Vernalis plc Announces FDA Acceptance for Filing of Frova(R) for Short-Term Prevention of Menstrual Migraine
September 20 2006 - 6:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
WINNERSH, England, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vernalis plc
(LSE:VERLSE:Nasdaq:LSE:VNLS) today announced that the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing the supplemental
New Drug Application (sNDA) for Frova(R) (frovatriptan succinate)
2.5 mg tablets for the short-term (six days per month) prevention
of menstrual migraine (MM). Acceptance for filing indicates
recognition by the FDA that the submission is complete and warrants
full review of the data needed to assess the safety and efficacy of
Frova(R) for the short-term prevention of MM. Under the
Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) guidelines, the FDA is
expected to complete its review within ten months from the sNDA
submission date. Vernalis' partner, Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.,
submitted the application on 19 July 2006. The FDA has confirmed 19
May 2007 as the review completion date for this application.
Enquiries: Vernalis plc +44 (0) 118 977 3133 Simon Sturge, Chief
Executive Officer Tony Weir, Chief Financial Officer Julia Wilson,
Head of Corporate Communications Brunswick Group +44 (0) 20 7404
5959 Jon Coles Justine McIlroy Lazar Partners Ltd +1-212-867-1762
Gregory Gin Notes to Editors The sNDA for Frova(R) is supported by
data from four studies, including two Phase III studies examining
the efficacy and safety of once- and twice- daily dose regimens of
Frova(R) in the short-term prevention of MM, a pharmacokinetics and
tolerability study of once- and twice-daily dosing of Frova(R), and
a 12-month open-label safety study evaluating a six-day dosing
regimen of Frova(R) in 525 women. Important Information about
Frova(R) Frova(R) was approved by the FDA on November 8, 2001 for
the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura
(subjective symptoms at the onset of a migraine headache) in
adults. Frova(R) is generally well tolerated, with a side-effect
profile that is typical of the triptan class of drugs. Frova(R) is
indicated for the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or
without aura in adults where a clear diagnosis of migraine has been
established. Frova(R) is not intended for the prophylactic
treatment of migraine or for use in the management of hemiplegic or
basilar migraine. The safety and effectiveness of Frova(R) have not
been established for cluster headache, which is present in an
older, predominantly male population. Frova(R) should not be given
to patients with cerebrovascular syndromes, peripheral vascular
disease, uncontrolled hypertension, ischemic heart disease, or to
patients who have symptoms or findings consistent with ischemic
heart disease, coronary artery vasospasm, including Prinzmetal's
variant angina or other significant underlying cardiovascular
disease. Frova(R) should not be given to patients within whom
unrecognized coronary artery disease is predicted by the presence
of risk factors without a prior cardiovascular evaluation. The most
common adverse events (greater than or equal to 4%) include
dizziness, fatigue, paresthesia, flushing, and headache. The
FDA-approved dosing for Frova(R) is one 2.5 mg tablet up to three
times within a 24-hour period. Frova(R) is not currently approved
by the FDA for any indications other than for the treatment of
acute migraine headaches, and its safety and efficacy in other
indications have not been established. Frova(R) is licensed for
this indication in the US. For other countries, check local
prescribing information. Not necessarily licensed for this
indication outside the US. Not for release in the UK. About
Menstrual Migraine Menstrual Migraine (MM) can have a serious
impact on women's lives because they last longer than non-menstrual
migraines, tend to be associated with severe pain and recur more
often. Patients with MM may suffer from migraines at any time,
although their migraine is frequently linked to their menstrual
cycle. Over 60 percent of migraines in women are associated with
menstruation. About Vernalis Vernalis is a speciality
bio-pharmaceutical company focused on products marketed to
specialist neurologists. The company has two marketed products,
Frova(R) and Apokyn(R), and a development pipeline focused on
neurology and central nervous system disorders. The company has
seven products in clinical development and collaborations with
leading, global pharmaceutical companies including Novartis, Biogen
Idec and Serono. Vernalis has established a US commercial operation
to promote Apokyn(R) and co-promote Frova(R) alongside its North
American licensing partner, Endo Pharmaceuticals, progressing the
company towards its goal of becoming a sustainable, self-funding,
R&D-driven, speciality bio-pharmaceutical company. For further
information about Vernalis, please visit http://www.vernalis.com/.
Vernalis Forward-Looking Statement This news release may contain
forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current
expectations regarding future events including the clinical
development and regulatory clearance of the Company's products and
including that of Frova(R) for menstrual migraine, the Company's
ability to find partners for the development and commercialisation
of its products, the benefits of re-acquiring Frova(R) in North
America and the partnership with Endo on the Company's liquidity
and results of operations, as well as the Company's future capital
raising activities. Forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially from those
projected herein and depend on a number of factors including the
success of the Company's research strategies, the applicability of
the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion
of clinical studies, including with respect to Frova(R) and the
Company's other products, the uncertainties related to the
regulatory process, the ability of the Company to identify and
agree beneficial terms with suitable partners for the
commercialisation and/or development of Frova(R) and other
products, as well as the achievement of expected synergies from
such transactions, the acceptance of Frova(R) and other products by
consumers and medical professionals, the successful integration of
completed mergers and acquisitions and achievement of expected
synergies from such transactions, and the ability of the Company to
identify and consummate suitable strategic and business combination
transactions. DATASOURCE: Vernalis plc CONTACT: Simon Sturge, Chief
Executive Officer, or Tony Weir, Chief Financial Officer, or Julia
Wilson, Head of Corporate Communications, +44-118-977-3133, all of
Vernalis plc; or Jon Coles or Justine McIlroy, +44-20-7404-5959,
both of Brunswick Group; or Gregory Gin of Lazar Partners Ltd,
+1-212-867-1762 Web site: http://www.vernalis.com/
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