ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPRY), a biopharmaceutical
company dedicated to empowering at-risk patients and their
caregivers to better protect patients from severe allergic
reactions that could lead to anaphylaxis, announced today that
neffy® (epinephrine nasal spray)
is now available to patients and caregivers by prescription across
the U.S. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved
neffy 2 mg last month for the treatment of Type I
Allergic Reactions, including anaphylaxis, in adults and children
who weigh ≥30 kg (66 lbs.).
Through neffyConnect, and in partnership with
online pharmacy BlinkRx, eligible commercially insured patients
will pay $25 for two single-use neffy devices
through a co-pay savings program. For patients without insurance
coverage, or for those whose insurance plans do not yet cover
neffy, ARS Pharmaceuticals is offering a cash
price of $199 for two single-use neffy devices.
neffy will be available free of charge for
patients that qualify for the ARS Patient Assistance Program.
Starting today, national retail pharmacies will also begin stocking
neffy and a $25 co-pay savings card can be
downloaded at neffy.com for use at pharmacies by
eligible patients.
“The introduction of neffy as the first and
only needle-free treatment option for patients and caregivers
living with severe allergic reactions marks a turning point for ARS
Pharmaceuticals and the severe allergy community. Since approval,
we have been partnering with healthcare providers, payers, and
patient advocates to ensure access for patients,” said Eric Karas,
chief commercial officer of ARS Pharmaceuticals. “Pharmacies are
processing prescriptions, our supply chain is fully operational,
and most importantly, the first patients are now receiving
neffy.”
In addition to scheduling an appointment with healthcare
providers to prescribe neffy, other options for
patients who need to obtain a prescription include visiting
neffy.com and selecting the “Get
neffy Now” button. They can request
neffy either through their existing healthcare
provider or via a virtual consultation with a licensed physician.
Both options are supported by neffyConnect, a
service designed to help patients with access and financial
assistance. ARS Pharmaceuticals is also offering free carrying
cases that hold two
single-use neffy devices
with instructions for use, encouraging
having neffy conveniently available when
needed.
“The introduction of neffy is welcomed by
the healthcare community,” said Dr. Carlos Camargo, MD DrPH,
Professor of Emergency Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital
and Harvard Medical School. “neffy changes the
paradigm when it comes to treatment options for patients and
families living with severe allergic reactions — and the way in
which healthcare providers practice. Epinephrine auto-injectors
have needles and this can be intimidating for patients. This can
lead to hesitancy in carrying and in using the life-saving devices,
and often results in patients failing to treat before seeking
emergency medical assistance. neffy provides
a fast, easy-to-carry, easy-to-administer alternative
that we anticipate will result in more people carrying their
epinephrine device and treating their allergic event earlier. These
changes are likely to lead to better clinical outcomes and less
need for emergency room visits.”
“Years of dedication from the entire allergy community and
healthcare providers have paved the way for neffy
as the first needle-free epinephrine treatment for severe
allergies,” said Richard Lowenthal, Co-Founder, President, and CEO
of ARS Pharmaceuticals. “We are so proud of our team members who
have worked diligently from conception through FDA approval to make
neffy available. Now that people can begin using
neffy, we are looking forward to seeing how it
positively impacts up to 40 million people in the U.S. who
experience severe allergic reactions.”
Expanding Access in Europe, Pediatric
Indications
In addition to its U.S. launch, ARS Pharmaceuticals plans to
expand access to EURneffy® (trade
name for neffy in the EU)
internationally in partnership with an EU-based pharmaceutical
partner. On August 22, 2024, the European Commission approved
EURneffy (adrenaline nasal spray)
for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) in
the EU. The company expects
EURneffy to be available in
certain EU Member States by Q4 2024.
ARS Pharmaceuticals has also submitted a supplemental New Drug
Application (sNDA) to the FDA for the use of neffy
1 mg in pediatric patients weighing 15 to 30 kg (33 to 66 lbs.),
further broadening its potential to protect vulnerable populations
from severe allergic reactions.
About Type I Allergic Reactions including
Anaphylaxis
Type I severe allergic reactions are serious and potentially
life-threatening events that can occur within minutes of exposure
to an allergen and require immediate treatment with epinephrine,
the only FDA-approved medication for these reactions. While
epinephrine auto-injectors have been shown to be highly effective,
there are well published limitations that result in many patients
and caregivers delaying or not administering treatment in an
emergency situation. These limitations include fear of the needle,
lack of portability, needle-related safety concerns, lack of
reliability, and complexity of the devices. There are approximately
40 million people in the United States who experience
Type I severe allergic reactions due to food, venom or insect
stings. Of those, only 3.3 million currently have an active
epinephrine auto-injector prescription, and of those, only half
consistently carry their prescribed auto-injector. Even if patients
or caregivers carry an auto-injector, more than half either delay
or do not administer the device when needed in an emergency.
About neffy®
neffy® is an intranasal epinephrine
product for patients with Type I allergic reactions including food,
medications, and insect bites that could lead to life-threatening
anaphylaxis.
INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
FOR neffy (epinephrine nasal
spray)
INDICATION
neffy 2 mg is indicated for emergency
treatment of Type I allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in
adult and pediatric patients who weigh 30 kg or greater.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
It is recommended that patients are prescribed and have
immediate access to two neffy nasal
sprays at all times. In the absence of clinical improvement or if
symptoms worsen after initial treatment, administer a second dose
of neffy in the same nostril with a new
nasal spray starting 5 minutes after the first dose.
neffy is for use in the nose only.
Advise patients when to seek emergency medical assistance for
close monitoring of the anaphylactic episode and in the event
further treatment is required.
Absorption of neffy may be affected
by underlying structural or anatomical nasal conditions.
Administer with caution to patients who have heart disease;
epinephrine may aggravate angina pectoris or produce ventricular
arrhythmias. Arrhythmias, including fatal ventricular fibrillation,
have been reported, particularly in patients with underlying
cardiac disease or taking cardiac glycosides, diuretics, or
anti-arrhythmics.
The presence of a sulfite
in neffy should not deter use.
neffy may alter nasal mucosa for up to 2
weeks after administration and increase systemic absorption of
nasal products, including neffy.
Patients with certain medical conditions or who take certain
medications for allergies, depression, thyroid disorders, diabetes,
and hypertension, may be at greater risk for adverse reactions.
Epinephrine can temporarily exacerbate the underlying condition
or increase symptoms in patients with the following:
hyperthyroidism, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, renal impairment.
Epinephrine should be administered with caution in patients with
these conditions, including elderly patients and pregnant
women.
Adverse reactions to neffy may
include throat irritation, intranasal paresthesia, headache, nasal
discomfort, feeling jittery, paresthesia, fatigue, tremor,
rhinorrhea, nasal pruritus, sneezing, abdominal pain, gingival
pain, hypoesthesia oral, nasal congestion, dizziness, nausea, and
vomiting.
These are not all of the possible side effects
of neffy. To report suspected adverse
reactions, contact ARS Pharmaceuticals Operations,
Inc. at 1-877-MY-NEFFY (877-696-3339) or
FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
For additional information on neffy,
please see Full Prescribing Information at
www.neffy.com.
About ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
ARS
Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to
empowering at-risk patients and their caregivers to better protect
patients from severe allergic reactions that could lead to
anaphylaxis. The Company is
commercializing neffy® 2 mg (trade
name EURneffy® in the
EU) (previously referred to as ARS-1), an epinephrine nasal spray
indicated in the US for emergency treatment of Type I allergic
reactions, including anaphylaxis, in adult and pediatric patients
who weigh 30 kg or greater, and in the EU for emergency treatment
of allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) due to insect stings or bites,
foods, medicinal products and other allergens as well as idiopathic
or exercise induced anaphylaxis in adults and children who weigh 30
kg or greater. For more information,
visit www.ars-pharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not purely historical
in nature are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
statements include but are not limited to: the platforms through
which neffy will be accessible,
including BlinkRx; neffy,
neffy.com, and neffyConnect’s
potential benefits to patients and caregivers; the needle-free
profile of neffy potentially increasing
the likelihood that patients may both
carry and administer epinephrine; the potential market
and demand for neffy; the timelines for
commercialization
of EURneffy in
the European Union; ARS Pharmaceuticals’s marketing and
commercialization strategies, including potential partnerships in
foreign jurisdictions; and other statements that are not historical
fact. Because such statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such
as “can,” “could,” “expects,” “likely,” “may,” “plans,”
“potential,” “will,” and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking
statements are based upon ARS Pharmaceuticals’s current
expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or
may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events
could differ materially from those anticipated in such
forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and
uncertainties, which include, without limitation: the ability to
obtain and maintain regulatory approval
for neffy; potential safety and other
complications from neffy; the labelling
for neffy in any future indication or
patient population, if approved; the scope, progress and expansion
of developing and commercializing neffy; the
potential for payors to delay, limit or deny coverage
for neffy; the size and growth of the market
therefor and the rate and degree of market acceptance thereof
vis-à-vis intramuscular injectable products; ARS Pharmaceuticals’s
ability to protect its intellectual property position; and the
impact of government laws and regulations. Additional risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to
differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking
statements are included under the caption “Risk Factors” in ARS
Pharmaceuticals’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended June 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) on August 6, 2024. This and
other documents ARS Pharmaceuticals files with
the SEC can also be accessed on ARS Pharmaceuticals’s
website at ir.ars-pharma.com by clicking on the link
“Financials & Filings” under the “Investors & Media”
tab.
ARS Investor Contact:Justin Chakma
ARS
Pharmaceuticalsjustinc@ars-pharma.com
ARS Media Contact:
Christy
Curran
Sam Brown Inc.
615.414.8668
christycurran@sambrown.com
Photos accompanying this announcement are available
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