Local Pharmaceuticals Company Earns $20 Million Milestone Payment for Cardiovascular Treatment Start

Pasadena-based Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc. has earned a $20 million milestone payment from Amgen, a biopharmaceutical company in Thousand Oaks, following the administration of the first dose of AMG 890 in a Phase 2 clinical study.

AMG 890 is an investigational RNA interference (RNAi) drug designed to lower lipoprotein (a) for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

The study is evaluating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of AMG 890 in subjects with elevated levels of Lp(a). As shown through emerging research, elevated levels of Lp(a) are strongly associated with cardiovascular disease, an Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals statement said.

“Arrowhead’s proprietary Targeted RNAi Molecule (TriM) platform has yielded many promising drug candidates, including AMG 890 being developed by Amgen for the treatment of cardiovascular disease,” Chris Anzalone, Arrowhead President and CEO, said.

Anzalone added the start of the Phase 2 study and the resulting payment represent important steps forward for the AMG 890 program.

“Amgen has extensive expertise in developing and commercializing innovative cardiovascular medicines and we are excited to see the program continue to advance,” he said. \

The clinical study is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study to evaluate efficacy, safety, and tolerability of AMG 890 in 240 subjects with elevated Lp(a). The study measures primary outcome as the percent change in Lp(a) from baseline to week 36, and secondary outcome as the percent change in Lp(a) from baseline to week 48.

It also measures changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and Apolipoprotein(B) levels, according to the statement.

Under the terms of the agreement with Amgen announced in September 2016, Arrowhead is eligible to receive development, regulatory, and sales milestone payments, as well as up to low double-digit royalties for sales of AMG 890 products.