Cambridge, UK – Acacia Pharma Group plc, the supportive care company developing products for US and international markets, announces positive results from a Phase 3 study investigating BAREMSIS™ (amisulpride injection, formerly APD421) in combination with standard antiemetics for the prevention of post-operative nausea & vomiting (“PONV”) in high-risk patients.

BAREMSIS significantly improved the complete response rate when added on top of a standard antiemetic compared to placebo and a standard antiemetic (57.7% vs 46.6%, p=0.0002). The magnitude of BAREMSIS’ effect, a relative risk reduction of 22%, was consistent with the results seen in Acacia Pharma’s monotherapy prophylaxis trials and, most importantly, with that routinely seen with the current standard-of-care drugs such as ondansetron. In addition, all secondary efficacy endpoints, including the rate of vomiting, nausea and use of rescue medication, were also met. The safety profile of BAREMSIS was excellent. No toxicities of note were seen and the profile of adverse events and laboratory abnormalities was as good as placebo. Detailed data will be presented in due course at relevant scientific meetings and submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

The Phase 3 combination trial compared the prophylactic use of BAREMSIS plus a standard antiemetic (for example ondansetron or dexamethasone) against placebo plus a standard antiemetic. The primary endpoint was complete response, defined as no vomiting or retching and no requirement for antiemetic rescue medication in the first 24 hours after surgery. The study was one of the largest PONV studies ever undertaken and was conducted at multiple sites in Europe and the US. It recruited a total of 1,204 surgical patients with 3 or 4 risk factors for PONV (the “Apfel risk factors”), of whom 1,147 were evaluable.

Dr Julian Gilbert, Acacia Pharma’s CEO commented:

“There is a compelling medical and commercial need for a safe and effective dopamine antagonist antiemetic that can be used in combination with current standard-of-care to manage PONV. The results from this study show that BAREMSIS could be used in the prevention of PONV in high-risk patients. Very pleasingly, the magnitude of BAREMSIS’ effect, a relative risk reduction of 22%, was consistent with the results seen in our monotherapy prophylaxis trials and, most importantly, with that routinely seen with the current standard-of-care drugs such as ondansetron.”

He added:

“We have now completed the prophylaxis efficacy studies for BAREMSIS and the first of two treatment studies is well under way. Our aim is to receive an approval for the use of BAREMSIS in both the treatment and prophylaxis of PONV, alone and in combination. We anticipate submitting our NDA to the FDA in the second half of 2016.”

International consensus guidelines recommend the use of combinations of antiemetics from different mechanistic classes for the prevention of PONV in high-risk patients acknowledging the multiple biological pathways that are implicated in PONV. Currently two classes of antiemetics are predominantly used to prevent PONV in these patients, 5HT3 antagonists (usually ondansetron) and corticosteroids (usually dexamethasone). However, a safe and effective third mechanism antiemetic is required and BAREMSIS, as a dopamine antagonist, could fulfil this need.

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About Acacia Pharma

Acacia Pharma is developing supportive care product opportunities for post-surgical and cancer patients. Patients and healthcare professionals urgently need new and improved interventions in these rapidly expanding, yet poorly served, areas of supportive care, to improve treatment outcomes and patients’ quality of life.

Acacia Pharma has generated its pipeline of product opportunities using a commercially driven approach to product discovery, identifying completely new uses for marketed drugs, a process termed repurposing. This strategy leads to opportunities with a higher probability of success and enables more rapid development. All of Acacia Pharma’s repurposed programmes are optimised for their new use, by using a new route of delivery and dose that are appropriate for the new indication identified, thereby differentiating them from the original marketed product.

The lead project, BAREMSIS for post-operative nausea & vomiting (PONV), has generated positive results in Phase 3 clinical studies. Its sister project, APD403 for chemotherapy induced nausea & vomiting (CINV) has successfully completed one Phase 2 dose-ranging study in patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy. In addition, the company has completed a Phase 2 study with APD515 for xerostomia (dry mouth) in advanced cancer patients and a Phase 2a study with APD209 for cancer cachexia (muscle wasting).

Acacia Pharma, is led by an experienced management team. Management, Gilde Healthcare, Lundbeckfond Ventures, Novo A/S and F-Prime Capital are the Company’s key shareholders. Acacia Pharma is based in Cambridge, UK and has US operations in Indianapolis, IN. www.acaciapharma.com

About Gilde Healthcare

Gilde Healthcare (Utrecht, The Netherlands and Cambridge, USA) is a transatlantic venture and growth capital firm focused on private healthcare technology and service companies. It has over €575 million under management and is actively looking to lead new investments in digital health, medical devices, therapeutics and healthcare services. Gilde successfully builds healthcare businesses across Europe and US, investing up to €20 million in a single portfolio company. For a list of Gilde’s portfolio companies please visit the website at www.gildehealthcare.com.

Gilde Healthcare II is supported by the European Communities Growth and Employment Initiative, MAP – ETF Start up Facility.