Event: Organisation Inter Régionale Hémato-Onco pédiatrique (Sept. 19, Lille, France)

ORPHELIA Pharma will participate to the first meeting “Organisation Inter Régionale Hémato-Onco pédiatrique Hauts-de-France and Grand-Est” to be held on Monday September 19, 2022 at the Faculty of Medicine of Lille, France. This first annual meeting aims to gather doctors, researchers, clinicians, paramedics, from the EN-HOPE inter-region aims and to facilitate collaborations. Jeremy Bastid, Chief Operating Officer at ORPHELIA Pharma, will attend the event. If you would like to organize a meeting with Jeremy, please contact him : jeremy.bastid@orphelia-pharma.eu.

OCTALFA announces inclusion of the first patient in the French EAP of KIMOZO

Lyon, June 22nd, 2022 – OCTALFA announces that its subsidiary ORPHELIA Pharma, the French biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of orphan medicines for the treatment of rare and pediatric diseases, has included the first patient in the KIMOZO® French Early Access Program for the treatment of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma.

KIMOZO® 40 mg/ml (oral suspension of temozolomide) was granted an early access pre-marketing authorization (Autorisation d’Accès Précoce, AAP) in France on March 31st, 2022 by the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma in patients aged 1 to 6 years as well as patients unable to swallow temozolomide capsules.

The goal of Early Access Programs in France is to accelerate access to innovative drugs before or after Market Authorization is granted once all conditions specified in Article L.5121-12 of the French Public Health Code (Code de la Santé Publique) are met:

  • No appropriate treatment exists;
  • The treatment’s implementation cannot be postponed;
  • The efficacy and safety of these drugs are strongly presumed based on therapeutic trials;
  • These drugs are considered to be innovative, particularly when compared to a possible clinically-relevant comparator.

Full details of the early access program can be found at the Haute Autorité de Santé and the ANSM websites.

About KIMOZO® 40 mg/ml

KIMOZO® 40 mg/ml is a liquid, taste-masked and ready-to-use oral formulation of temozolomide developed to treat rare pediatric cancers.

In France, KIMOZO® has been granted an Early Access Program, to be used as monotherapy or in combination with irinotecan or topotecan in the treatment of pediatric patients aged 1 to 6 years and in patients with incapacity to swallow capsules of temozolomide and who suffer from:

  • refractory high-risk neuroblastoma or presenting an insufficient response to induction chemotherapy;
  • relapsed high-risk neuroblastoma after at least a partial response to induction chemotherapy followed by myeloablative therapy and stem cell transplantation.

KIMOZO® was developed by ORPHELIA Pharma in collaboration with Gustave Roussy.

About ORPHELIA Pharma

Founded by Hugues Bienaymé, ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based out of Paris and Lyon which develops and markets drugs for the treatment of pediatric and rare diseases. ORPHELIA Pharma’s mission is to provide patients with essential products in the rare diseases therapeutic area, in the form of formulations adapted to a pediatric population. With two drugs approved in the European Union, and another investigational medicine in a late stage of clinical development, ORPHELIA Pharma has recently established regional agreements in Europe, the United States and China, and is conducting research projects through academic and industrial partnerships.

For more information, please visit www.orphelia-pharma.eu

About OCTALFA

Set up by Gilles Alberici, OCTALFA is an independent family-owned company that has been developing and innovating for 15 years in the fields of life sciences, biotechnology and healthcare. Thanks to our subsidiaries and participations, we assert our presence in branches of medicines, particularly in pediatrics, cancer immunology, diagnostics and nanomaterials. We also provide support to patients living with cancer and people with disabilities, particularly children, in France and Madagascar, thanks to our endowment fund and the Dominique & Tom Alberici – OCTALFA Corporate Foundation, whose actions have been fully integrated into OCTALFA’s governance strategy since 2008.

OCTALFA is a shareholder of ORPHELIA Pharma since 2015.

For more information, please visit initiative-octalfa.eu

Contacts

Charlotte Maddalena / e-mail: charlotte.maddalena@octalfa.eu / phone: +33 (0)4 37 49 87 20

Publication in Pharmaceuticals of the first temozolomide oral suspension

Paris and Lyon, June 9th, 2022 – ORPHELIA Pharma and Gustave Roussy jointly announce today the publication in the scientific journal Pharmaceuticals of the work related to the development of the first temozolomide oral suspension for the treatment of young children and adults with cancer and presenting difficulties to swallow temozolomide capsules (Annereau M. et al., Pharmaceuticals, 2022).

Since 2015, we have been manufacturing a liquid temozolomide hospital compounded formulation to address the needs of young patients treated in our hospital and a few partner centers,” explains Maxime Annereau, pharmacist at Gustave Roussy and the originator of this project. “In collaboration with ORPHELIA Pharma, we carried out the necessary research work to optimize the physico-chemical properties and the stability of the suspension.  Then we conducted a palatability study in order to select the aroma capable of covering the bitterness of temozolomide in the most efficient way. The development of this concentrated suspension has made it possible to obtain a form adapted to the needs of patients and caregivers”, he adds.

The work done in collaboration with our partner Gustave Roussy led to a prototype of KIMOZO®, an industrialized and patented version of this drinkable and highly concentrated suspension. KIMOZO® is currently in an advanced phase of clinical development,” says Jeremy Bastid, Chief Development Officer of ORPHELIA Pharma. “Temozolomide is an essential drug in the management of many pediatric cancers, including relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma which unfortunately affects very young children. Thanks to the results of this collaboration, we intend to make this pediatric formulation available to patients soon,” he concludes.

About KIMOZO® 40 mg/ml

KIMOZO® 40 mg/ml is a liquid, taste-masked and ready-to-use oral formulation of temozolomide developed in collaboration between the pharmacists and clinicians of Gustave Roussy and the development team of ORPHELIA Pharma. The formulation of KIMOZO® has been covered by a patent application in Europe and in the US.

About Gustave Roussy

Classed as the leading European Cancer Centre and the sixth on the world stage, Gustave Roussy is a center with comprehensive expertise and is devoted entirely to patients suffering with cancer. The Institute is a founding member of the Paris Saclay Cancer Cluster. It is a source of diagnostic and therapeutic advances. It caters for almost 50,000 patients per year and its approach is one that integrates research, patient care and teaching. It is specialized in the treatment of rare cancers and complex tumors and it treats all cancers in patients of any age. Its care is personalized and combines the most advanced medical methods with an appreciation of the patient’s human requirements. In addition to the quality of treatment offered, the physical, psychological and social aspects of the patient’s life are respected. 4,100 professionals work on its two campuses: Villejuif and Chevilly-Larue. Gustave Roussy brings together the skills which are essential for the highest quality research in oncology: a quarter of patients treated are included in clinical trials.

For further information: www.gustaveroussy.fr/en, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram

Contact : Claire Parisel / presse@gustaveroussy.fr / +33 (0)1 42 11 50 59

About ORPHELIA Pharma

ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets drugs for the treatment of pediatric and orphan diseases. ORPHELIA Pharma’s mission is to provide patients with essential products with formulations adapted to the pediatric population. With two medicines approved in the European Union and one investigational medicine in an advanced clinical development phase, ORPHELIA Pharma has recently signed regional distribution agreements in the European Union, the USA and China with several partners and is carrying out research projects through academic and industrial partnerships.

Positive results of the bioequivalence study of Kimozo®

Paris and Lyon, May 31st, 2022 – ORPHELIA Pharma, the French biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing orphan medicines in oncology and neurology, announces today the successful completion of the phase 1 study of KIMOZO®, novel ready-to-use oral suspension of temozolomide, aimed at determining bioequivalence between KIMOZO® suspension and temozolomide capsules.

The abstract #368704 entitled “bioequivalence study of a novel liquid and ready-to-use temozolomide oral suspension and temozolomide capsules in patients with primary central nervous system malignancies“ by Ducray et al., was selected by the Scientific Program Committee of the 2022 ASCO annual meeting. The data released online demonstrate the equivalence between KIMOZO® oral suspension and temozolomide capsules.

The positive results of the bioequivalence study are an important milestone in the development of KIMOZO®”, comments Caroline Lemarchand, Chief Pharmaceutical Development Officer at ORPHELIA Pharma. “KIMOZO® is the first drinkable form of temozolomide that has been specifically developed to address the needs of young children with cancer”, she adds.

Temozolomide is part of the standard of care for the treatment of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, a devastating cancer that affects young children. KIMOZO® is currently undergoing further clinical evaluation (TEMOkids trial, NCT04610736) and our goal is to make this pediatric formulation of temozolomide available to children in the shortest timeframe possible”; concludes Jeremy Bastid, Chief Development Officer at ORPHELIA Pharma.

About the bioequivalence study (NCT04467346)

The NCT04467346 bioequivalence study was an open label, randomized, crossover, 2-period study in 30 adult patients with primary CNS malignancies. The study objective was to evaluate primarily the bioequivalence between KIMOZO® oral suspension and TEMODAL® capsules, to define KIMOZO® pharmacokinetic parameters and to assess the safety and tolerability including buccal tolerance of KIMOZO®.

About ORPHELIA Pharma

ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets drugs for the treatment of pediatric and orphan diseases. ORPHELIA Pharma’s mission is to provide patients with essential products in the fields of neurology and oncology, with formulations adapted to the pediatric population. With two medicines approved in the European Union and one investigational medicine in an advanced clinical development phase, ORPHELIA Pharma has recently signed regional agreements in the European Union, the USA and China with several partners and is carrying out research projects through academic and industrial partnerships.

€ 1 million grant awarded to develop a therapy for a rare form of epilepsy

Paris and Lyon, May 11, 2022 – ORPHELIA Pharma, the French biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of pediatric drugs in the fields of oncology and neurology, announces today that it has obtained a one million Euro grant from Bpifrance to develop a therapy to treat a rare epileptic encephalopathy in children.

We collaborate actively with academic teams on this program, the clinical development of which could begin within 2 years,” comments Jeremy Bastid, Chief Development Officer of ORPHELIA Pharma. “This is an ambitious project for which we have a strong scientific rationale and that could improve the care of these patients“, he adds.

We would like to thank the Bpifrance teams for their renewed support, which has enabled us to initiate the development of a drug which could become a new therapeutic option in this orphan indication,” concludes Hugues Bienaymé, General Manager.

About ORPHELIA Pharma

ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets drugs for the treatment of paediatric and orphan diseases. ORPHELIA Pharma’s mission is to provide patients with essential hospital products in the fields of neurology and oncology, with formulations adapted to the paediatric population. With two medicines approved in the European Union and one product in an advanced phase of clinical development, ORPHELIA Pharma has recently set up regional agreements in the European Union, the USA and China and is carrying out research projects through academic and industrial partnerships.

International Childhood Cancer Day

Today, February 15th 2022, is the International Childhood Cancer Day. ICCD is a global collaborative campaign to raise awareness about pediatric cancer and to express support for children and adolescents with cancer. At ORPHELIA Pharma, we are committed to improving cancer treatments for children. We are proud to announce that, during the annual symposium of Imagine for Margo – Children without Cancer (e-colloque FAST) held few days ago, we signed the charter aimed at accelerating the development of new drugs, facilitating the sharing of data for research and improving the long-term follow-up of patients. More information: https://lnkd.in/d9yApGWs ORPHELIA Pharma: https://lnkd.in/efSUdMP

World Cancer Day

On the World Cancer Day, we stand in solidarity with patients and families affected by this disease. At ORPHELIA Pharma, we are committed to improving cancer treatments for children.  

