FORM 8-K
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 31, 2006 (October 30, 2006)
REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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New York
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000-19034
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133444607 |
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(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation)
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(Commission File Number)
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(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number) |
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777 Old Saw Mill River Road, Tarrytown, New York
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10591-6707 |
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(Address of principal executive offices)
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(Zip Code) |
(914) 347-7000
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy
the filing obligation of registrant under any of the following provisions:
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Item 8.01 Other Events.
On October 30, 2006, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced
positive data from a Phase 3 clinical program designed to
provide two separate demonstrations of efficacy for the
investigational drug Interleukin-1 (IL-1) Trap (rilonacept)
within a single group of patients suffering from a rare chronic
disease known as CAPS (CIAS1-related autoinflammatorry periodic
syndromes). A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit
99.1 to this Form 8-K.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c) Exhibits
99.1 Press Release dated October 30, 2006
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
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Dated: October 31, 2006 |
By: |
/s/ Stuart Kolinski
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Stuart Kolinski |
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Vice President and General Counsel |
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Exhibit Index
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Number |
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Description |
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99.1
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Press Release dated October 30, 2006. |
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EX-99.1
Exhibit 99.1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
REGENERON REPORTS POSITIVE PHASE 3 DATA
FOR IL-1 TRAP IN CAPS
IL-1 Trap (rilonacept) Markedly Reduced Disease Activity
in Patients with Rare Chronic Autoinflammatory Disease
Tarrytown, NY (October 30, 2006) Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) announced
positive data from a Phase 3 clinical program designed to provide two separate demonstrations of
efficacy for the investigational drug Interleukin-1 (IL-1) Trap within a single group of patients
suffering from a rare chronic disease known as CAPS (CIAS1-related autoinflammatory periodic
syndromes). The Phase 3 program of the IL-1 Trap (rilonacept) included two studies (Part A and
Part B). Both studies met their primary endpoints (Part A: p < 0.0001 and Part B: p <
0.001). The primary endpoint of both studies was the change in disease activity, which was
measured using a composite symptom score composed of a daily evaluation of fever/chills, rash,
fatigue, joint pain, and eye redness/pain.
Regeneron plans to file a Biologics License Application (BLA) with the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) in the second quarter of 2007, following completion of a 24-week open-label
extension phase. The FDA has granted Orphan Drug status and Fast Track designation to the IL-1
Trap program for the treatment of CAPS.
The first study (Part A) was a double-blind and placebo-controlled 6-week trial, in which patients
randomized to receive IL-1 Trap had an approximately 85% reduction in their mean symptom score
compared to an approximately 13% reduction in patients treated with placebo (p<0.0001).
Following a 9-week interval during which all patients received IL-1 Trap, a randomized withdrawal
study (Part B) was performed, in which the same patients were re-randomized to either switch to
placebo or continue treatment with IL-1 Trap in a double-blind manner. During the 9-week
randomized withdrawal period, patients who were switched to placebo had a five-fold increase in
their mean symptom score, compared with those remaining on IL-1 Trap who had no significant change
(p<0.001). Both the Part A and Part B studies achieved statistical significance in all of their
pre-specified secondary and exploratory endpoints, including responder analyses as detailed below.
Many of my CAPS patients who participated in the trial described dramatic responses to this
investigational therapy. Since the onset of the syndrome is at birth, these individuals
experienced for the first time a life without suffering from this serious disease, said Hal
Hoffman, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Division of
Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology at the University of California at San Diego
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School of Medicine, who with his colleagues discovered the CIAS1 gene and its causal relationship to CAPS.
Preliminary analysis of the safety data from both studies indicated that there were no drug-related
serious adverse events. Injection site reactions and upper respiratory tract infections, all mild
to moderate in nature, occurred more frequently in patients while on IL-1 Trap than on placebo. In
these studies, the IL-1 Trap appeared to be well tolerated; 46 of 47 randomized patients completed
the Part A study, and 44 of 45 randomized patients completed the Part B study. The 24-week
open-label extension phase is ongoing.
