Sanofi gets Japenese nod for Xenpozyme to treat acid sphingomyelinase deficiency

Xenpozyme is a recombinant human acid sphingomyelinase enzyme developed to replace deficient or defective acid sphingomyelinase (ASM), an enzyme that allows for the breakdown of the lipid sphingomyelin. Accumulation of sphingomyelin in cells can cause harm to the lungs, spleen, and liver, as well as other organs, potentially leading to early death.

The approval of Xenpozyme in Japan is based on positive results from the ASCEND and ASCEND-Peds clinical trials, showing that Xenpozyme provided improvement in lung function (as measured by diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, or DLco) and reduction of spleen and liver volumes, with a well-tolerated safety profile in adults and children with ASMD. These data were presented at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2020 Virtual Meeting.

Xenpozyme has been evaluated in children and adults to treat non-CNS manifestations of ASMD type A/B and ASMD type B. Xenpozyme has not been studied in patients with ASMD type A.

Historically known as Niemann-Pick disease types A, A/B, and B, ASMD is a genetically-based, progressive, and potentially life-threatening disease. ASMD represents a spectrum of disease, with two types that may represent opposite ends of a continuum referred to as ASMD type A and ASMD type B. ASMD type A/B is an intermediate form that includes varying degrees of CNS involvement. Until now, no approved therapies for ASMD have been available anywhere in the world.

Outside of Japan, olipudase alfa is being evaluated by regulatory authorities around the world. A Biologics License Application (BLA) for olipudase alfa was accepted for Priority Review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with a decision expected early Q3 2022. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has awarded olipudase alfa the PRIority MEdicines (PRIME) designation, and a decision is anticipated in the second half of 2022.