PTC Therapeutics to Report Results From PIVOT-HD Long-Term Extension Study
To access the live webcast, please visit the “Events & Presentations” page within the Investors section of the PTC website. A replay of the webcast will be available on the PTC website for 30 days following the event. To participate via phone, please register in advance here to receive dial-in details.
PIVOT-HD was designed as a 12-month placebo-controlled trial to assess pharmacodynamic effect and safety of votoplam at two dose levels–5mg and 10mg, relative to placebo. Initially, the study included only Stage 2 patients. A Stage 3 cohort of similar size was subsequently added to help identify the best study population for future studies. The primary endpoints of PIVOT-HD were total blood Huntingtin (HTT) lowering at 12 weeks and safety events. Secondary endpoints included 12-month blood HTT levels, and other blood-and central nervous system (CNS) biomarkers as well as changes in Composite Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (cUHDRS).
Following 12 months, patients were eligible to enroll in a long-term extension study in which all subjects would receive votoplam. Those originally randomized to 5mg and 10mg would continue at that dose level; those initially randomized to placebo would be randomized 1:1 to 5mg or 10mg. All subjects and investigators remain blinded to initial treatment assignment.
Votoplam (formerly PTC518) is a small molecule splicing modifier that acts via a unique mechanism to promote the inclusion of a novel pseudoexon containing a premature termination codon, thus triggering Huntingtin (HTT) mRNA degradation and subsequent reduction in HTT protein levels. Votoplam was discovered from PTC’s validated splicing platform, following the successful discovery and development of Evrysdi® (risdiplam) for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Votoplam was partnered with Novartis in December 2024. Following the completion of the PIVOT-HD clinical trial, Novartis assumed responsibility for votoplam’s development, manufacturing and commercialization.
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal, hereditary, genetic disorder of the central nervous system. It is caused by a defective gene. This gene produces a protein, called Huntingtin (HTT), which is involved in the functioning of the nerve cells in the brain (neurons). When the gene is defective, it produces an abnormal (or mutated) HTT protein that is toxic and causes neuron damage and neuron death. HD usually presents in people who are in their 30s or 40s. Symptoms can present earlier in life, and this is called Juvenile HD. There are also cases of infantile HD, when symptoms develop in children who are younger than 10 years old.2 While symptoms vary from person to person, the disease primarily affects the brain and results in abnormal movements, difficulties with speech, swallowing and walking, as well as a number of other symptoms including behavioral, cognitive and motor symptoms.4,5 While there are therapies approved for specific disease symptoms, currently, there is no cure for HD and there are no approved drugs that delay the onset or slow disease progression.
PTC is a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of clinically differentiated medicines for children and adults living with rare disorders. PTC is advancing a robust and diversified pipeline of transformative medicines as part of its mission to provide access to best-in-class treatments for patients with unmet medical needs. The company’s strategy is to leverage its scientific expertise and global commercial infrastructure to optimize value for patients and other stakeholders. To learn more about PTC, please visit www.ptcbio.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and Facebook.
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