ORPHELIA Pharma raises new money

ORPHELIA Pharma raises new money to accelerate its commercial and clinical operations

Paris, Lyon, December 14, 2021 – ORPHELIA Pharma, the French biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of pediatric drugs in the fields of oncology and neurology, announces that it had made a capital increase to which all its shareholders subscribed : initiative OCTALFA and Gilles Alberici, Pierre Fabre Médicament/Pierre Fabre Invest, Ravenala holding (Alain Tornier), PAF Kapital (Jean-François Auffret) and Cemag (André Ulmann). The funds will be used to strengthen the company team and continue the clinical development of Kimozo®.

“I would like to thank all our shareholders for their renewed confidence”, said Mr. Hugues Bienaymé, CEO of ORPHELIA Pharma. “With their support, we will develop the company’s commercial infrastructure, set up new international partnerships and pursue our R&D efforts in the field of rare childhood diseases”.

About Kimozo®

Kimozo® is the first pediatric formulation of temozolomide developed with a patented formulation and adapted for the treatment of refractory or relapsed neuroblastoma in children. The product is the result of a partnership with Gustave-Roussy Hospital (Villejuif, France) and is currently in late clinical development.

About ORPHELIA Pharma

ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets drugs for the treatment of paediatric and orphan diseases. ORPHELIA Pharma’s mission is to provide patients with essential hospital products in the fields of neurology and oncology, with formulations adapted to the paediatric population. With two products approved in the European Union and a project in an advanced phase of clinical development, ORPHELIA Pharma has recently set up regional agreements in the European Union, the USA and China and is carrying out research projects through academic and industrial partnerships.

ORPHELIA Pharma and K.S. KIM sign an agreement to supply Kigabeq®

Paris and Tel Aviv – November 16th 2021 – ORPHELIA Pharma and K.S. KIM INTERNATIONAL (SK-PHARMA) LTD announce today the execution of an exclusive distribution and marketing agreement for Kigabeq® (vigabatrin) in the territory of the Russian Federation.

Kigabeq®, the first pediatric form of vigabatrin developed by ORPHELIA Pharma, is notably indicated in the treatment of infantile spasms (West syndrome). Kigabeq® is approved in the European Union, where this medicine, intended exclusively for children, benefits from a centralized marketing authorization (Pediatric Use Marketing authorization, PUMA).

We are delighted to sign this agreement with K.S. KIM, which is based on the value of Kigabeq® in paediatrics“, says Hugues BIENAYME, Founder and CEO of ORPHELIA Pharma, “With their strong footstep in the distribution of orphan medicines in the Russian territory, K.S. KIM is an excellent partner for Kigabeq®.

With Kigabeq®, the only pediatric presentation of vigabatrin, K.S. KIM is expanding its portfolio of drugs intended for rare and serious pathologies in children” adds Dr. Shlomo Sadoun, CEO of K.S. KIM, “Kigabeq® is a drug which address unmet medical needs for young patients affected by severe and resistant epilepsies. Our ultimate objective is to register Kigabeq® as an orphan drug in Russia, nevertheless we will start distributing it immediately as an unlicenced medicine augmenting unmet needs ”.

Our objective is to make Kigabeq® available as widely as possible, so that all children affected by infantile spasms can benefit.” concludes Gilles ALBERICI, President of ORPHELIA Pharma, “Thanks to this agreement with K.S. KIM, we are very confident that Russian children suffering from infantile spasms will have access to Kigabeq® as quickly as possible.

About K.S. KIM (SK-Pharma)

K.S. Kim International Ltd. operates as part of the SK-Pharma group of companies. The main areas of focus are the registration, commercialization and marketing of pharmaceutical specialty and orphan drugs, by utilizing data driven decision and distributive marketing strategies. The group is operating in 15 countries with a main focus on the Israeli and Russian markets.

For further information, please go to https://sk-pharma.com

About ORPHELIA Pharma

ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets drugs for the treatment of pediatric and orphan diseases.

ORPHELIA’s mission is to provide patients with essential hospital products in the fields of epilepsy and oncology, with formulations that are suited to the pediatric population. With 2 products approved in the European Union and one project in late-stage clinical development, ORPHELIA Pharma recently sets up regional agreements in the EU, the USA and China and conducts research projects through academic and industrial partnerships.

ORPHELIA Pharma and Clinigen sign an agreement to supply Kigabeq®

Paris and Lyon, on July 21st, 2021 – ORPHELIA Pharma, a French biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and marketing of pediatric and orphan drugs and Clinigen Group plc (AIM: CLIN, ‘Clinigen’), the global pharmaceutical Products and Services company, announce that they have signed an exclusive agreement to manage the supply and distribution of Kigabeq® into unlicensed markets.

Kigabeq® was granted a European Paediatric Use Marketing Authorization (PUMA) in September 2018 and is currently approved for the treatment of infantile spasms (West Syndrome) and pharmaco-resistant focal-onset seizures (partial seizures).

Under the terms of the agreement, Clinigen will provide access to Kigabeq® 500 mg and 100 mg soluble tablets into markets where Kigabeq® is not commercially available. Clinigen will manage all elements of the supply including healthcare practitioner enquiry management, regulatory oversight, logistics and access management. The agreement currently covers all global territories except for USA, China, EU, UK and Bangladesh.

Sam Herbert, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Products Division, Clinigen, said: “We are pleased to be partnering with ORPHELIA Pharma and to be supplying Kigabeq® through our product lifecycle platform.  This agreement will offer healthcare professionals another option to treat difficult-to-manage types of epilepsy. This is a great example of how Clinigen’s lifecycle platform can help patients source medicines which are not otherwise available.”

