Company benefits from protection period until 2038

Paris and Lyon, France, November 29, 2023 – Orphelia Pharma, a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and marketing of pediatric and orphan medicines, today announces that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued patent US11/730,732 for KIZFIZO^®, the first pediatric and ready-to-use drinkable formulation of temozolomide.

KIZFIZO (temozolomide oral suspension, 40 mg/ml), known as Ped-TMZ or KIMOZO during its clinical development and ongoing early access programs, is specifically designed for use in the treatment of children with relapsed or refractory high-risk neuroblastoma, oncology indications with a very poor prognosis. This taste-masked oral suspension was developed for children: it allows a precise dose to be administered orally or via a nasogastric tube in a small volume. Orphelia Pharma has been developing KIZFIZO in collaboration with Gustave Roussy, the leading European cancer center, for the last six years.

“Following the issuance of the European patent in 2021, this grant of the US patent once again highlights the innovation in the formulation of KIZFIZO, which lies in the discovery of an essential excipient improving the stability and the rheological properties of the suspension,” said Jeremy Bastid, chief development officer at Orphelia Pharma. “This US patent complements the European one already issued and the Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) obtained in the US and Europe for temozolomide in the treatment of neuroblastoma. Therefore, we benefit from a double exclusivity protection for KIZFIZO in these territories.”

“There is a major hospital need for an oral formulation of temozolomide, but attempts to generate such liquid formulations have been unsatisfactory, with low concentrations leading to large administration volumes, short shelf-lives and erratic recrystallization,” said Maxime Annereau, pharmacist at Gustave Roussy and co-inventor of the patent. “Our work, carried out jointly with the Orphelia Pharma team, led to the identification of a formulation with a high concentration of temozolomide while controlling its polymorphic transition process.”

Jeremy Bastid added: “Temozolomide is an essential component in the treatment armamentarium of refractory or relapsed high-risk neuroblastoma, a disease that affects very young children. KIZFIZO addresses a major unmet medical need. We will now focus our efforts on making KIZFIZO, which is already accessible under the ongoing early access program, available quickly to all patients; we have recently submitted an application for marketing authorization in Europe.”

The granted US (US11/730,732) and European (EP3613436) patents ‘oral suspension of temozolomide’ are co-owned by Orphelia Pharma and Gustave Roussy. Based on the filing date of the priority application, the patent protection is expected to last until 2038. This protection complements the ODDs already obtained in these territories.
 
About KIZFIZO^® 40 mg/ml
KIZFIZO (temozolomide oral suspension, 40 mg/ml) is a ready-to-use oral liquid pediatric formulation of temozolomide developed for use in the treatment of relapsed or refractory high-risk neuroblastoma, which carry a very poor prognosis. This age-adapted and taste-masked formulation delivers an accurate dose in a small volume, while avoiding drug handling and caregiver exposure to temozolomide. It is the result of a collaboration between the pharmacists and clinicians at Gustave Roussy hospital and the development team at Orphelia Pharma.
In March 2022, KIZFIZO was granted Early Access Authorization (Autorisation d’Accès Précoce) by the French authorities, for the treatment of refractory and relapsed high-risk neuroblastoma as monotherapy or in combination with irinotecan or topotecan.
KIZFIZO has received an ODD from the EMA and the FDA and the formulation is covered by granted patents in Europe and the US. The company filed an MAA with the EMA in the summer of 2023.
 
About Orphelia Pharma
Orphelia Pharma is a pharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets medicines for the treatment of pediatric and orphan diseases. The company’s mission is to provide patients with essential products in the fields of neurology and oncology, in formulations adapted to the pediatric population. Orphelia Pharma conducts research projects through academic and industrial partnerships. It has recently established regional agreements in European territories and is expanding its footprint across the world.
For further information: www.orphelia-pharma.eu, LinkedIn
 
About Gustave Roussy
Ranked as the leading European Cancer Center and third in the world, 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. Per year, it caters for almost 50,000 patients, including 3,500 pediatric patients, 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: 40% of patients treated are included in clinical studies. 
For further information: www.gustaveroussy.fr/en, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram

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The European paediatric Soft Tissue Sarcoma Study Group (EpSSG; https://www.epssgassociation.it/) is holding its winter meeting on November 29^th – December 1^st, 2023, in Barcelona, Spain.

Being committed to the development of essential medicines for rare pediatric cancers, ORPHELIA Pharma is proud to support this event as a sponsor.

