UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
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Item 8.01 Other Events.
| (a) | On July 20, 2020, ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the “Company”) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for NUPLAZID® (pimavanserin) for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with dementia-related psychosis (DRP). |
The FDA has assigned a standard review with a PDUFA (Prescription Drug User Fee Act) action date of April 3, 2021. The FDA has also informed the Company that it has not identified any potential review issues at this point in their evaluation and at this time they are not planning to hold an Advisory Committee meeting.
The sNDA is supported by results from the pivotal Phase 3 HARMONY study, which met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that pimavanserin significantly reduced the risk of relapse of psychosis by 2.8 fold compared to placebo (hazard ratio = 0.353; one-sided p=0.0023). The sNDA also includes positive efficacy results from two additional placebo-controlled studies, both of which met their respective primary endpoints: The Phase 2 (-019) study in patients with Alzheimer’s disease psychosis and the Phase 3 (-020) study in patients with Parkinson’s disease psychosis. The sNDA includes a large safety database from completed and ongoing studies representing over 1500 patients with neurodegenerative disease.
| (b) | Also on July 20, 2020, the Company announced top-line results from its 298 patient Phase 3 CLARITY study which combined two identical, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies evaluating the efficacy, safety and tolerability of pimavanserin as an adjunctive treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). The combined efficacy and safety analysis was pre-specified prior to data unblinding following feedback from the FDA. |
The study did not achieve statistical significance on the primary endpoint which was the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) total score change from baseline to week 5. Pimavanserin 34 mg, given once-daily as an adjunctive treatment to standard antidepressant therapy was associated with a mean reduction of 9.0 in HAMD-17 total score compared to 8.1 for placebo as an adjunctive treatment (p=0.296).
Positive results were observed on the key secondary endpoint, the Clinical Global Impression – Severity (CGI-S) score, a clinician assessment of a patient’s severity of depression (nominal p=0.042). In the study, pimavanserin was generally well-tolerated when added to existing antidepressant therapy, and similar rates of adverse events were observed between pimavanserin (58.1%) and placebo (54.7%).
The Phase 3 CLARITY study is a combination of CLARITY-2 and CLARITY-3, which were both 6-week, parallel-designed, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center studies designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pimavanserin as adjunctive treatment in patients with MDD who have an inadequate response to standard antidepressant therapy with either a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or a serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). A total of 298 patients were randomized to receive six weeks of oral treatment with either 34 mg of pimavanserin or placebo, once daily, in addition to their ongoing antidepressant. The primary endpoint was change from baseline on the HAMD-17 total score.
Copies of ACADIA’s press releases issued July 20, 2020 are furnished herewith as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this Current Report that are not strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to the potential benefits of pimavanserin as adjunctive treatment for major depressive disorder, the hallucinations and delusions associated with dementia-related psychosis or other central nervous system disorders, the potential results of clinical trials of pimavanserin in other indications, and the expected growth in patients with dementia. These statements are only predictions based on current information and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in any of such statements due to various factors, including the risks and uncertainties inherent in drug development, approval and commercialization, and the fact that past results of clinical trials may not be indicative of future trial results. For a discussion of these and other factors, please refer to ACADIA’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 as well as ACADIA’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and ACADIA undertakes no obligation to revise or update this Current Report to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by law.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| Date: July 20, 2020 | ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. | |||||
| By: | /s/ Austin D. Kim | |||||
| Name: | Austin D. Kim | |||||
| Title: | Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary | |||||