Additional Key Study Results
All pre-specified secondary and exploratory endpoints in both studies demonstrated statistically
significant effects of the IL-1 Trap compared to placebo. For example:
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An exploratory responder analysis of Part A indicated that 70% of patients treated
with the IL-1 Trap had at least a 75% reduction in their symptom score compared with 0% of
patients treated with placebo (p<0.000001). |
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IL-1 Trap significantly reduced the number of days in which patients experienced any
moderate or severe symptoms compared with placebo (p<0.0001). Patients administered
IL-1 Trap in the Part A study experienced only 5% of days with moderate or severe symptoms
compared with 50% of days prior to treatment. |
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Exploratory analyses indicated that, compared with placebo, IL-1 Trap therapy
significantly lowered all of the individual components of the composite symptom score and
reduced laboratory measures of inflammation such as serum C- Reactive Protein (CRP) and
serum amyloid A (SAA) by about 90% (both p values <0.01). |
A detailed presentation of the data from both the Part A and Part B studies will be submitted to an
upcoming medical meeting.
For the first time in Phase 3 studies, blocking IL-1 with IL-1 Trap demonstrated a significant
effect on relieving the symptoms of patients suffering from this serious, life-long hereditary
disease that produces recurring symptoms such as fever, rash, joint pain, fatigue and eye redness
or pain, said Leonard S. Schleifer, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of
Regeneron. We are also evaluating additional inflammatory diseases in which the IL-1 Trap could
potentially provide benefit.
The Regeneron Trap Technology was designed to provide highly potent and specific blockers of
cytokines and growth factors that are implicated in a variety of disease processes. It is
particularly gratifying that the first Phase 3 studies of a Regeneron Trap demonstrated such a
remarkable reduction of symptoms in patients with a cytokine driven, genetic disease, said George
D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., President, Regeneron Research Laboratories and Chief Scientific
Officer of Regeneron. We are grateful to the patients and investigators who participated in this
study.
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About CIAS1-related Autoinflammatory Periodic Syndromes (CAPS)
CIAS1-related Autoinflammatory Periodic Syndromes (CAPS) is a spectrum of rare inherited
inflammatory conditions, including Familial Cold Autoinflammatory Syndrome (FCAS), Muckle-Wells
Syndrome (MWS), and Neonatal Onset Multisystem Inflammatory Disease (NOMID). These syndromes are
characterized by spontaneous systemic inflammation and are termed autoinflammatory disorders. A
novel feature of these conditions (particularly FCAS and MWS) is that exposure to mild degrees of
cold temperature can provoke a major inflammatory episode that occurs within hours.
CAPS are caused by a range of mutations in the gene CIAS1 (also known as NALP3) which encodes a
protein named cryopyrin (icy-fire). This gene, and its causal relationship to FCAS and MWS, was
discovered by Dr. Harold Hoffman and colleagues at the University of California at San Diego. Dr.
Hoffman and others have demonstrated the ability of IL-1 blocking agents to reduce signs and
symptoms of CAPS. Currently, there are no medicines approved for the treatment of CAPS.
About the CAPS Pivotal Study
The Phase 3 clinical program is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the IL-1 Trap, a
long-acting IL-1 inhibitor, in adult patients with CAPS. The IL-1 Trap has not been evaluated in
NOMID. The first study (Part A) was a double-blind and placebo-controlled 6-week trial, in which
patients were randomized to receive a self-injected 160 milligram (mg) dose of the IL-1 Trap or
placebo once a week. Following a 9-week interval during which all patients received a 160 mg dose
of the IL-1 Trap, a randomized withdrawal study (Part B) was performed in which the same patients
were re-randomized to switch either to placebo or continue treatment with IL-1 Trap in a
double-blind manner.
About Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and
intends to commercialize therapeutic medicines for the treatment of serious medical conditions.
Regeneron has therapeutic candidates in clinical trials for the potential treatment of cancer, eye
diseases, and inflammatory diseases, and has preclinical programs in other diseases and disorders.
For more information on Regeneron, visit the Companys web site at www.regeneron.com.
This news release discusses historical information and includes forward-looking statements
about Regeneron and its products, programs, finances, and business, all of which involve a number
of risks and uncertainties, such as risks associated with preclinical and clinical development of
our drug candidates, determinations by regulatory and administrative governmental authorities which
delay or restrict our ability to continue to develop or commercialize our drug candidates,
competing drugs that are superior to our product candidates, unanticipated expenses, the
availability and cost of capital, the costs of developing, producing, and selling products, the
potential for any collaboration agreement, including our agreements with the sanofi-aventis Group
and Bayer HealthCare, to be canceled or to terminate without any product success, risks associated
with third party intellectual property, and other material risks. A more complete description of
these and other material risks can be found in Regenerons filings with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2005 and its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2006. Regeneron does not undertake any
obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new
information, future events, or otherwise unless required by law.
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Contacts:
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Investors:
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Media:
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Charles Poole
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Kimberly Chen
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914.345.7640
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212.845.5634 |
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