EpSSG Association exists to promote and manage clinical trials, encourage and facilitate clinical and basic science research, foster optimal standards of care, organize educational meetings for its members and other professionals, and advocate for patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS). STS account for approximately 8% of all pediatric cancers. They are divided into two main groups :  rhabdomyosarcoma (approximately 60% of STS in children) and non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas (this includes a large number of different tumor types which together account for about 40% of STS). Additional information about this event can be found here : https://www.epssgassociation.it/activities/epssg-meetings/upcoming-meeting/winter-meeting/,229

The Medicines for Europe association represent the pharmaceutical companies supplying the largest share of medicines across Europe and is the voice of the generic, biosimilar and value-added industries.

It holds its 5th conference on value-added medicines on November 7th, 2023, in Brussels. One of the topics to be addressed in this conference is repurposing of medicines, which has emerged as an important strategy to address unmet medical need, especially in the pediatric field.

Laurent Martin, Orphelia Pharma’s Chief Pharmaceutical Affairs Officer, will contribute to the discussion with the story and market access of Kigabeq, the first pediatric formulation of vigabatrin for the treatment of a rare form of encephalopathic epilepsy: West syndrome.

An event not to be missed! More information can be found at: https://www.medicinesforeurope.com/events/vam23/

Gilles ALBERICI, CEO at ORPHELIA Pharma and Hugues BIENAYME, General Manager will attend the BioEurope Fall meeting to be held November 6-8, 2023 in Munich, Germany. BioEurope convenes over 5,500 attendees, representing 60 countries and 2,220+ companies, making the event the industry’s largest gathering of biopharma professionals in Europe.

We would be glad to meet you there and discuss partnering opportunities with ORPHELIA Pharma. Please contact us through the partnering portal at: https://informaconnect.com/bioeurope/pone/login/

Première formulation buvable de témozolomide pour le traitement des neuroblastomes réfractaires ou en rechute

Paris et Lyon, France, le 24 octobre 2023 – Orphelia Pharma, société pharmaceutique dédiée au développement et à la commercialisation de médicaments pédiatriques et orphelins, annonce aujourd’hui avoir déposé une demande d’autorisation de mise sur le marché (AMM) centralisée auprès de l’agence européenne du médicament (European Medicines Agency – EMA) pour KIZFIZO®, la première formulation orale liquide de témozolomide.

KIZFIZO (suspension buvable de témozolomide, 40 mg/ml), connu sous les noms de Ped-TMZ ou KIMOZO pendant son développement clinique et les programmes d’accès précoce en cours, a été conçu spécifiquement pour une utilisation dans le traitement des enfants atteints de neuroblastome récidivant ou réfractaire, indications d’oncologie de mauvais pronostic. Cette suspension buvable, dont le goût est masqué, a été développée pour les enfants : elle permet d’administrer une dose précise dans un petit volume par voie orale ou à l’aide d’une sonde nasogastrique. Orphelia Pharma développe KIZFIZO depuis six ans en collaboration avec Gustave Roussy, premier centre de cancérologie européen.

« Nous sommes très fiers d’avoir développé ce nouveau médicament pédiatrique », déclare Laurent Martin, directeur des affaires pharmaceutiques chez Orphelia Pharma. « KIZFIZO répond à un besoin médical non satisfait : disposer d’une suspension buvable de témozolomide pour le traitement du neuroblastome récidivant ou réfractaire. Cette formulation vise à éviter les mésusages qui consistent à utiliser des formes pharmaceutiques non adaptées à l’enfant mélangées à une boisson ou de la nourriture, ce qui peut exposer les aidants à une molécule cytotoxique et sans vrai contrôle de la dose effectivement délivrée au patient. »

« La demande d’autorisation de mise sur le marché de KIZFIZO est une excellente nouvelle pour les enfants vivant avec un cancer et leur famille. Elle souligne l’engagement de Gustave Roussy à jouer un rôle de premier plan dans le développement de médicaments pédiatriques dans l’objectif de guérir tous les enfants dans le futur », déclare le Professeur Fabrice Barlesi, Directeur Général de Gustave Roussy.

La pharmacocinétique de KIZFIZO chez les enfants a été évaluée dans TEMOkids, une étude multicentrique européenne de pharmacocinétique, d’acceptabilité et de tolérance chez le patient pédiatrique ayant besoin de témozolomide (NCT04610736).

Les données sur l’efficacité et l’innocuité du témozolomide dans le neuroblastome réfractaire ou en rechute, présentées dans la demande d’AMM, comprennent notamment :

• BEACON-Chemo, une sous-analyse des bras de chimiothérapie de l’étude BEACON, étude prospective, randomisée, multicentrique européenne de phase II chez les enfants atteints d’un neuroblastome réfractaire ou récidivant. Le sponsor de cette étude est l’Université de Birmingham (Royaume-Uni).
• Retro-TMZ, une étude descriptive et rétrospective multicentrique européenne, évaluant l’efficacité et la tolérance du témozolomide chez les enfants atteints d’un neuroblastome réfractaire ou récidivant. Cette étude a été réalisée par Gustave Roussy (France).

À propos de KIZFIZO® 40 mg/ml
KIZFIZO (témozolomide suspension buvable, 40 mg/ml) est une formulation pédiatrique liquide de témozolomide pour administration par voie orale, prête à l’emploi, développée pour le traitement du neuroblastome récidivant ou réfractaire. Cette formulation, au goût masqué et adapté aux jeunes enfants, permet une administration précise dans un petit volume tout en évitant la manipulation du produit et l’exposition des aidants au témozolomide, médicament cytotoxique. Il est le fruit d’une collaboration entre les pharmaciens et cliniciens de Gustave Roussy et l’équipe de développement d’Orphelia Pharma.
En mars 2022, KIZFIZO a obtenu une Autorisation d’Accès Précoce (AAP) par les autorités françaises, pour le traitement du neuroblastome réfractaire ou récidivant en monothérapie ou en association avec l’irinotécan ou le topotécan.
KIZFIZO a obtenu une désignation de médicament orphelin (Orphan Drug Designation – ODD) auprès de l’EMA et de la FDA. La formulation est couverte par des brevets délivrés et des demandes en instance en Europe et aux États-Unis.

À propos du neuroblastome
Le neuroblastome est un cancer extra-cérébral rare, avec environ 900 nouveaux cas diagnostiqués chaque année dans l’Union Européenne. Il touche presque exclusivement les enfants de moins de cinq ans, avec un âge médian de 18 mois au moment du diagnostic. Le neuroblastome a une grande diversité de pronostic, ce qui se reflète dans la stratification du risque. Environ 40% des patients présentent un neuroblastome de haut risque et font souvent face à une mauvaise réponse au traitement d’induction (patients réfractaires) ou à une rechute ultérieure. Il subsiste un réel besoin médical non satisfait pour ces patients et des recherches sont en cours pour déterminer la meilleure stratégie thérapeutique. Le témozolomide est la chimiothérapie couramment utilisée et constitue une partie essentielle de l’arsenal thérapeutique pour ces patients.

À propos d’Orphelia Pharma
Orphelia Pharma est une société pharmaceutique basée à Paris et Lyon qui développe et commercialise des médicaments pour le traitement des maladies pédiatriques et orphelines. Elle fournit aux patients des produits essentiels dans les domaines de la neurologie et de l’oncologie, dans des formulations adaptées à la population pédiatrique. Orphelia Pharma mène des projets de recherche dans le cadre de partenariats académiques et industriels. Elle a récemment mis en place des accords régionaux dans les territoires européens et étend sa présence à travers le monde.
www.orphelia-pharma.eu

A propos de Gustave Roussy
Classé premier centre de cancérologie français, premier européen et troisième au niveau mondial, Gustave Roussy constitue un pôle d’expertise globale entièrement dédié aux patients vivant avec un cancer. L’Institut est un pilier fondateur du biocluster en oncologie Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster. Source d’innovations thérapeutiques et d’avancées diagnostiques, l’Institut accueille chaque année près de 50 000 patients dont 3 500 enfants et adolescents et développe une approche intégrée entre recherche, soins et enseignement. Expert des cancers rares et des tumeurs complexes, Gustave Roussy traite tous les cancers, à tous les âges de la vie. Il propose à ses patients une prise en charge personnalisée qui allie innovation et humanité, où sont pris en compte le soin mais aussi la qualité de vie physique, psychologique et sociale. Avec 4 100 salariés répartis sur deux sites, Villejuif et Chevilly-Larue, Gustave Roussy réunit les expertises indispensables à une recherche de haut niveau en cancérologie ; 40% des patients traités sont inclus dans des études cliniques.
Pour en savoir plus sur Gustave Roussy et suivre les actualités de l’Institut : www.gustaveroussy.fr, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram

Contacts presse et analystes
Andrew Lloyd & associates
Emilie Chouinard / Juliette Schmitt
emilie@ala.associates / juliette@ala.associates
FR : +33 1 56 54 07 00

First drinkable formulation of temozolomide for treatment of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma

Paris and Lyon, France, October 24, 2023 – Orphelia Pharma, a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and marketing of pediatric and orphan medicines, today announces the filing of a centralized Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for KIZFIZO®, the first oral liquid formulation of temozolomide.

