Repros Therapeutics announced that an end of phase-II meeting is scheduled with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for late September 2009 to discuss a phase-III programme investigating the use of Proellex in the treatment of endometriosis.

The phase-II study that Repros completed earlier this year demonstrated clinically and statistically significant reductions of the three key pain symptoms commonly experienced by women with endometriosis: dysmenorrhoea (painful menses), non-menstrual pelvic pain, and dyspareunia (painful intercourse). Additionally, the reduction of pain was accompanied by a statistically significant reduction in the number of patients requiring pain medication in both doses in this phase-II study compared with placebo. The study showed no efficacy differences between the 25 mg and 50 mg doses.

At the upcoming end of phase-II meeting, Repros anticipates obtaining direction from the FDA on the objectives and endpoints the Agency would like to see used in the pivotal phase-III efficacy and safety studies in endometriosis. Repros plans to initiate these studies with doses of 12.5 and 25 mg during the fourth quarter of this year and the first quarter 2010, in both the United States and in Europe.

Furthermore, Repros has decided to discontinue the use of the higher, 50 mg dose in its ongoing studies in women with chronic symptomatic uterine fibroids and anaemia associated with this condition due to an observed dose-dependent increase in liver enzymes in a low percentage of women. To date, Repros has dosed over 600 patients, and over 200 patients have completed at least one dosing period followed by an off-drug interval. From completed studies as well as from the ongoing large open label trial, it has been determined that the drug is well tolerated with few women discontinuing treatment due to adverse events.

Repros believes that the decision to discontinue the higher dose will most likely improve the benefit/risk profile of the drug. To date, there has been no evidence for an increase in efficacy at the 50 mg dose. In addition, earlier studies have demonstrated highly effective control of excessive menstrual bleeding and clinically significant improvement in quality of life parameters at the lower doses of 12.5 and 25 mg.

To further support the efficacy of the lower doses of Proellex, Repros will also initiate additional placebo-controlled studies with the 12.5 mg dose to supplement the overall efficacy and safety profile of the drug in these important indications. Repros does not expect that these additional studies will adversely affect the timing of its regulatory submissions and remains committed to its target date for filing NDAs for the uterine fibroids indications in the second half of 2010.

Repros Therapeutics focuses on the development of oral small molecule drugs for major unmet medical needs that treat male and female reproductive disorders.