Ipsen is paying €120 million up front to acquire global rights to elafibranor, a Genfit drug that fell short as a treatment for NASH, but is currently in Phase 3 testing in another liver disease, primary biliary cholangitis. Meanwhile, Genfit is adding an early-stage drug candidate to its own pipeline via a separate transaction.
The company said it was formally terminating the Phase III study of the drug elafibranor in NASH and refocus its development of the drug on another disease, primary biliary cholangitis, as well as a diagnostic for NASH.
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The French drugmaker said Monday that its Phase III study of elafibranor failed to meet its primary and key secondary endpoints. Analysts remarked that this extends the lead of the drug likely to get the first NASH approval, Intercept's obeticholic acid.
Shares of the French company fell more than 3% Friday following news it would delay unblinding data from the Phase III study of elafibranor. This marks the second delay of data since September and means it will likely be announced in the second quarter rather than the first.
In an interview at the BIO CEO & Investor Conference in New York Monday, CEO Pascal Prigent said barriers to access rather than reimbursement represent the biggest concern for NASH drugs like elafibranor. As a ballpark estimate, a list price in the $10,000 range is possible.
In a note to investors, an analyst wrote that the news bodes well for the company's anticipated Phase III readout for the drug, elafibranor. Another company, Intercept Pharmaceuticals, said the FDA had accepted its application for its investigational NASH drug, obeticholic acid.
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