KIZFIZO (temozolomide oral suspension, 40 mg/ml), known as Ped-TMZ or KIMOZO during its clinical development and ongoing early access programs, is designed specifically for use in the treatment of children with relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, oncology indications with a very poor prognosis. This oral suspension, which is taste-masked, was developed for children : it allows a precise dose to be administered orally or via a nasogastric tube in a small volume. Orphelia Pharma has been developing KIZFIZO in collaboration with Gustave Roussy, the leading European cancer center, for the last six years.

“We take great pride in having developed this new pediatric medicine,” said Laurent Martin, chief pharmaceutical affairs officer at Orphelia Pharma. “KIZFIZO fills an unmet medical need for a drinkable temozolomide medication in the treatment of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma. This formulation aims to avoid the use of
non-age-appropriate dosage forms mixed with a drink or food, which may expose caregivers to a cytotoxic molecule without full control of the dose actually delivered to the patient.”

“The application for a drug marketing authorization of KIZFIZO is excellent news for the children living with cancer and their families. It underscores Gustave Roussy’s commitment to playing a leading role in the development of medicines for children and curing all of them in the future,” said Prof. Fabrice Barlesi, CEO of Gustave Roussy.
The pharmacokinetics of KIZFIZO in children have been evaluated in TEMOkids, a European multicenter population pharmacokinetic acceptability and safety study in pediatric patients in need of temozolomide (NCT04610736).

Efficacy and safety data for temozolomide in relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma submitted in the application includes in particular :

• BEACON-Chemo, a sub-analysis of the chemotherapy arms of the BEACON study, a prospective randomized phase II study in refractory or relapsed neuroblastoma. This study was sponsored by Birmingham University (UK)
• Retro-TMZ, a multicenter descriptive, retrospective study, assessing the efficacy and tolerability of temozolomide in children with refractory or relapsed neuroblastoma. This study was conducted by Gustave Roussy (France)

About KIZFIZO® 40 mg/ml

KIZFIZO (temozolomide oral suspension, 40 mg/ml) is a ready-to-use oral liquid pediatric formulation of temozolomide developed for use in the treatment of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, which carry a very poor prognosis. This age-adapted and taste-masked formulation delivers an accurate dose in a small volume,
while avoiding drug handling and caregiver exposure to temozolomide. It is the result of a collaboration between the pharmacists and clinicians at Gustave Roussy hospital and the development team at Orphelia Pharma.
In March 2022, KIZFIZO was granted Early Access Authorization (Autorisation d’Accès Précoce) by the French authorities, for the treatment of refractory and relapsed neuroblastoma as monotherapy or in combination with irinotecan or topotecan.
KIZFIZO has received Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) from the EMA and the FDA, the formulation is covered by granted patents and pending applications in Europe and the US.

About neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial cancer in early childhood, with approximately 900 new cases diagnosed per year in the European Union. It almost exclusively affects children under five, with a median age at diagnosis of 18 months. Neuroblastoma has a wide diversity of clinical outcomes, which is reflected in the risk stratification. Approximately 40% of patients have the high-risk disease and often face a poor response to first line induction therapy or later relapse. There remains a high unmet need for relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma patients and the best therapeutic strategy is still an intensive area of research. Temozolomide is the standard chemotherapy and is therefore an essential part of the treatment armamentarium for these patients.