Hugues Bienaymé, General Manager of ORPHELIA Pharma added: “We are delighted to have entered into this collaboration with Clinigen. With this agreement, our ambition to make Kigabeq® available worldwide, will be fulfilled.”

Healthcare professionals can obtain details about the products by calling the Clinigen customer service team at +44 (0) 1932 824100, emailing MedicineAccess@clinigengroup.com or going online at  www.clinigendirect.com.

Patients seeking medical information should contact their physician.

About ORPHELIA Pharma

ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets drugs for the treatment of paediatric and orphan diseases. Its mission is to provide patients with essential hospital products in the fields of epilepsy and oncology, with formulations that are suited to the paediatric population. ORPHELIA’s first product, Kigabeq®, which was approved during the latter part of 2018 for the treatment of West Syndrome in particular, has been launched in several European countries. Its second product, Ivozall®, obtained a European marketing authorization at the end of 2019 for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. ORPHELIA Pharma also conducts research projects through academic and industrial partnerships.

About Clinigen Group

Clinigen Group plc (AIM: CLIN) is a global, specialist pharmaceutical services and products platform focused on providing ethical access to medicines. Its mission is to deliver the right medicine to the right patient at the right time. The Group operates from sites in North America, Europe, Africa and the Asia Pacific. Clinigen has more than 1,000 employees across five continents in 16 countries, with supply and distribution hubs and operational centres of excellence in key long-term growth regions. The Group works with 34 of the top 50 pharmaceutical companies; interacting with over 5,000 hospitals across more than 115 countries.

For more information on Clinigen, please visit http://www.clinigen.com

European Patent covering Kimozo®

ORPHELIA Pharma and Gustave Roussy announce issuance of European Patent covering Kimozo®, the first oral liquid formulation of temozolomide

Paris and Lyon, on June 16, 2021 – ORPHELIA Pharma, a French biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and marketing of pediatric and orphan drugs and Gustave Roussy, the leading cancer center in Europe, announce today that the European Patent Office has issued Patent EP3613436, which is directed to Kimozo®, the first pediatric, ready-to-use and taste-masked oral suspension of temozolomide. Kimozo® results from the collaboration between the pharmacists and clinicians from Gustave Roussy and ORPHELIA Pharma.

Temozolomide is an essential oncology drug used to treat relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, a disease that unfortunately affects very young children. We are working in close collaboration with European clinicians and our goal is to make this pediatric form of temozolomide available as early as 2021 through early access programs”; commented Jeremy Bastid, Chief Development Officer of ORPHELIA Pharma.

“We have developed a hospital compounded liquid preparation of temozolomide in 2015 to address the needs of young patients treated at our center”, explain Maxime Annereau, pharmacist and Samuel Abbou, pediatric oncologist at Gustave Roussy, both at the origin of this project. “This hospital formulation was suitable for children but did not exhibit the physico-chemical and stability properties compatible with an industrialized product. This product was therefore not available to all patients. Three years of research and development between Gustave Roussy and ORPHELIA Pharma were necessary in order to achieve the targeted specifications: a highly concentrated, taste-masked and stable formulation”.

“Our research efforts led to the development of Kimozo®, the first drinkable formulation of temozolomide. The innovation is based on the discovery of a key excipient involved in the stability and the control of the rheological properties of the suspension, an invention that has been patented”, concludes Jeremy Bastid.

The grant of Patent EP3613436 entitled “oral suspension of temozolomide” and co-owned by ORPHELIA Pharma and Gustave Roussy has been published in the European Patent Bulletin. Based on the filing date of the application, the patent protection is expected to last until 2038.

About ORPHELIA Pharma

ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets drugs for the treatment of pediatric and orphan diseases. Our mission is to provide patients with essential hospital products in the fields of epilepsy and oncology, with formulations that are suited to the pediatric population. Our first product, Kigabeq®, which was approved during the latter part of 2018 for the treatment of West Syndrome in particular, has been launched in several European countries. Our second product, Ivozall®, obtained a European marketing authorization at the end of 2019 for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. ORPHELIA Pharma also conducts research projects through academic and industrial partnerships.

For further information, please go to www.orphelia-pharma.eu

Contact: Séverine Martin – +33 (0)1 42 77 08 18 – orphelia@orphelia-pharma.eu

About Gustave Roussy

Classed as the leading European Cancer Centre and the fifth on the world stage, Gustave Roussy is a center with comprehensive expertise and is devoted entirely to patients suffering with cancer. It is a source of diagnostic and therapeutic advances. It caters for almost 50,000 patients per year and its approach is one that integrates research, patient care and teaching. It is specialized in the treatment of rare cancers and complex tumors and it treats all cancers in patients of any age. Its care is personalized and combines the most advanced medical methods with an appreciation of the patient’s human requirements. In addition to the quality of treatment offered, the physical, psychological and social aspects of the patient’s life are respected. 3,200 health professionals work on its two campuses: Villejuif and Chevilly-Larue. Gustave Roussy brings together the skills which are essential for the highest quality research in oncology: a quarter of patients treated are included in clinical trials.

For further information: www.gustaveroussy.fr/en

Contact : Claire Parisel – +33(0)1 42 11 50 59 – +33(0)6 17 66 00 26 – claire.parisel@gustaveroussy.fr

About Kimozo®

Kimozo® (also known as ORP-005 or Ped-TMZ) is a ready-to-use and taste-masked oral suspension of temozolomide that is currently under development to address the needs of children. Kimozo® is an investigational medicinal product not yet approved for marketing.

