BioArctic AB announced that the US FDA Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD) has granted orphan drug designation (ODD) to exidavnemab for the treatment of Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), providing incentives for the development of treatments for rare diseases with a high medical need.
Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a rapidly progressive and fatal rare disease affecting the central and autonomic nervous systems. MSA is characterized by pathological alpha-synuclein aggregation, that causes gradual damage to nerve cells in the brain. This affects balance, movement and the autonomic nervous system, which controls several basic functions, such as breathing, digestion and bladder control. Currently there is no cure and no available treatment to slow its progression.
Exidavnemab is being developed as a novel disease-modifying treatment for synucleinopathies such as MSA and Parkinson's disease. It is a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that selectively targets soluble alpha-synuclein aggregates, such as oligomers or protofibrils. By promoting the clearance of aggregated alpha-synuclein, exidavnemab may reduce the spreading and the negative effects of alpha-synuclein. Thereby, neuronal function and survival may be preserved, and disease progression ultimately slowed down.
The FDA's Orphan Drug Designation program provides orphan status to drugs or biologics intended for the treatment of diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. Sponsors of medicines that are granted Orphan Drug Designation are entitled to certain incentives and regulatory assistance, including tax credits for qualified clinical trials, prescription drug user-fee exemptions, and potential seven-year marketing exclusivity upon FDA approval.
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