VEN 307 fails Phase III study for treatment of Anal Fissure Pain -Ventrus

Ventrus Biosciences, Inc. announced top line efficacy and safety results from the second Phase III clinical trial of Diltiazem Hydrochloride 2% Cream (VEN 307) in patients with pain related to Anal Fissure (AF). In this randomized double blind trial comparing diltiazem 2% cream versus placebo cream in 434 subjects in 90 centers globally, both treatment arms demonstrated a clinically meaningful improvement. The diltiazem 2% treatment arm demonstrated no significant improvement compared to placebo in the primary endpoint of average of worst anal pain associated with or following defecation. The mean of worst AF-related pain score at baseline was 7.09 for diltiazem 2% and 7.18 for placebo, decreasing to 3.81 (-3.28 difference) and 3.72 (-3.46 difference) respectively. Outcomes for the secondary endpoints of overall AF-related pain and PGI-I parallel the primary endpoint.

Ventrus will request a pre-NDA FDA meeting to determine next steps in the program. Because diltiazem is approved in oral formulations for the treatment of angina and high blood pressure, VEN 307 is eligible for the FDA's 505(b)2 registration pathway.