your healthcare provider or get emergency help right away if you get any of the following signs or symptoms: breathing problems or wheezing, swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat, fainting, dizziness, feeling lightheaded, fast pulse, fever, hives, joint pain, general ill feeling, itching, skin rash, swollen lymph nodes, nausea or vomiting, or cramps in your stomach-area.
• Eye problems. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new or worsening eye problems, including eye pain or changes in vision, such as blurred vision. Your healthcare provider may send you to an ophthalmologist for an exam if needed.
• Inflammation of your blood vessels. Rarely, this can happen in people with asthma who receive DUPIXENT. This may happen in people who also take a steroid medicine by mouth that is being stopped or the dose is being lowered. It is not known whether this is caused by DUPIXENT. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have: rash, chest pain, worsening shortness of breath, a feeling of pins and needles or numbness of your arms or legs, or persistent fever.
• Joint aches and pain. Some people who use DUPIXENT have had trouble walking or moving due to their joint symptoms, and in some cases needed to be hospitalized. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or worsening joint symptoms. Your healthcare provider may stop DUPIXENT if you develop joint symptoms.

The most common side effects include:

• Eczema: injection site reactions, eye and eyelid inflammation, including redness, swelling, and itching, sometimes with blurred vision, cold sores in your mouth or on your lips, and high count of a certain white blood cell (eosinophilia).
• Asthma: injection site reactions, high count of a certain white blood cell (eosinophilia), pain in the throat (oropharyngeal pain), and parasitic (helminth) infections.
• Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyposis: injection site reactions, eye and eyelid inflammation, including redness, swelling, and itching, sometimes with blurred vision, high count of a certain white blood cell (eosinophilia), gastritis, joint pain (arthralgia), trouble sleeping (insomnia), and toothache.
• Eosinophilic Esophagitis: injection site reactions, upper respiratory tract infections, cold sores in your mouth or on your lips, and joint pain (arthralgia).
• Prurigo Nodularis: eye and eyelid inflammation, including redness, swelling, and itching, sometimes with blurred vision, herpes virus infections, common cold symptoms (nasopharyngitis), dizziness, muscle pain, and diarrhea.
  

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of DUPIXENT. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Use DUPIXENT exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. It’s an injection given under the skin (subcutaneous injection). Your healthcare provider will decide if you or your caregiver can inject DUPIXENT. Do not try to prepare and inject DUPIXENT until you or your caregiver have been trained by your healthcare provider. In children 12 years of age and older, it’s recommended DUPIXENT be administered by or under supervision of an adult. In children 6 months to less than 12 years of age, DUPIXENT should be given by a caregiver.

Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information including Patient Information.

About Regeneron  
Regeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led for 35 years by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to numerous FDA-approved treatments and product candidates in development, almost all of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Our medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases and rare diseases.

Regeneron is accelerating and improving the traditional drug development process through our proprietary VelociSuite^® technologies, such as VelocImmune^®, which uses unique genetically humanized mice to produce optimized fully human antibodies and bispecific antibodies, and through ambitious research initiatives such as the Regeneron Genetics Center, which is conducting one of the largest genetics sequencing efforts in the world.

For more information, please visit www.Regeneron.com or follow @Regeneron on LinkedIn.

About Sanofi
We are an innovative global healthcare company, driven by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people's lives. Our team, across some 100 countries, is dedicated to transforming the practice of medicine by working to turn the impossible into the possible. We provide potentially life-changing treatment options and life-saving vaccine protection to millions of people globally, while putting sustainability and social responsibility at the center of our ambitions.

Sanofi is listed on EURONEXT: SAN and NASDAQ: SNY.

Regeneron Forward-Looking Statements and Use of Digital Media
This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties relating to future events and the future performance of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Regeneron” or the “Company”), and actual events or results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. 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