About Orphelia Pharma
Orphelia Pharma is a pharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets medicines for the treatment of pediatric and orphan diseases. The company’s mission is to provide patients with essential products in the fields of neurology and oncology, in formulations adapted to the pediatric population. Orphelia Pharma conducts research projects through academic and industrial partnerships. It has recently established regional agreements in European territories and is expanding its footprint across the world.
www.orphelia-pharma.eu

About Gustave Roussy
Ranked as the leading European Cancer Center and third in the world, Gustave Roussy is a center with comprehensive expertise and is devoted entirely to patients suffering from cancer. The Institute is a founding member of the Paris Saclay Cancer Cluster. It is a source of diagnostic and therapeutic advances. Per year, it caters for almost 50,000 patients, including 3,500 pediatric patients, 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 : 40% of patients treated are included in clinical studies.
For further information : www.gustaveroussy.fr/en, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram

Press and Analyst Contacts
Andrew Lloyd and Associates
Emilie Chouinard / Saffiyah Khalique
emilie@ala.associates / saffiyah@ala.associates
UK +44 1273 952 481
US +1 203 724 5950

Stop by our booth in the exhibition and poster area to learn more about our pipeline including KIZFIZO, temozolomide oral suspension (product in development).

You are also invited to attend the oral session entitled “novel therapeutic approaches” on Saturday morning. Dr. Lucy METAYER, pediatric oncologist at Gustave Roussy, will present the results of the TEMOkids pediatric trial.

Paris and Lyon, France, October 4, 2023 – Orphelia Pharma, a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and marketing of pediatric and orphan medicines announces today that results from the pediatric TEMOkids clinical trial will be presented at the 55^th Société Internationale d’Oncologie Pédiatrique (SIOP) annual congress to be held in Ottawa, Canada, October 11-14, 2023. The results will be presented on October 14 during the oral session entitled “novel therapeutic approaches” by Dr. Lucy METAYER, co-investigator of the TEMOkids study and pediatric oncologist at Gustave Roussy, ranked 3^rd cancer center worldwide (Villejuif, France).

TEMOkids (NCT04610736) is a European, multicenter, population pharmacokinetic, acceptability and safety clinical study evaluating KIZFIZO® (temozolomide oral suspension, 40 mg/ml) in children from the age of one year and in need of temozolomide. KIZFIZO, formerly known as KIMOZO or Ped-TMZ, has been designed specifically for use in the treatment of children with relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, an oncology indication of dismal prognosis.

“Forty-three young patients were recruited in TEMOkids across 12 European clinical cancer centers”, comments Caroline LEMARCHAND, Chief Pharmaceutical Development Officer at Orphelia Pharma. “TEMOkids is an integral part of the clinical development plan of KIZFIZO and results will be presented at the SIOP conference for the first time”.

“Results from TEMOkids are very compelling” adds Dr. Samuel ABBOU, principal investigator of theTEMOkids study and pediatric oncologist at Gustave Roussy. “Not only the population pharmacokinetics show that there is no need for temozolomide dose adjustment in the pediatric population, but KIZFIZO was well accepted by children and its safety profile was similar to that of temozolomide capsules (Temodal), with no specific signal of local intolerance”.

About the TEMOkids study (NCT04610736)

TEMOkids is an international, open-label, non-randomized, study evaluating Ped-TMZ oral suspension (KIZFIZO) in 40 pediatric patients aged 1 year and over. The main objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of KIZFIZO in this population. The secondary objectives were to evaluate its tolerance and acceptability by children, and their response to treatment.

Twelve clinical centers were involved in the TEMOkids study: Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France (coordinating center); Institut Curie, Paris, France; La Timone Children’s Hospital, Marseille, France; Institute of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Lyon, France; Oscar Lambret Center, Lille, France; Charité University Medical Hospital, Berlin, Germany; Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain; Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain; University Pediatric Hospital Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain; Southampton General Hospital, the United Kingdom and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London, the United Kingdom.

About KIZFIZO 40 mg/ml

KIZFIZO (temozolomide oral suspension, 40 mg/ml) is a ready-to-use oral liquid pediatric formulation of temozolomide developed for use in the treatment of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, the most common extracranial solid tumor of childhood carrying a dismal prognosis. This age-adapted and taste-masked formulation delivers an accurate drug load in a small volume, while avoiding drug handling and caregiver exposure to temozolomide. It is the result of a fruitful collaboration between the pharmacists and clinicians of Gustave Roussy Cancer Center and the development team of Orphelia Pharma.

KIZFIZO, under the product name KIMOZO, has been granted Early Access Authorization (Autorisation d’Accès Précoce) by the French authorities in March 2022 for the treatment of refractory and relapsed neuroblastoma.

KIZFIZO received orphan drug designation from the EMA and FDA and its formulation is covered by granted patents and pending applications in Europe and in the US.

