PARIS- NEW YORK,—September 23, 2020— Vivet Therapeutics, a privately held gene therapy biotech company dedicated to developing treatments for inherited liver disorders with high unmet medical need, and Pfizer Inc. announced today that they have entered into a manufacturing agreement, under which Pfizer will provide clinical supply for a Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating Vivet’s proprietary, investigational gene therapy, VTX-801, for the potential treatment of Wilson disease, a rare and potentially life-threatening liver disorder. The trial is expected to commence in early 2021. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
In March 2019, the companies announced that Pfizer had acquired a minority equity interest in Vivet and secured an exclusive option to acquire all outstanding shares. The companies also announced that they would collaborate on the development of VTX-801, for which an Investigational New Drug (IND) application is planned to be filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2020.
“The manufacture of potentially transformative gene therapy technologies is an incredibly complex undertaking, and we are hopeful that this key milestone further strengthens our relationship with Pfizer while ensuring the long-term development of VTX-801,” said Jean-Philippe Combal, Co-Founder & CEO of Vivet Therapeutics.
The Phase 1/2 clinical supply for VTX-801 will be manufactured in Pfizer’s facility in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In recent years, Pfizer has made significant investments in the company’s gene therapy manufacturing facilities in North Carolina to strengthen its ability to produce both clinical and commercial scale quantities of gene therapies for patients living with rare diseases around the world.
“We are proud of the significant progress made to date in our gene therapy manufacturing capabilities, and this milestone in our relationship with Vivet underscores the importance of our strategic investments in end-to-end gene therapy research and supply, to support the timely delivery of these important new therapies for patients,” said Seng Cheng, Chief Scientific Officer, Rare Disease Research Unit, Pfizer.
About Vivet Therapeutics
Vivet Therapeutics is an emerging biotechnology company developing novel gene therapy treatments for rare, inherited metabolic diseases.
Vivet is building a diversified gene therapy pipeline based on novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) technologies developed through its partnerships with, and exclusive licenses from, the Fundación para la Investigación Médica Aplicada (FIMA), a not-for-profit foundation at the Centro de Investigación Medica Aplicada (CIMA), University of Navarra based in Pamplona, Spain.
Vivet’s lead program, VTX-801, is a novel investigational gene therapy for Wilson disease which has been granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European
Commission (EC). This rare genetic disorder is caused by mutations in the gene encoding the ATP7B protein, which reduces the ability of the liver and other tissues to regulate copper levels causing severe hepatic damages, neurologic symptoms and potentially death.
Vivet’s second gene therapy product, VTX-803 for PFIC3, received US and European Orphan Drug Designation in May 2020.
Vivet is supported by international life science investors including Novartis Venture Fund, Roche Venture Fund, HealthCap, Pfizer Inc., Columbus Venture Partners, Ysios Capital, Kurma Partners and Idinvest Partners.
About Pfizer: Breakthroughs That Change Patients’ Lives
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world’s premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 170 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us.
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