Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTLA), a leading clinical-stage gene editing company focused on revolutionizing medicine with CRISPR-based therapies, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation to nexiguran ziclumeran (nex-z, also known as NTLA-2001) for the treatment of hereditary transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (ATTRv-PN). Nex-z is an in vivo CRISPR-based investigational therapy designed as a single-dose treatment to inactivate the TTR gene and thereby prevent the production of TTR protein for the treatment of ATTR amyloidosis. Development and commercialization of nex-z is led by Intellia as part of a multi-target collaboration with Regeneron.
"This RMAT designation underscores the transformative potential of nex-z, our investigational in vivo CRISPR-based gene editing therapy for those living with hereditary ATTR amyloidosis with polyneuropathy," said Intellia President and Chief Executive Officer John Leonard, M.D. "It was granted following the FDA's review of our compelling interim Phase 1 data that indicated our one-time treatment led to rapid, deep and durable TTR reduction, which is expected to halt and potentially reverse the disease. We look forward to working closely with the FDA to bring this potential paradigm-shifting therapy to patients as quickly as possible."
The RMAT designation was established under the 21st Century Cures Act to expedite the development and review of promising therapeutic candidates, including genetic therapies, that are intended to treat, modify, reverse or cure a serious or life-threatening disease. RMAT designation includes benefits, such as early interactions with the FDA, including discussions on surrogate or intermediate endpoints that could potentially support accelerated approval and satisfy post-approval requirements, and potential priority review of a product's biologics license application (BLA).
This RMAT designation is the third special regulatory designation received by Intellia for nex-z. Nex-z was also granted Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. FDA and European Union Orphan Drug Designation by the European Commission.
About nexiguran ziclumeran (nex-z, also known as NTLA-2001)
Based on Nobel Prize-winning CRISPR/Cas9 technology, nex-z has the potential to become the first one-time treatment for transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis. Nex-z is designed to inactivate the TTR gene that encodes for the transthyretin (TTR) protein. Interim Phase 1 clinical data showed the administration of nex-z led to consistent, deep and long-lasting TTR reduction. Intellia leads development and commercialization of nex-z as part of a multi-target discovery, development and commercialization collaboration with Regeneron.