About Orphelia Pharma

Orphelia Pharma is a pharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets medicines for the treatment of pediatric and orphan diseases. The company’s mission is to provide patients with essential products in the fields of neurology and oncology, in formulations adapted to the pediatric population. Orphelia Pharma conducts research projects through academic and industrial partnerships. It has recently established regional agreements in European territories and is expanding its footprint on other continents.

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

About Gustave Roussy

Ranked as the leading European Cancer Centre and third in the world, Gustave Roussy is a centre 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: 40% of patients treated are included in clinical studies. 

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

About SIOP

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 a unique opportunity to stay up to date in this rapidly moving field and to bring the latest science to bedside. The 55^th annual meeting will be held in Ottawa, Canada, October 11-14, 2023.

Media Contact details

ORPHELIA Pharma : orphelia@orphelia-pharma.eu  / Tel : +33 (0)1 42 77 08 18

Jeremy Bastid, Chief Development Officer at ORPHELIA Pharma will attend the SIOPEN annual general meeting to be held on October 4-6, 2023 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The SIOPEN annual meeting brings together about 200 clinicians, investigators, researchers and patient advocates from 34 European countries to discuss on-going clinical trials, results, and work in progress in the field of neuroblastoma. If you would like to arrange a meeting with Jeremy on October 5 or 6, please contact him at: jeremy.bastid@orphelia-pharma.eu

Jeremy Bastid, Chief Development Officer at ORPHELIA Pharma will attend the Advances in Neuroblastoma Research (ANR) meeting to be held May 15-18, 2023 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 

ANR meetings gather investigators from around the world studying neuroblastoma biology, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy.  

If you would like to arrange a meeting with Jeremy, please contact him at: jeremy.bastid@orphelia-pharma.eu  

Paris (France) and Charlotte, N.C. (USA), on April 18^th, 2023 – ORPHELIA Pharma, a French biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and marketing of pediatric and orphan medicines, and Tanner Pharma Group, a global provider of integrated specialty access solutions, have signed an exclusive agreement to manage the supply and distribution of Ped-TMZ, also known as KIMOZO® (temozolomide 40 mg/ml, oral suspension), to meet the special demands which may come from European physicians for this unapproved pediatric form of temozolomide.

Temozolomide is an anti-cancer drug approved as capsules or IV formulation in Europe for certain brain tumors. It is also used in treatment protocols for other rare cancer indications that mainly affect very young children, including refractory or relapsed neuroblastoma. In young children, an oral suspension of temozolomide is age-appropriate to ensure correct medication administration.

Under the terms of the agreement, Tanner Pharma will provide access to KIMOZO® via a named patient program in European countries, in particular these countries where KIMOZO® has already been used as investigational medication in the context of the now fully enrolled clinical trial TEMOkids sponsored by ORPHELIA Pharma. A named patient program is a mechanism through which physicians can legally and ethically prescribe investigational or approved drugs for patients prior to their commercial availability. The access to unapproved drugs is strictly regulated and adherence to national regulations is mandatory.

Tanner Pharma will manage all elements of the supply including healthcare practitioner enquiry management, national regulatory oversight, liaison with national authorities, and logistics. The agreement currently covers all European territories but France.

Hugues Bienaymé, General Manager of ORPHELIA Pharma, said:

“KIMOZO® is currently available in France through an early access program, and ORPHELIA has already received requests from physicians from other countries. To meet these demands, ORPHELIA Pharma will use the services of Tanner Pharma, a world-leading pharmaceutical services provider with extensive experience in enabling access to innovative therapies when no other treatment options exist. With this agreement, our ambition is to make KIMOZO® available to children in need of a ready-to-use drinkable suspension of temozolomide, anywhere in Europe and with no delay, in strict adherence with local regulations.”

Rob Keel, Executive Vice President at Tanner Pharma, said:

“We are pleased to be partnering with ORPHELIA Pharma on this impactful program to help children with neuroblastoma and other malignancies. ORPHELIA Pharma has done extensive research to develop a product to address a critical unmet need for pediatric patients. We look forward to supporting physicians and enabling access to this innovative treatment.”

Healthcare professionals can obtain details about the products by contacting: kimozo@tannerpharma.com

About KIMOZO® 40 mg/ml

KIMOZO® 40 mg/ml is a liquid, taste-masked and ready-to-use drinkable formulation of temozolomide developed in collaboration between the pharmacists and clinicians of Gustave Roussy hospital and the development team of ORPHELIA Pharma. KIMOZO® is being developed for the treatment of refractory and relapsed neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer of dismal prognosis.