Inclusion of the first patient in the TEMOkids pediatric clinical trial

ORPHELIA Pharma announces the inclusion of the first patient in the TEMOkids pediatric clinical trial

Paris and Lyon, on May 4th, 2021 – ORPHELIA Pharma, a French biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and marketing of pediatric and orphan drugs, announces the inclusion of a first patient in the TEMOkids pediatric clinical study. The TEMOkids study aims to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters, tolerance, acceptability and response to treatment of Kimozo®, the first oral suspension of temozolomide, in the pediatric population (www.temokids.eu).

Temozolomide is an anti-cancer drug used in treatment regimens for refractory or relapsed neuroblastoma that mainly affect very young children. It is also used to treat rhabdomyosarcoma and certain brain tumors. The only oral forms of temozolomide currently available are capsules which are not suited to children. In fact, to be administered, the capsules must be opened and their content added to food. In young children, the formulation is essential to ensure correct medication intake, safety, accuracy of the delivered dose and adherence to treatment. To meet the requirements of onco-pediatricians and the needs of children, ORPHELIA Pharma, working in close collaboration with Gustave Roussy hospital teams, has developed Kimozo®, the first ready-to-use drinkable suspension of temozolomide.

“The TEMOkids trial, during which our oral suspension of temozolomide will be administered to children for the first time, is a key stage in the clinical development of Kimozo®,” says Caroline Lemarchand, Chief Pharmaceutical Development Officer for ORPHELIA Pharma, “This study will evaluate the pharmacokinetics of temozolomide, alone or in combination with other treatments, in children from 1 year of age. It will also define the tolerance and acceptability of Kimozo® within the study population, and collect data on tumor response to treatment. The first results of this clinical trial are expected mid-2022.

“We are very pleased to be involved in the clinical development of this long-awaited new pediatric formulation of temozolomide for the treatment of cancer in children,” says Dr Samuel Abbou, pediatric oncologist at the Gustave Roussy hospital, and coordinating investigator of the TEMOkids study. “The study plans to recruit 40 children in 5 countries; that is France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the Netherlands, thanks to the support of a structured European-scale pediatric oncology network.”

“We have received an enthusiastic response from the members of the European pediatric oncology community who have chosen to participate in this clinical trial,” says Hugues Bienaymé, General Manager and Chief Scientific Officer for ORPHELIA Pharma, before adding by way of a conclusion that “TEMOkids complements our ongoing bioequivalence study in adult patients, and should support the filing of the Kimozo® registration dossier at European level in 2023.”

About the TEMOkids study (NCT04610736)

The clinical trial entitled “TEMOkids Study: A Phase I Pediatric Study for KIMOZO, Oral Suspension of temozolomide” is an international, open-label, non-randomized, phase 1 study involving 40 pediatric patients aged 1 year and over. The main objective of this study is to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of Kimozo® in the population concerned by the study. The secondary objectives are to evaluate its tolerance and acceptability among children, and their response to treatment.

Ten clinical centers are involved in the TEMOkids study: Gustave Roussy in Villejuif (the coordinating center); Institut Curie in Paris, France; La Timone Children’s Hospital in Marseille, France; The Institute of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology in Lyon, France; The Oscar Lambret Center in Lille, France; The Charité University Medical Hospital in Berlin, Germany; The Hopp Children’s Cancer Center in Heidelberg, Germany; The Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology in Utrecht, the Netherlands; The Vall d’Hebron Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain; and Southampton General Hospital in the United Kingdom.

For further information, please go to www.temokids.eu.

About Kimozo®

Kimozo® (also known as ORP-005 or Ped-TMZ) is a ready-to-use and taste-masked oral suspension of temozolomide that is currently under development to address the needs of children. Kimozo® is an investigational medicinal product not yet approved for marketing.

License agreement for the distribution of Kigabeq® in 14 european countries

ORPHELIA Pharma and Biocodex sign a license agreement for the distribution of Kigabeq® in 14 european countries

Paris and Gentilly – April 6th 2021 – ORPHELIA Pharma and Biocodex announce today the execution of an exclusive distribution and marketing agreement for Kigabeq® (vigabatrin) for most of the European Union territory, including France.

Kigabeq®, the first pediatric form of vigabatrin developed by ORPHELIA Pharma, is notably indicated in the treatment of infantile spasms (West syndrome). Kigabeq® is approved in Europe, where this medicine, intended exclusively for children, benefits from a centralized marketing authorization (Pediatric Use Marketing authorization, PUMA).

We are very pleased to release this collaboration agreement with Biocodex“, says Hugues BIENAYME, Founder and CEO of ORPHELIA Pharma, “With their long-standing experience in the field of pediatric epilepsy, Biocodex is certainly the best partner for Kigabeq® distribution in Europe“.

With Kigabeq®, the only pediatric presentation of vigabatrin, Biocodex is expanding its portfolio of drugs intended for rare and serious pathologies in children” adds Nicolas Coudurier, CEO of Biocodex, “ Kigabeq® and Diacomit® (stiripentol, developed and marketed by Biocodex) are two drugs which address unmet medical needs for young patients affected by severe and resistant to treatment epilepsies”.

Our objective is to make Kigabeq® available to all European clinicians, so that children affected by West syndrome can benefit.” concludes Gilles ALBERICI, President of ORPHELIA Pharma, “Thanks to this agreement with Biocodex, Kigabeq® will soon be prescribed in most of the European territory.”

About Kigabeq®

Kigabeq® is the first pediatric formulation of vigabatrin, an essential anti-epileptic drug. Presented as soluble and scored tablets of 100 mg and 500 mg for oral or nasogastric administration, Kigabeq® is notably indicated for the treatment of infantile spasms (West syndrome), an extremely serious epileptic encephalopathy of the infant. Kigabeq® was developed exclusively for children and has been granted European Pediatric Marketing Authorization (PUMA).

