SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Oct. 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc. (GBT) (NASDAQ:GBT) today announced that the World Health Organization (WHO) has approved “voxelotor” (pronounced vox-el’-oh-tor) as the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) for its lead product candidate GBT440, and that the United States Adopted Name Council has adopted “voxelotor” as the United States Adopted Name (USAN) for GBT440. Voxelotor is an oral, once-daily therapy that is designed to modulate hemoglobin affinity for oxygen and is in clinical development for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD).
“The suffix ‘-elotor’ is first-in-class and stands for hemoglobin oxygen affinity modulator,” said Ted W. Love, M.D., president and chief executive officer of GBT. “We believe the generic name voxelotor is a unique representation of the GBT440 compound and we look forward to potentially making voxelotor available as a disease-modifying therapeutic option to SCD patients.”
WHO’s INN Expert Group and the USAN Council approve simple, informative and unique nonproprietary names, also known as generic names, for drugs to allow for clear communication among health professionals and to identify chemical/pharmacological relationships.
About Voxelotor in Sickle Cell Disease
Voxelotor (previously called GBT440) is being developed as an oral, once-daily therapy for patients with SCD. Voxelotor works by increasing hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen. Since oxygenated sickle hemoglobin does not polymerize, GBT believes voxelotor blocks polymerization and the resultant sickling of red blood cells. With the potential to restore normal hemoglobin function and improve oxygen delivery, GBT believes that voxelotor may potentially modify the course of SCD. In recognition of the critical need for new SCD treatments, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted voxelotor Fast Track, Orphan Drug and Rare Pediatric Disease designations for the treatment of patients with SCD. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has included voxelotor in its Priority Medicines (PRIME) program, and the European Commission (EC) has designated voxelotor as an orphan medicinal product for the treatment of patients with SCD.
GBT is currently evaluating voxelotor in the HOPE (Hemoglobin Oxygen Affinity Modulation to Inhibit HbS PolymErization) Study, a Phase 3 clinical trial in patients age 12 and older with SCD. Additionally, voxelotor is being studied in the ongoing Phase 1/2 GBT440-001 trial and in the ongoing Phase 2a HOPE-KIDS 1 Study, an open-label, single- and multiple-dose study in pediatric patients (age 6 to 17) with SCD. HOPE-KIDS 1 is assessing the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and exploratory treatment effect of voxelotor.
About Global Blood Therapeutics
Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing novel therapeutics to treat grievous blood-based disorders with significant unmet need. GBT is developing its late-stage product candidate, voxelotor, as an oral, once-daily therapy for sickle cell disease. To learn more, please visit: www.globalbloodtx.com and follow the company on Twitter: @GBT_news.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements we make in this press release may include statements that are not historical facts and are considered forward-looking within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We intend these forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the therapeutic potential and safety profile of voxelotor (previously called GBT440), our ability to implement our clinical development plans for voxelotor, our ability to generate and report data from our ongoing and potential future studies of voxelotor, regulatory review and actions relating to voxelotor, our ability to adequately obtain and protect our intellectual property rights, and the timing of these events, to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act and are making this statement for purposes of complying with those safe harbor provisions. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views about our plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, which are based on the information currently available to us and on assumptions we have made. We can give no assurance that the plans, intentions, expectations or strategies will be attained or achieved, and furthermore, actual results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements and will be affected by a variety of risks and factors that are beyond our control including, without limitation, the risks that our clinical and preclinical development activities may be delayed or terminated for a variety of reasons, that results of clinical trials may be subject to differing interpretations, that regulatory authorities may disagree with our clinical development plans or require additional studies or data to support further clinical investigation of our product candidates, that drug-related adverse events may be observed in clinical development, and that data and results may not meet regulatory requirements or otherwise be sufficient for further development, regulatory review or approval, along with those risks set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 and in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties and other important factors in our subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contact Information:
Myesha Lacy (investors)
GBT
650-351-4730
investor@globalbloodtx.com
Julie Normart (media)
Pure Communications
415-946-1087
media@globalbloodtx.com