KIMOZO® has been granted Early Access Authorization (Autorisation d’Accès Précoce) for the treatment of refractory and relapsed neuroblastoma as monotherapy or in combination with a specific DNA inhibitor topoisomerase I (irinotecan or topotecan) in patients aged 1 to 6 years and patients over 6 years of age unable to swallow temozolomide in capsule form, by the French authorities in March 2022.

The formulation of KIMOZO® has been covered by a patent application in Europe and in the US.

About ORPHELIA Pharma

ORPHELIA Pharma is a pharmaceutical 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, in formulations adapted to the pediatric population. With two drugs approved in the European Union and one product in late-stage clinical development, ORPHELIA Pharma has recently established regional agreements in the European Union, the USA and China and conducts research projects through academic and industrial partnerships.

About Tanner Pharma

Tanner Pharma Group is a specialist pharmaceutical services provider based in Charlotte, USA with offices in Europe and Latin America. Over the past 20 years, Tanner has developed a portfolio of service offerings focused on improving global access to medicines. Through its TannerMAP division, Tanner Pharma supports manufacturers by providing ethical, controlled and compliant access to their innovative medicines in countries where they are not commercially accessible. For more information, visit www.tannerpharma.com.

Media Contact details

ORPHELIA Pharma : orphelia@orphelia-pharma.eu / +33 (0)1 42 77 08 18

Tanner Pharma Group : lstevens@tannerpharma.com / Tel: +1 704 552 8408

Paris and Lyon, March 2nd, 2023 – ORPHELIA Pharma, the French biopharmaceutical company that develops and markets pediatric medicines in the fields of oncology and neurology, announces the recruitment of the last patient of its TEMOkids clinical trial evaluating its ready-to-use temozolomide oral suspension, named KIMOZO® or Ped-TMZ, in children with a solid tumor from the age 1 year.
The TEMOKids trial, during which KIMOZO® was administered to children for the first time, is a major milestone in its clinical development. In addition to generating pharmacokinetic data, the trial also evaluates the safety and acceptability of the suspension in the study population and collects data on treatment response.
TEMOkids complements the study previously carried out in adults, which demonstrated the bioequivalence between KIMOZO® oral suspension and the capsule form of temozolomide, which is not adapted to children and yet regularly used in the absence of a pediatric form. ORPHELIA Pharma will present the results of the TEMOkids study at an upcoming scientific congress and will submit the marketing authorization dossier to the European Medicines Agency in 2023.

“We have completed the enrollment of the TEMOkids clinical study thanks to the involvement and motivation of the investigating physicians, which underlines the medical need. With the support of a pediatric oncology network at the European level, we enrolled 43 children in 11 centers across 5 countries: France, Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany“, says Caroline Lemarchand, Director of Pharmaceutical Development and coordinator of the TEMOkids study.

“The inclusion of the last patient in TEMOkids is a key milestone of the clinical development of KIMOZO®. This new drinkable formulation of temozolomide addresses major medical needs for the management of cancers affecting young children,” concludes Jeremy Bastid, Director of Development at ORPHELIA Pharma. “Our goal is to make the product available to all patients as soon as possible. The ORPHELIA Pharma team is mobilized to enable the filing of the European registration dossier in 2023 and to fill the needs of young patients through special access programs, in close liaison with and with the approval of the national regulatory authorities in Europe,” he adds.

About the TEMOkids study
The clinical trial “TEMOkids Study: A Phase I Pediatric Study for KIMOZO®, Oral Suspension of temozolomide®” (NCT04610736) is an international, open-label, non-randomized Phase I study in 40 pediatric patients aged one year or older. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of KIMOZO®/Ped-TMZ in the study population. Secondary objectives are to assess tolerability and response to treatment, as well as acceptability in children. Eleven clinical centers are actively involved in the TEMOkids study: Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France (coordinating center); Institut Curie, Paris, France; CHU Timone Enfants, Marseille, France; Institute of Hematology and Pediatric Oncology, Lyon, France; Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille, France; Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain; Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain; University Pediatric Hospital Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain; Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, United Kingdom; Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) for Children NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Charité University Medicine Hospital, Berlin, Germany.
For more information, please visit www.temokids.eu.