About infantile spasms

West syndrome, or infantile spasms, is an extremely serious epileptic encephalopathy in infants that combines epileptic spasms, psychomotor deterioration and a hypsarrhythmic type electroencephalogram. It is a rare disease, with an estimated incidence of 5 per 10,000 births. It can occur in an infant with previously normal development or with a pre-existing delay; in all cases, infantile spasms severely hamper the psychomotor development. Pharmacological treatment should be started quickly to allow the spasms to stop and to improve the prognosis.

About Biocodex

Funded in 1953 beyond the development and marketing of the first probiotic strain in the world, Saccharomyces boulardii CNCMI-745, Biocodex from pioneer became one of leading international players within microbiota.

Biocodex further extended its activities to nervous central system diseases, with a focus on pediatric neurology, reinforcing its commitment to improve quality of life through discovery of innovative drugs addressed to unmet medical needs: full development of antiepileptic drug stiripentol (DIACOMIT®), indicated for the treatment of Dravet syndrome which is a serious and rare epilepsy observed in infants, has brought a valid therapeutic solution to neuropaediatricians.

Initially approved in Europe in 2007 then Canada and Japan in 2012, Diacomit® obtained Marketing Authorization in USA and Switzerland in 2018, Australia in 2019 and recently in Argentina. In numerous other countries, patients could access the drug through specific compassionate use programs. Dedicated medical team is in charge of orphan drugs portfolio, with permanent connexion with neuropaediatric specialists in UE and worldwide.

About ORPHELIA Pharma

ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets drugs for the treatment of pediatric and orphan diseases.

Our mission is to provide patients with essential hospital products in the fields of epilepsy and oncology, with formulations that are suited to the pediatric population. Our first product, Kigabeq®, which was approved during the latter part of 2018 for the treatment of West Syndrome in particular, has been launched in several European countries. Our second product, Ivozall®, obtained a European marketing authorization at the end of 2019 for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. ORPHELIA Pharma also conducts research projects through academic and industrial partnerships.

Contacts

Séverine MARTIN / orphelia@orphelia-pharma.eu / +33 (0)1 42 77 08 18

Véronique STALLER / v.staller@biocodex.fr /+33 (0)1 41 24 30 84

Opening of the operating pharmaceutical establishment

ORPHELIA Pharma opens its operating pharmaceutical establishment (“laboratoire pharmaceutique exploitant”) in France

Paris and Lyon, February 2nd, 2021. ORPHELIA Pharma, a French biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and marketing of pediatric and orphan drugs, announces today that it has opened its operating pharmaceutical establishment (“laboratoire pharmaceutique exploitant”) in France. According to the French Public Health Code (“Code de la Santé Publique”), ORPHELIA Pharma will now be able to commercialize medicines under its own name. The authorized activities include importation, sales, advertising, medical information, pharmacovigilance and batch monitoring. The establishment will also be able to launch and monitor early access programs (“Autorisation Temporaire d’Utilisation”, or ATU) on its own behalf or on behalf of third parties.

“As of today, we will be able to commercialize our own medicines in France. We currently have two pediatric medicines which have been approved in Europe through a centralized procedure: Kigabeq® (vigabatrin) and Ivozall® (clofarabine)”, comments Laurent Martin, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer of ORPHELIA Pharma. “Becoming a pharmaceutical establishment will also allow us to initiate an early access program (ATU) for our experimental medicine Kimozo®, a liquid oral formulation of temozolomide developed for the treatment of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, following validation by health authorities”, he adds.

After having obtained the authorization to open our pharmaceutical establishment from the French medicines agency (ANSM) on November 18th, 2020, this effective opening is a major milestone for our company and is a testament to the efforts undertaken by the people at ORPHELIA Pharma”, concludes Hugues Bienaymé, General Manager.

About ORPHELIA Pharma

ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets drugs for the treatment of paediatric and rare diseases.

Our mission is to provide patients with essential hospital products in the fields of epilepsy and oncology with formulations adapted to the paediatric population. Our first product, Kigabeq®, received European marketing authorization in September 2018 and has been made available in several countries. Our second product, Ivozall®, obtained European marketing authorization in November 2019 for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. ORPHELIA Pharma conducts research projects through academic and industrial collaborations.

Grant obtained from BPI to support activity development in EU and US

ORPHELIA Pharma awarded a grant from the region Île-de-France to support business activity development in Europe and in the US

Paris and Lyon, January 26th, 2021. ORPHELIA Pharma, a French biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and marketing of paediatric and orphan drugs announces today that it has received the support from the region Île-de-France as part of the PM’up program to accelerate the development of the company in Europe and the US. ORPHELIA Pharma will receive a grant of 250 000 € aimed at supporting the international development of the company.

We are grateful to receive the support from region Île-de-France which will allow us to accelerate the development of our medicines portfolio worldwide. Our products address unmet medical needs of life-threatening paediatric diseases and our ambition is to make them available to all patients“, comments Jeremy Bastid, Chief Development Officer of ORPHELIA Pharma.

We will use the proceeds to implement the marketing operations of Kigabeq® in Europe and continue the efforts in finding partners for key territories elsewhere“, states Hugues Bienaymé, General Manager. “This program will also support the preparation of the US dossier and the evaluation of the market access strategy of Kimozo®, the first paediatric drinkable formulation of temozolomide currently under development for the treatment of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma”, he adds.

About PM’Up program

The Région Ile-de-France supports the development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises by providing financial assistance to support their growth strategy. PM’up is a grant of up to 250 000 € to finance a 3-year development plan. For more information, please visit https://www.iledefrance.fr/pmup.

About ORPHELIA Pharma

ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets drugs for the treatment of paediatric and rare diseases.

