Press Release
2024-06-04
- This regulatory milestone marks an acceleration of the process around NT-I7’s potential first indication, after other recent positive news.
- NeoImmuneTech’s NT-I7 has shown potential in nonclinical studies to address the immunosuppressive effects of ARS.
04 June 2024 — ROCKVILLE, MD: NeoImmuneTech, Inc. (NIT or “NeoImmuneTech”), a clinical-stage T cell-focused biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) to NT-I7 (efineptakin alfa) for the treatment of Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS).
This regulatory milestone follows the ODD granted to NT-I7 by the FDA in the US for the same indication in November 2023. It is the second ODD received by NT-I7 from the EMA, following the one granted in Idiopathic CD4+ Lymphocytopenia (ICL) in May 2017.
ARS is a critical condition resulting from a high dose of radiation exposure, causing severe, sometimes fatal damage to the bone marrow and the immune system. Currently, there are no treatments available that effectively promote T cell recovery after such exposure. NT-I7, a novel long-acting human interleukin-7 (IL-7), has shown promise to accelerate T cell reconstitution and enhance the immune response, offering a potential solution for this medical unmet need. Clinical studies have shown that NT-I7 significantly boosts T cell counts, while maintaining a high level of safety and tolerability.
NeoImmuneTech is actively developing NT-I7 in ARS through partnerships with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Duke University. Recently, Duke University secured a $6 million grant from NIAID for NT-I7 development in ARS.
Luke Oh, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of NeoImmuneTech, said: "We are thrilled to see the deep interest of the scientific and regulatory community around the potential use of NT-I7 as a medical countermeasure in ARS. The EMA Orphan Drug Designation marks a new milestone for us, following our recent pre-IND discussions we had with the FDA to accelerate our development program. It is an important acknowledgment of the potential that NT-I7 holds in providing a beacon of hope for the treatment of ARS.”
ODD is a status assigned to a medicine intended for use against a rare disease or condition. The designation provides incentives to advance the development of treatments for rare diseases, including reduced fees for multiple steps in the development process, such as protocol assistance, marketing authorization applications, and inspections before authorization.