Positive mid-stage results for Regeneron's fasinumab

US biotech firm Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: REGN) has released positive top-line results from a placebo-controlled Phase II/III study evaluating fasinumab in patients with moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis pain of the hip or knee who have a history of inadequate pain relief or intolerance to current analgesic therapies.

At 16 weeks, patients treated with all four doses of fasinumab, an investigational nerve growth factor (NGF) antibody, demonstrated a statistically-significant improvement in pain relief, the primary endpoint of the study, as well as improvements in the secondary measure evaluating physical function.

"Chronic osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain, disability, and productivity loss for older adults," said George Yancopoulos, chief scientific officer of Regeneron and president of Regeneron Laboratories, adding: "There is a real need for new, non-opioid pain therapies that can provide relief to patients without the toxicity and potential for abuse of currently available opioid treatments. We had previously evaluated an intravenous formulation of fasinumab in osteoarthritis patients, and this is our first trial of a convenient subcutaneous monthly regimen. We look forward to continuing to study the safety and efficacy of fasinumab in our Phase III program."