Our mission is to provide patients with essential hospital products in the fields of epilepsy and oncology with formulations adapted to the paediatric population. Our first product, Kigabeq®, received European marketing authorisation in September 2018 and is being launched in several countries. Our second product, Ivozall®, obtained European marketing authorisation in November 2019 for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. ORPHELIA Pharma conducts research projects through academic and industrial collaborations.

Licensing agreement for the marketing of Kigabeq® in China

ORPHELIA Pharma and Ethypharm sign a licensing agreement for the development and marketing of Kigabeq® in China

Saint-Cloud and Paris – January 19, 2021 – Ethypharm and ORPHELIA Pharma announce today the signature of an exclusive agreement for the development, registration and marketing in the People’s Republic of China of Kigabeq® (vigabatrin) indicated for the first-line treatment of infantile spasms (West syndrome).

 Kigabeq®, the first paediatric form of vigabatrin developed by ORPHELIA Pharma, is approved and marketed in Europe, where this medicine, intended exclusively for children, has been granted a Paediatric Use Marketing Authorisation (PUMA). Kigabeq® is indicated for the first-line treatment of infantile spasms (West’s syndrome), a severe epileptic encephalopathy in infants.

There is a significant unmet medical need in China for patients suffering from this rare and devastating form of epilepsy. By entering into this agreement, Ethypharm and ORPHELIA Pharma are committed to providing appropriate treatment for Chinese children suffering from this rare disease.

As part of this agreement, ORPHELIA Pharma grants Ethypharm exclusive rights to Kigabeq® in the People’s Republic of China. After registration, Ethypharm will be responsible for the distribution and sale of Kigabeq® in China.

 “Our objective is to make Kigabeq® available in many territories. After Europe and China, new agreements will be signed to enable the marketing of this formulation of vigabatrin, which is particularly suitable for children,” comments Hugues BIENAYME, founder and Managing Director of ORPHELIA Pharma.

 “We are very pleased to establish this partnership with ORPHELIA Pharma. This collaboration brings an effective solution to young Chinese patients. The upcoming commercialisation of Kigabeq® is fully in line with our strategy to strengthen our rare disease franchise in China” said Bertrand DELUARD, President and CEO of Ethypharm.

 Through this partnership, Ethypharm is strengthening its ambition to become a key player in the field of rare diseases in China. Operating successfully for more than 20 years in an ever-changing Chinese environment, Ethypharm has a fully integrated subsidiary located in Shanghai. “Our subsidiary is a partner of choice for companies wishing to make their existing internationally-marketed orphan drugs or drugs for rare diseases available to Chinese patients,” says François LIOT, General manager of Shanghai Ethypharm.

“I am delighted to sign this agreement with Ethypharm, which is based on the value of Kigabeq® in paediatrics. Thanks to the in-depth knowledge that the Ethypharm Group is developing in China, we are very confident that chinese children suffering from infantile spasms will have access to Kigabeq® as quickly as possible,” adds Gilles ALBERICI, Chairman of ORPHELIA Pharma.

About Kigabeq®

Kigabeq® is the first paediatric formulation of vigabatrin, an essential anti-epileptic drug. Kigabeq® is available in 100 mg and 500 mg soluble and scored tablets for oral or (naso)gastric administration and is indicated for the first-line treatment of childhood spasms (West’s syndrome), a severe epileptic encephalopathy in infants. Kigabeq® has been developed exclusively for children and has been granted Paediatric Use Marketing Authorisation (PUMA).

About infantile spasms

West’s syndrome, or infantile spasms, is a severe epileptic encephalopathy of the infant that combines epileptic spasms, a psychomotor deterioration and an hypsarrhythmic electroencephalogram tracing. It is a rare disease, with an estimated incidence of 5 per 10,000 births. It can occur in infants with previously normal development or with a pre-existing delay; in all cases, infantile spasms have a strong impact on the psychomotor development. Pharmacological treatment must be started quickly to allow the spasms to stop and improve the prognosis.

 About the Ethypharm Group

Ethypharm is a European pharmaceutical company focused on two therapeutic areas: the Central Nervous System and Critical Care. Ethypharm markets its drugs directly in Europe and China, and with partners in North America and the Middle East where its drugs are in high demand. The Group employs more than 1,500 people, mainly in Europe and China.

Ethypharm works closely with authorities and healthcare professionals to ensure the appropriate use of and access to its medicines, by as many people as possible.

About ORPHELIA Pharma

ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets drugs for the treatment of paediatric and rare diseases.

Our mission is to provide patients with essential hospital products in the fields of epilepsy and oncology with formulations adapted to the paediatric population. Our first product, Kigabeq®, received European marketing authorisation in September 2018 and is being launched in several countries. Our second product, Ivozall®, obtained European marketing authorisation in November 2019 for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. ORPHELIA Pharma conducts research projects through academic and industrial collaborations.

Press contact

Avril PONNELLE / presse@ethypharm.com / + 33 (0)1 41 12 17 20

Séverine MARTIN / orphelia@orphelia-pharma.eu / +33 (0)1 42 77 08 18

ORPHELIA Pharma to organize a Symposium at the SIOP congress 2020

Paris, October 12th, 2020 – ORPHELIA Pharma, a French biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and marketing of pediatric and orphan drugs announces today that it will organize a symposium at the Société Internationale d’Oncologie Pédiatrique (SIOP) congress 2020. The session will focus on the pediatric use of temozolomide in the treatment of relapsed or refractory pediatric tumors and will showcase the development of Kimozo a ready-to-use and taste-masked oral suspension of temozolomide adapted to children.

ORPHELIA Pharma is committed to improving the care of patients with pediatric and rare diseases, including developing innovative formulations to address children needs,” comments Jeremy Bastid, Chief Development Officer of ORPHELIA Pharma. “Our commitment to develop child-friendly medicines is a historical pillar of our company and this session at the SIOP meeting highlights our long-term close collaboration with the pediatric oncology community”.