About KIMOZO®/Ped-TMZ oral suspension, 40 mg/ml
KIMOZO® 40 mg/ml is a ready-to-use, taste-masked oral liquid formulation of temozolomide jointly developed by the ORPHELIA Pharma development team and the pharmacists and clinicians of Gustave Roussy for the treatment of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer with a poor prognosis.
The product obtained an Early Access Authorization from the French authorities in March 2022.

About ORPHELIA Pharma
ORPHELIA Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company based in Paris and Lyon that develops and markets medicines for the treatment of pediatric and orphan diseases. ORPHELIA Pharma’s mission is to provide patients with essential products in the fields of rare diseases, with formulations adapted to the pediatric population. With two drugs approved in the European Union and one product in late-stage clinical development, ORPHELIA Pharma has recently established regional agreements in the European Union, the USA and China and conducts research projects through academic and industrial partnerships.
More information on www.orphelia-pharma.eu.

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

ORPHELIA Pharma will participate to BIO-EUROPE 2022 to be held from October 24-26, 2022 in Leipzig, Germany. This annual meeting aims to gather and connect biotechnology, pharmaceutical industry, and financial sector on pharmaceutical innovative projects.

We are glad to announce that Gilles Alberici, Executive Chairman and Hugues Bienaymé, General Manager and Chief Scientific Officer at ORPHELIA Pharma, will attend this event. If you would like to meet Gilles and Hugues, please contact them : contact@orphelia-pharma.eu.  

Sponsored by : La Région Auvergne – Rhône – Alpes

ORPHELIA Pharma, the French pharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes orphan and pediatric medicines in the fields of oncology and neurology, announces the publication of the results of its study performed in collaboration with the Pharmacy Department of Gustave Roussy and evaluating the temozolomide dose actually delivered to children when using, on the one hand, KIMOZO oral suspension and, on the other hand, Temodal capsule content mixed with soft food or drinks.

The poster #128  entitled “Dispensing oral temozolomide in children: precision and stability of a novel and ready-to-use liquid formulation in comparison with capsule-derived mixtures” (Lemarchand et al.), is displayed during the poster session of the SIOP 2022 Annual Congress held in Barcelona (Spain). The poster can also be accessed by using this link.

About SIOP

SIOP (International Society of Pediatric Oncology) is the only multidisciplinary and international learned society entirely dedicated to childhood and adolescent cancer. The society has more than 2,600 members worldwide, including doctors, nurses, other health professionals, scientists and researchers. Members are dedicated to increasing knowledge about all aspects of childhood cancer (https://siop-online.org/). The annual congress is held in Barcelona, Spain, from 28^th September to 1^st October, 2022 (https://siop-congress.org/).

ORPHELIA Pharma is proud to announce that it will attend 54th Annual SIOP Congress in Barcelona, Spain. M. Jeremy Bastid, Chief Development Officer at ORPHELIA Pharma, will have the pleasure to present a poster entitled: “Dispensing oral temozolomide in children: precision and stability of a novel and ready-to-use liquid formulation in comparison with capsule-derived mixtures”.

The SIOP 2022 Annual Meetings will bring together more than 3,000 leading clinicians and scientists from over 100 countries to share recent momentous scientific advances in the field of paediatric oncology. The SIOP 2020 Annual Meeting will take place in Barcelona, Spain, from September 28-October 1, 2022 (https://siop-congress.org/). 

Hugues Bienaymé, General Manager, and Jeremy Bastid, Chief Development Officer at OPRHELIA Pharma, will attend this event. If you would like to meet with Hugues and Jeremy, please send an email to: contact@orphelia-pharma.eu.

ORPHELIA Pharma will participate to the 14th annual conference of The European Paediatric Formulation Initiative (EuPFI) to be held from September 20-22 in Rome, Italy. This annual meeting aims to gather industry, academia, clinical and regulatory professionals, to share expertise and interactive discussions on development of paediatric formulations.

We are glad to announce that Caroline Lemarchand, Chief Pharmaceutical Development Officer at ORPHELIA Pharma, will attend this event and present the following session:  “Formulation and assessment of Kimozo® an oral liquid formulation of temozolomide usable in children as young as 1 year old”. If you would like to meet Caroline, please contact her : caroline.lemarchand@orphelia-pharm.eu.

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.

Lyon, June 22^nd, 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 31^st, 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

Paris and Lyon, June 9^th, 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.