Celltrion Group announces positive top-line efficacy and safety data from global Phase II/III clinical trial of COVID-19 treatment candidate CT-P59

Celltrion Group announces positive top-line efficacy and safety data from global Phase II/III clinical trial of COVID-19 treatment candidate CT-P59

·          CT-P59 (40mg/kg) treated patients reported reduced progression rates to severe COVID-19 by 54% for patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms and 68% for moderate patients aged 50 years and over

·          CT-P59 (40mg/kg) treated patients reported a significantly shortened time to clinical recovery ranging from 3.4 to 6.4 days quicker compared to placebo

·          A significant reduction of viral load compared to placebo was reported at Day 7 in patients treated with CT-P59; with CT-P59 receiving a positive safety profile and no drug-related serious adverse events reported

·          The preclinical data of CT-P59 against SARS-CoV-2, demonstrating a 100-fold reduction in viral load of SARS-CoV-2 and improved recovery time in animal models has been published in Nature Communications journal

JANUARY 13 2021, INCHEON, KOREA – Celltrion Group today announced top-line results from its randomised, double-blind, and placebo controlled global Phase II/III clinical trial of CT-P59, an anti-COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment candidate. The Part I of the trial enrolled 327 patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms of COVID-19 across three treatment groups (40mg/kg, 80mg/kg and placebo), in which approximately 60% of patients with moderate symptoms suffered from COVID-19 related pneumonia.

This data analysis has demonstrated that at Day 28, CT-P59 treated patients presented with a significantly reduced risk of COVID-19 related hospitalisation and oxygenation without mortality. When compared to placebo, CT-P59 (40mg/kg) treated patients reported reduced progression rates to severe COVID-19 by 54% for mild-to-moderate patients and 68% for moderate patients aged 50 years and over.

CT-P59 treatment groups also reported with significantly shortened time to clinical recovery ranging from 3.4 to 6.4 days quicker compared to placebo. Patients treated with CT-P59 (40mg/kg) recovered 3.4 days earlier than those in the placebo group [5.4 vs. 8.8 days; 95% C.I, 5.35(3.97, 6.78) to 8.77 (6.72, 11.73), log-rank p-value= 0.0097]. Patients with pneumonia treated with CT-P59 (40mg/kg) reported shortened recovery time by 5.1 days compared to placebo [5.7 vs. 10.8 days; 95% C.I, 5.73 (4.13, 7.33) to 10.81 (6.81, N.C.)]. Moderate patients aged 50 years and over treated with CT-P59 (40mg/kg) reported a shortened recovery time by 6.4 days compared to placebo [6.6 vs. 13.0 days; 95% C.I, 6.64 (4.13, 11.94) to 12.97 (6.81, N.C.)].

In addition, CT-P59 treated patients rapidly and significantly reduced viral load through Day 7 compared to placebo. Top-line results from the trial shows CT-P59 to have a positive safety profile, comparable to that of the placebo group, with no serious adverse advents reported.  Infusion related reactions were mild and transient, with the CT-P59 treatment group having reported 0.5%, compared to 1.8% reported with placebo.

“The data demonstrate that CT-P59 could contribute to both a reduced time to clinical recovery, as well as a reduced proportion of patients who progress to severe disease.” said Professor Joong-Sik Eom, Infectious Disease Division at Gil Medical Center of Gachon University, “The treatment’s safety profile was comparable to that of placebo and generally well-tolerated. Therefore, it is anticipated that CT-P59 would positively contribute to the management and control of the current COVID-19 pandemic across the world.”

Nature Communications has published the preclinical data of CT-P59 against SARS-CoV-2, demonstrating a 100-fold reduction in the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 and improved recovery time in animal models. Additionally, the data showed encouraging results meeting several criteria from its studies; in-vitro plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) against SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-2 D614G variant to assess the neutralization potency of CT-P59, in-vivo efficacy in animal models to demonstrate in vivo antiviral efficacy of CT-P59, as well as in vitro antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) assay to investigate the possible adverse effects of a COVID-19 treatment.[i]

“Our top-line data from the global Phase II/III clinical trial have demonstrated that CT-P59 is effective for the treatment of COVID-19 in mild-to-moderate patients and especially in moderate patients aged 50 years and over. We are encouraged by the robust and consistent nature of the top-line clinical profile of CT-P59 and our clinical studies are on track in more than 10 countries.” said Dr. HoUng Kim, Ph.D., Head of Medical and Marketing Division at Celltrion Healthcare. “We are planning to manufacture doses for around two million patients in 2021 and hope to improve access to this treatment option for those that require.”

[i] Kim, C., Ryu, DK., Lee, J. et al. A therapeutic neutralizing antibody targeting receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Nat Commun 12, 288 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20602-5 [Last accessed January 2021]