Santhera soars on top-line results for vamorolone in DMD

Shares of Swiss biotech Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) were up a massive 42% at 2.90 Swiss francs by mid-morning, after it announced positive key results form a Phase IIb study of vamorolone in the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

Santhera acquired license rights to vamorolone from USA-based ReveraGen BioPharma in September last year, having taken an option on the drug two years earlier. Santhera estimates the peak sales potential for vamorolone for the DMD indication will be in excess of $500 million, including the USA and the largest five European Union countries.

“Today’s news is a tremendous milestone for patients and Santhera as we further advance vamorolone as a foundational treatment option in DMD. The treatment effect translates into the potential to delay disease progression by about two years and indicates disease modifying potential of vamorolone,” said Santhera’s chief executive Dario Eklund, adding: “We now look forward to working with regulatory authorities to bring vamorolone to DMD patients, first in the US and subsequently in Europe.