Synageva BioPharma Corp., a biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutic products for rare diseases, has completed enrollment in ARISE (Acid Lipase Replacement Investigating Safety and Efficacy), a global phase III trial with sebelipase alfa in children and adults with lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL Deficiency).

Enrollment exceeded the original target of 50 patients with 66 randomized as of December 31, 2013. As previously announced, the company expects to report top-line results from the ARISE trial during the second half of 2014.

In addition, the company today announced that it met the enrollment target in the phase II/III trial in infants with LAL Deficiency. Nine patients enrolled in this open-label trial and preliminary results will be presented at the 10th Annual Lysosomal Disease Network (LDN) WORLD Symposium being held February 11-13 in San Diego, California.

The ARISE trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of sebelipase alfa in children and adults with LAL Deficiency and is designed to assess the effects of sebelipase alfa on a broad range of abnormalities associated with the disease. Patients enrolled in the trial are randomized to infusions of sebelipase alfa (1 mg/kg, every other week) or placebo for the 20-week, double-blind treatment period and then allowed to enter into a long-term, open-label extension period. The efficacy and safety results from the double-blind treatment period are expected to support global submissions for product registration.

The phase II/III trial is an open-label, multicenter study of sebelipase alfa in infants with LAL Deficiency. Infants with growth failure before six months of age were eligible to enroll and receive weekly infusions with sebelipase alfa. The primary endpoint of the trial is survival at 12 months of age.

LAL Deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease (LSD) caused by a marked decrease in LAL enzyme activity. LAL Deficiency presenting in children and adults, historically called Cholesteryl Ester Storage Disease (CESD), is an underappreciated cause of cirrhosis and accelerated atherosclerosis. These complications are due to the buildup of fatty material in the liver, blood vessel walls and other tissues as a result of the decreased LAL enzyme activity. Infants presenting with LAL Deficiency, historically called Wolman disease, show very rapid progression with death, usually in the first six months of life. Affected infants develop severe malabsorption, growth failure and liver complications.

Sebelipase alfa (SBC-102) is a recombinant form of the human LAL enzyme being developed by Synageva as an enzyme replacement therapy for LAL Deficiency. Synageva is evaluating sebelipase alfa in global phase III clinical trials in infants, children and adults with LAL Deficiency. Sebelipase alfa has been granted orphan designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Additionally, sebelipase alfa received fast track designation by the FDA, and Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA for LAL Deficiency presenting in infants.

The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) consist of a group of rare LSDs caused by a deficiency of enzymes needed to break down complex sugars called glycosaminoglycans. The MPS III syndromes (also known as Sanfilippo syndromes) share complications with other MPS diseases but represent a clinically distinct subset with marked central nervous system degeneration. Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB (MPS IIIB, also known as Sanfilippo B syndrome) is caused by a decrease in alpha-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAGLU) enzyme activity which leads to the buildup of abnormal amounts of heparan sulfates (HS) in the brain and other organs. The accumulation of abnormal HS, particularly in the central nervous system, leads to severe cognitive decline, behavioral problems, speech loss, increasing loss of mobility, and premature death.

SBC-103 is a recombinant form of the human NAGLU enzyme being developed by Synageva as an enzyme replacement therapy for MPS IIIB. Using various dosing approaches, SBC-103 reduced HS substrate storage in the brain, liver and kidney in an MPS IIIB animal model. SBC-103 has been granted orphan designation by the FDA and the EMA.