Phase III SOLUTION study results of Sollpura (liprotamase) for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.-Anthera Pharmaceuticals.

Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the top line results of the SOLUTION clinical study in cystic fibrosis patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) treated with Sollpura (liprotamase). The study narrowly missed the CFA non-inferiority margin of the primary modified Intent to Treat (mITT) analysis; however, by additional pre-specified analyses of CFA (mITT-Baseline Observation Carried Forward and Per Protocol), Sollpura met the non-inferiority criterion. The study also confirmed that the ratio of the three enzymes in Sollpura demonstrated an appropriate response in the coefficient of nitrogen absorption (CNA). CNA is a measure of protein digestion and absorption and is a key requirement of Anthera's planned FDA regulatory submission. Anthera expects to release data from the extension phase of the study in Q1 2017.

In analyzing the results of the SOLUTION study, patients' ability to increase their doses during the study were hindered by time restrictions and amounts allowed per protocol, while other patients were prevented from increasing their dose due to the daily limit (10,000 lipase units/kg/day) for porcine pancreatic enzyme replacement therapies (PERTs). Sollpura was generally well tolerated compared to Pancreaze, although symptoms related to malabsorption were generally modestly more frequent in the Sollpura arm. In addition to the challenges to dose escalation inherent in the design of the SOLUTION study, analytical techniques for measuring the activity of lipase enzymes based on duodenal pH of Cystic Fibrosis patients, indicate that Sollpura may have been under dosed versus the Pancreaze labeled dose. Given the robust activity of Sollpura in this study, in the context of dose titration limitation and apparent reduced dosage activity, Anthera will initiate activities for an additional clinical study of Sollpura in patients with EPI due to Cystic Fibrosis, which Anthera expects will enable optimized dosing and dose titration. This study will provide investigators and patients the flexibility to adjust their Sollpura dose based upon malabsorption symptoms at any time during the study. Anthera believes that these modifications in the study design will allow patients to achieve the optimal level of fat absorption as measured by CFA. The new study will begin in 1Q'17, and Anthera anticipates only a modest delay in the filing of the BLA around Q1 2018, as the new study will complete concurrently with the completion of required CMC activities.