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PARI Pharma
Completes Successful Clinical Trials for
Tobramycin 100 & Investigational eFlow for CF
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, NOVEMBER 10, 2008 – PARI
Pharma GmbH has successfully completed Phase I
and Phase II clinical trials comparing its
proprietary PARI Tobramycin 100
(150mg/1.5mL)formulation delivered via a
customized Investigational eFlow Nebulizer
System to TOBI (tobramycin300mg/5mL) delivered
with the PARI LC PLUS jet nebulizer. While key
deposition and safety thresholds were maintained,
the marked difference was a reduction in the
average inhalation time to 4 – 4 1/2minutes for
the PARI Tobramycin 100, down from 16 - 17
minutes for the TOBI therapy. PARI Tobramycin
100 is an investigational therapy for cystic
fibrosis patients with Pseudomonas
aeruginosa infections.
Results for both formulations show no difference
in the ratio of peripheral to central lung
deposition. Maximum tobramycin serum levels were
below recommended safety thresholds for systemic
and inhaled tobramycin applications, and both
tobramycin sputum concentrations and the adverse
reaction rates were similar. It appears that, for
a twice-daily treatment with PARI Tobramycin 100
delivered via an Investigational eFlow,
approximately 10 hours+ per month of inhalation
time can be saved compared to TOBI.
“We believe that advancements in our eFlow
Technology platform can provide a significant
reduction in treatment time while reducing the
amount of drug needed to deliver an effective
dose – a true advancement for patients with CF.
The results of our Phase I and Phase II trials
are encouraging for both the formulation and the
optimized delivery device. Same lung deposition,
less drug product, shorter inhalation times, and
the chance to improve compliance – these are
real life improvements. Focusing on drug
formulation and device optimization as one
project allows us to make these advancements.
Our goal is to reduce the burden of treatment for
CF patients,” said Dr. Manfred Keller, executive
vice president and chief scientific officer at
PARI Pharma.
“We were very pleased to see similar lung
deposition and safety profiles while using a
lower dose andvolume of tobramycin,” said Dr.
Allan Coates, lead researcher from the Hospital
for Sick Kids in Toronto, Canada. “Technology is
really working on the side of the patient with
this formulation and the resulting reductions in
treatment times. Lack of patient adherence to
recommended therapy is a major challenge
incystic fibrosis, especially in adolescents,
with the length of treatment time given as the
major excuse. With equivalent delivery but in a
much shorter time, there are improved chances
for greater adherence to prescribed therapy.
"Based on the successful results of the Phase I
and Phase II clinical trials, regulatory bodies
in Europe welcomed the advantages and benefit of
PARI Tobramycin 100 for CF patients and
recommended moving forward with a Phase III study
to demonstrate therapeutic efficacy and
equivalence to TOBI.
PARI Pharma is currently in discussions with
multinational pharmaceutical companies to
evaluate the efficacy of PARI Tobramycin 100 in a
Phase III clinical study and to ultimately make
this next-generation treatment available to CF
patients worldwide. The Phase I clinical trial
was a randomized, open label, crossover,
single-dose deposition study of PARI Tobramycin
100 in an Investigational eFlow versus TOBI/LC
PLUS in 16 cystic fibrosis patients, including8
adults and 8 children. The study was conducted
by Dr. Allan Coates at the Hospital for Sick
Kids in Toronto, Canada. Tobramycin lung
deposition for both applications was between
46mg and 47mg. There was also no difference in
the ratio of peripheral to central lung
deposition between both drug products
and delivery systems. Results from the study were
presented at the North American Cystic
Fibrosis Conference in October.
The Phase II clinical trial, a randomized, open
label, parallel group, non-inferiority,
28-daypharmacokinetic study evaluated the serum
levels after twice daily inhalation of PARI
Tobramycin 100versus TOBI in 86 cystic fibrosis
patients. The study was conducted in several CF
centers in Germany and Poland. The primary
endpoint was the maximum tobramycin serum level
(C max ) as safety surrogate parameter at day
seven. The PARI Tobramycin 100 C max level for
the overall, adult and non-adult population was
1.29, 1.21 and 1.36 mg/L, compared to 1.65, 1.81
and 1.52 mg/L, respectively, for the TOBI group.
Based on a 30% margin and 90% confidence
intervals, PARI Tobramycin 100
achievednon-inferiority in the overall, adult
and children population (p < 0.001 to 0.02). All
C max values were well below recommended safety
thresholds for systemic and inhaled tobramycin
applications. Tobramycinsputum concentrations
were similar and the adverse reaction rate after
28 days of tobramycin inhalation was comparable
for both treatment regimes. There was a marked
reduction in the mean inhalation time from 16.0
min for TOBI to 4.6 min for the PARI Tobramycin
100 application.
About PARI Tobramycin 100
PARI Tobramycin 100 is an investigational
proprietary aqueous solution of 150mg
tobramycin/1.5mL for inhalation delivery via a
customized Investigational eFlow Nebulizer
System, both developed by PARI Pharma, as a
potential treatment for patients suffering from
bacterial infections caused by
Pseudomonasaeruginosa. Patents on both the drug
formulation and device were granted in Europe
and several other countries. Low volume/high
concentration drug products such as PARI
Tobramycin 100 delivered using eFlow Technology
have shown to substantially shorten nebulized
treatments and are believed to become a major
relief in patients’ lives.
About the Investigational eFlow Nebulizer System
and eFlow Technology
The Investigational eFlow Nebulizer System uses
eFlow Technology to enable highly
efficient aerosolization of liquid medications
via a vibrating, perforated membrane that
includes thousands of small holes that produce
the aerosol mist. Compared to other nebulization
technologies, eFlow Technology produces aerosols
with a very high density of active drug, a
precisely defined droplet size, and a high
proportion of respirable droplets delivered in
the shortest possible period of time.
Combined with its silent mode of operation, small
size (it fits in the palm of your hand), light
weight, and battery use, products incorporating
eFlow Technology reduce the burden of taking
daily, inhaled treatments. The Investigational
eFlow Nebulizer System and eFlow Technology are
proprietary to PARI Pharma.
PARI Pharma partners with pharmaceutical
companies to develop new or improved therapies
with eFlow Technology and other advanced delivery
platforms. Investigational eFlow Nebulizer
Systems areoptimized and customized per
investigational drug product and are currently
in clinical trials for cysticfibrosis, asthma,
COPD, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
infection, and treatments for lung
transplant patients among other indications.
About PARI Pharma
PARI Pharma focuses on the development of
aerosol delivery devices, drug formulations, and
therapies. Based on PARI’s 100-year history
working with aerosols, PARI Pharma develops
treatments for pulmonary and nasal administration
optimized with advanced delivery technologies,
such as eFlow Technology. PARI Pharma provides
comprehensive inhalation drug development,
including nebulizer formulation development and
optimization, analytics, aerosol
characterization, clinical protocol development,
and regulatory guidance, all in compliance with
CMC/GCP guidelines. PARI Pharma has several
clinical development programs ongoing, either
partnered or on its own. PARI Pharma, a PARI
Medical Holding company, is located in Munich,
Germany with a major presence in the United
States. Online at
www.paripharma.com
Additional information on eFlow Technology is
available by contacting Kirsten Ayars at +1
805-452-7909or Geoff A. Hunziker at +1
831-372-3580. For more on PARI Tobramycin 100
and eFlow Technology, please contact Dr. Robert
Phelps at +49 89 742846-69.
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