BioCryst announces FDA approval of Orladeyo the first oral, once-daily therapy to prevent attacks in hereditary angioedema patients

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the FDA has approved oral, once-daily Orladeyo (berotralstat) for prophylaxis to prevent attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older. “Orladeyo offers people with HAE and their physicians the first orally administered non-steroidal option for preventing HAE attacks and represents an important and welcome step in making more treatment options available to physicians and patients,” said Anthony J. Castaldo, president and chief executive officer of the US Hereditary Angioedema Association (HAEA). In the pivotal Phase III APeX-2 trial, Orladeyo significantly reduced attacks at 24 weeks, and this reduction was sustained through 48 weeks. HAE patients who completed 48 weeks of treatment (150 mg) saw reductions in their HAE attack rates, from a mean of 2.9 attacks per month at baseline to a mean of 1.0 attacks per month after 48 weeks of therapy. In the long-term open label APeX-S trial, patients completing 48 weeks of therapy (150 mg) had a mean attack rate of 0.8 attacks per month. Orladeyo was safe and well tolerated in both trials. The most frequently reported adverse reactions in patients receiving Orladeyo compared with placebo were gastrointestinal reactions. These reactions generally occurred early after initiation of treatment with Orladeyo, became less frequent with time and typically self-resolved.