Medgenics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: MDGN and AIM: MEDU, MEDG) has received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA for the treatment of hepatitis D using its Biopump technology. INFRADURE is the version of Medgenics’ Biopump technology platform which produces interferon alpha, commonly used to treat hepatitis. This marks the first Orphan Drug Designation granted for treatment of a clinical indication using the Biopump.
Medgenics is developing and commercializing Biopump™, a proprietary tissue-based platform technology for the sustained production and delivery of therapeutic proteins using the patient’s own skin biopsy for the treatment of a range of chronic diseases including anemia, hepatitis, and hemophilia, among others.
Medgenics has three long-acting protein therapy products in development based on this technology:
EPODURETM to produce and deliver erythropoietin for many months from a single administration, which has demonstrated elevation and stabilization of hemoglobin levels in anemic patients for periods of six months to more than 36 months in a Phase I/II dose-ranging trial in Israel and has received approval for a Phase IIa trial in dialysis patients due to launch in Q2 2012 in Israel. An Investigational New Drug application has been cleared by the FDA to
INFRADURETM for sustained production and delivery of interferon-alpha for use in the treatment of hepatitis is awaiting final approval of the Israeli Ministry of Health of two Phase I/II trials in Israel in hepatitis C, slated to commence Q3 2012.
HEMODURETM for sustained production and delivery of clotting Factor VIII therapy for the sustained prophylactic treatment of hemophilia is now in development.
Medgenics is focused on the development and manufacturing of its innovative Biopumps, aiming to bring them to market via strategic partnerships with major pharmaceutical and/or medical device companies.
In addition to treatments for anemia, hepatitis and hemophilia, Medgenics plans to develop and/or out-license a pipeline of future Biopump products targeting the large and rapidly growing global protein therapy market, which is forecast to reach $132 billion in 2013. Other potential applications for Biopumps include multiple sclerosis, arthritis, pediatric growth hormone deficiency, obesity and diabetes.