This industry symposium entitled “Improving children care with temozolomide oral suspension” will be held virtually on Friday, October 16th from 9:15 AM to 9:35 AM local time (Ottawa), from 3:15 PM. to 3:35 PM. Central European Time (CET) and accessible by connecting on the SIOP meeting website (SIOP-congress.eu) in the “Product theatre” section.

Dr Lucas Moreno (Val d’Hebron Hospital, Spain) and Dr Dominique Valteau-Couanet (Gustave Roussy Hospital, France), two internationally renowned clinicians, will talk about the critical role of temozolomide in the management of relapsed or refractory pediatric tumors, including high-risk neuroblastomas. The third presenter, Dr Caroline Lemarchand, Chief Pharmaceutical Development Officer of ORPHELIA Pharma, will discuss the development of Kimozo, the first pediatric formulation of temozolomide under clinical development.

We look forward to welcoming you during this unique event.

About Kimozo

Kimozo (also known as Ped-TMZ or ORP-005) is a ready-to-use and taste-masked oral suspension of temozolomide that is currently under clinical development to address children needs. Kimozo is an investigational medicinal product not yet approved for use or marketing anywhere in the world.

About SIOP 2020 virtual congress

The SIOP Annual Meetings bring together more than 2,500 leading clinicians and scientists from over 100 countries to share recent momentous scientific advances in the field of paediatric oncology. This congress represents an unique opportunity to stay up to date in this rapidly moving field and to bring the latest science to bedside. In light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel restrictions and physical distancing requirements, the SIOP 2020 Annual Meeting will be held virtually on October 14-17, 2020.

Inclusion of the first patient in a clinical study evaluating Kimozo

ORPHELIA announces the inclusion of the first patient in a clinical study evaluating Kimozo, its pediatric formulation of temozolomide

Paris and Lyon, October 5th, 2020ORPHELIA Pharma, a French biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and marketing of pediatric and orphan drugs is pleased to announce the inclusion of the first-in patient in a clinical study aimed at demonstrating the bioequivalence between Kimozo, the first pediatric formulation of temozolomide under clinical development, and Temodal® capsule.

Although not approved in this indication, temozolomide is an essential anticancer medicine recommended for use in treatment protocols of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, a condition that affects young children. However, the only oral formulations that are commercially available are in the form of capsules that are poorly adapted to children. Caretakers are thus compelled to open capsules and disperse the content into a soft food prior to administration to the child, which harbors several risks such as the uncertainty with regards to the delivered dose, the exposure of the caregiver to the cytotoxic drug and the instability of the drug in aqueous milieu. To overcome the risks this situation implies, Kimozo, a ready to use oral formulation has been specifically designed to address the needs of the pediatric population.

Kimozo has been developed in collaboration with Gustave Roussy, one of the leading cancer centers in Europe. The current clinical trial conducted by ORPHELIA Pharma aims at demonstrating, first for regulatory purposes, the bioequivalence between Kimozo and the Temodal® capsules in adult patients having brain cancers, with additional clinical investigation to come in the pediatric population of interest.

We have reached an important milestone for Kimozo with the clinical trial approval from competent authorities and the recruitment of a first patient“, said Caroline Lemarchand, Chief Pharmaceutical Development Officer of ORPHELIA Pharma “We plan to enroll 30 patients by mid-2021 thanks to the support of the three neuro-oncology teams involved in the study: Professor Ducray of the Hospices Civils de Lyon (coordinating investigator), Professor Chinot of the Timone Hospital in Marseille and Dr Bronnimann of Saint-André Hospital in Bordeaux. ”

We are pleased to contribute to the development of this new pediatric formulation of temozolomide. A liquid form is unambiguously of interest for treating children.“, underlines Pr. François Ducray. Hugues Bienaymé, General Manager of ORPHELIA Pharma further comments: “This first administration is a major milestone in the development of Kimozo. We are now preparing the opening of our second clinical trial, which will evaluate Kimozo in pediatric patients, by the end of the year ”, he concludes.

About the Bioequivalence Study (NCT04467346)

The clinical trial entitled “Bioequivalence Study between temozolomide oral suspension (Ped-TMZ) and Temodal® capsules” (NCT04467346) is an open label phase I study, randomized, crossover, 2-period study in 30 male/female patients with primary CNS malignancies. Patients will receive, under fasting conditions, 200 mg/m² of Temozolomide Oral Suspension (Ped-TMZ, the code name of Kimozo) or Temodal®, as single oral administration in 2 different study periods depending on the randomization, with no wash out period between administrations. The primary objective is to evaluate the bioequivalence between Kimozo and Temodal® capsules for oral administration. The secondary objectives are to define the pharmacokinetic parameters of Kimozo administration and to assess its buccal safety.

The clinical centers are Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France ; CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France and Hôpital de la Timone (AP-HM), Marseille, France. The Study sponsor is ORPHELIA Pharma.

About Kimozo

Kimozo (also known as ORP-005 or Ped-TMZ) is a ready-to-use and taste-masked oral suspension of temozolomide that is currently under development to address children needs. Kimozo is an investigational medicinal product not yet approved for marketing anywhere in the world.

Meet us at BIO-Europe 2020, October 26-29

Meet us at BIO-Europe 2020, October 26-29

Jeremy Bastid, Chief Development Officer of ORPHELIA Pharma, will participate in the upcoming BIO-Europe conference to be held virtuallly on october 26-29, 2020. BIO-Europe is Europe’s largest partnering conference serving the global biotech industry.

Jeremy will actively take part in this business event, registered under the name of the holding company, initiative OCTALFA.