BioSante Pharmaceuticals' ongoing LibiGel Phase III clinical development program: Additional positive data

Feb 22 2010

BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:BPAX), today announced additional positive safety data in its ongoing LibiGel Phase III clinical development program. For the second time, unblinded data have been reviewed by the independent DMC of the LibiGel Cardiovascular and Breast Cancer Safety Study. Based on this review, the DMC once again unanimously recommended continuation of the study as described in the FDA-agreed LibiGel safety study protocol, with no modifications.

“The DMC, which for the second time, reviewed the LibiGel safety data on an unblinded basis, confirms what we have learned from the blinded data, that LibiGel does not pose a safety risk to the women in the study”

BioSante reported that the DMC reviewed all unblinded adverse events in the safety study including all “serious adverse events” and all “adverse cardiovascular and breast cancer events” in almost 1,200 women-years of exposure. To date, there have been no deaths, only six adjudicated cardiovascular events and only four breast cancers reported. Therefore, in view of the DMC recommendation, the BioSante LibiGel Phase III development program will continue as planned. BioSante targets mid-2011 for submission to the FDA of a new drug application (NDA).

“Based on this second unblinded positive review by the DMC, we believe that our safety study ultimately will provide the safety data needed for our NDA submission and FDA approval of LibiGel,” said Michael Snabes, M.D., Ph.D., BioSante’s vice president of clinical development. “We have known, based on blinded data, and BioSante remains blinded, that the rates of cardiovascular and breast cancer events in the study continue to be significantly lower than expected in those women enrolled in the safety study, all of whom are at the higher end of cardiovascular risk for the intended population. If there was a negative effect of testosterone, the cardiovascular rates would be higher. This recommendation by the DMC supports our belief that LibiGel will be safe for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in post-menopausal women, our target patient population. This outcome represents another significant positive advance for our LibiGel clinical development program,” Dr. Snabes continued.

“The DMC, which for the second time, reviewed the LibiGel safety data on an unblinded basis, confirms what we have learned from the blinded data, that LibiGel does not pose a safety risk to the women in the study,” said Stephen M. Simes, BioSante’s president and CEO. “A DMC can recommend continuing, changing or stopping a study and their main responsibility is to ensure that subjects recruited to the study are not exposed to unnecessary safety risks. Therefore, the DMC’s recommendation to continue the LibiGel safety study unchanged is the best possible outcome of the DMC’s second unblinded review of all adverse events. This is very good news for BioSante and for women since LibiGel remains the lead pharmaceutical product in the U.S. in active development for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in surgically menopausal women. We continue to believe that LibiGel can be the first product approved by the FDA for this common and unmet medical need, also referred to as female sexual dysfunction (FSD).”

The Phase III Cardiovascular and Breast Cancer Safety Study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center, cardiovascular events and breast cancer study that will enroll between 2,400 and 3,100 women, exposed to LibiGel or placebo for 12 months. An NDA can be submitted and reviewed by FDA, possibly leading to approval of LibiGel, at that time. After NDA submission and potential approval of LibiGel, BioSante will continue to follow the women enrolled in the study for an additional four years.

The LibiGel safety study is tracking a predefined list of cardiovascular events, in agreement with the FDA, including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction and stroke, in women 50 years of age or older and suffering from at least two cardiovascular risk factors including hypertension and diabetes. The objective of the safety study is to show the relative safety of testosterone compared to placebo in the number of cardiovascular events. The incidence of breast cancer also will be tracked over the course of the study.

In addition to the Phase III Cardiovascular and Breast Cancer Safety Study, BioSante is conducting two LibiGel Phase III efficacy trials. The Phase III efficacy trials of LibiGel in the treatment of FSD are double-blind, placebo-controlled trials that will enroll up to approximately 500 surgically menopausal women each for a six-month clinical trial. The efficacy trials are being conducted under an FDA approved SPA (special protocol assessment agreement).

As previously announced by BioSante, treatment with LibiGel in a Phase II clinical trial significantly increased satisfying sexual events in surgically menopausal women suffering from FSD. The Phase II trial results showed LibiGel significantly increased the number of satisfying sexual events by 238 percent versus baseline (p<0.0001); this increase also was significant versus placebo (p<0.05). In this study, the effective dose of LibiGel produced testosterone blood levels within the normal range for pre-menopausal women and had a safety profile similar to that observed in the placebo group. In addition, no serious adverse events and no discontinuations due to adverse events occurred in any subject receiving LibiGel. The Phase II clinical trial was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, conducted in the United States, in surgically menopausal women distressed by their low sexual desire and activity.

SOURCE BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc.