FDA approves Alyftrek for cystic fibrosis treatment

“Alyftrek is our fifth CFTR modulator to secure FDA approval and represents another significant milestone in our journey to serially innovate and to improve the lives of people living with cystic fibrosis,” said Reshma Kewalramani, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and President of Vertex. “Our north star for more than 20 years has been to address the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis, treat more people with this disease, and bring more people to normal levels of CFTR function — Alyftrek, with once-daily dosing, efficacy in 31 additional mutations, and lower sweat chloride levels than Trikafta, is another step in achieving this goal.”

This approval is based on the most comprehensive Phase III pivotal program ever conducted in CF, including more than 1,000 patients across more than 20 countries and more than 200 sites. These data were previously released at the conclusion of the studies and presented at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference in September of this year. The Phase III studies in people with CF ages 12 years and older met their primary endpoint (non-inferiority on absolute change from baseline in ppFEV1 compared to Trikafta) and all key secondary endpoints (including absolute change from baseline in sweat chloride [SwCl] compared to TRIKAFTA). In the Phase III study of children with CF ages 6-11 years, Alyftrek demonstrated safety, the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints, such as absolute change from baseline in ppFEV1 and absolute change from baseline in SwCl, were presented, supporting the benefit of Alyftrek in this age group. Alyftrek was generally well tolerated across all studies.

“In Phase III clinical trials, across a broad range of genotypes, once-daily Alyftrek demonstrated non-inferiority to Trikafta in ppFEV1 response and statistically significant improvement in SwCl, a welcomed advancement for the treatment of CF,” said Claire L. Keating, M.D., Co-Director of the Gunnar Esiason Adult Cystic Fibrosis and Lung Program at Columbia University and investigator in the Alyftrek clinical trial program. “Alyftrek has the potential to improve the care of patients with CF.”

Alyftrek is the first, once-daily CFTR modulator. In a recent survey, approximately 75% of physicians reported that more convenient dosing is a very high unmet need for people with CF. Specifically, people with CF will have the added benefit from a once-daily dosing regimen, given the need to take CFTR modulators with fat-containing food. Alyftrek also offers a potentially transformative option for approximately 150 people with CF in the U.S. with one of 31 mutations who are now eligible for a CFTR modulator for the first time.

Alyftrek was also submitted to global health authorities and is under regulatory review in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand.