MENLO PARK, Calif., July 6, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Versartis, Inc. (NASDAQ:VSAR), an endocrine-focused biopharmaceutical company that is developing VRS-317, a novel, long-acting form of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) for growth hormone deficiency (GHD), today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed the partial clinical hold on the Company's Investigational New Drug Application for VRS-317. With this action, the Company will proceed with the Phase 3 registration trial, VELOCITY, of VRS-317 in children with GHD.
Jay Shepard, Chief Executive Officer, said, "Our team has continued to work diligently with the FDA and we are excited to be moving forward with the Phase 3 clinical trial of VRS-317 in pediatric GHD patients. There is a significant need for these patients to have treatment options that are less burdensome than the daily injections that are the current standard of care. We continue to expect VRS-317 to be the first and longest-acting rhGH product candidate in development to reach the market and, with the removal of the partial clinical hold, we remain on track to achieve this goal."
The Company reaffirmed its previously stated anticipated milestones for the VELOCITY Phase 3 clinical trial, including interim 6-month mean height velocity data by the end of 2016 and top line data on the 12-month mean height velocity primary endpoint by mid-2017, enabling a potential Biologics License Application submission, followed by a potential FDA approval by late-2018.
About the VELOCITY Trial
The Versartis Long-Acting Growth Hormone in Children compared To Daily rhGH (VELOCITY) Trial is a randomized, open-label, Phase 3 registration trial being conducted in the United States, Western Europe and Canada. This study is expected to enroll up to 136 naïve to treatment, pre-pubertal children with GHD and will include a 3:1 randomization of 3.5 mg/kg VRS-317 twice-monthly to daily rhGH at the highest approved dose on the labels of Genotropin® and Norditropin® 34 µg/kg/day. The primary endpoint is non-inferiority between the two treatment groups for 12-month mean height velocity. After completing the Phase 3 trial, all patients will be offered the opportunity to continue treatment with VRS-317 in the ongoing pediatric Extension Study. Additional information on the VELOCITY trial can be found at www.velocitytrial.com.
About Versartis, Inc.
Versartis, Inc. is an endocrine-focused biopharmaceutical company initially developing VRS-317, a novel, long-acting form of recombinant human growth hormone for the treatment of growth hormone deficiency (GHD). VRS-317 is intended to reduce the burden of daily injection therapy by requiring significantly fewer injections, potentially improving compliance and, therefore, treatment outcomes. The Company completed the Phase 2a stage of a Phase 1b/2a trial evaluating weekly, twice-monthly and monthly dosing regimens of VRS-317 in children with GHD in June 2014 and initiated a global Phase 3 registration trial, VELOCITY, in GHD children in January 2015. In addition, the Company initiated a Phase 2/3 trial in Japan for children with GHD in April 2015. Additional information on the VELOCITY trial can be found at www.velocitytrial.com. Further information on Versartis can be found at www.versartis.com.
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking-Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our intentions or current expectations concerning, among other things, plans and timing of our clinical trials and the potential for eventual regulatory approval of VRS-317. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those anticipated, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to: our success being heavily dependent on VRS-317; VRS-317 being a new chemical entity; the risk that VRS-317 may not have favorable results in clinical trials or receive regulatory approval; potential delays in our clinical trials due to regulatory requirements or difficulty identifying qualified investigators or enrolling patients; the risk that VRS-317 may cause serious side effects or have properties that delay or prevent regulatory approval or limit its commercial potential; the risk that we may encounter difficulties in manufacturing VRS-317; if VRS-317 is approved, risks associated with its market acceptance, including pricing and reimbursement; potential difficulties enforcing our intellectual property rights; our reliance on our license of intellectual property from Amunix Operating, Inc. and our need for additional funds to support our operations. We discuss many of these risks in greater detail under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2015, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate, may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update our forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.
CONTACT: Corporate & Investors:
Joshua Brumm
Chief Financial Officer
(650) 963-8582
[email protected]
Investors:
Nick LaudicoThe Ruth Group
(646) 536-7030
[email protected]
Media:
Debra Bannister
Corporate Communications
(530) 676-7373
[email protected]
