HAMILTON, Bermuda, May 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (KNSA) (Kiniksa), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, acquiring, developing and commercializing therapeutic medicines for patients with significant unmet medical need, today announced an upcoming presentation, entitled Mavrilimumab Improves Outcomes in Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia and Systemic Hyper-Inflammation, showing data from the open-label treatment protocol with mavrilimumab, an investigational fully-human monoclonal antibody that targets granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor alpha (GM-CSFR), in patients with severe coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia and hyperinflammation will be delivered at the European E-Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR) 2020. Additionally, preclinical data analyzing the role of the granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) pathway in giant cell arteritis (GCA) pathophysiology will be included in a poster presentation.

ProfessorLorenzo Dagna, MD, FACP, Head, Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology,Allergy and Rare Diseases IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute andVita-Salute San Raffaele UniversityinMilan, Italywill deliver an oral presentation of outcomes data from the mavrilimumab treatment protocol in COVID-19 pneumonia and hyperinflammation in Italy.

Oral Presentation Details:

There will also be a presentation of preclinical data analyzing the role of the GM-CSF pathway in GCA pathophysiology delivered by Dr.Maria C. Cid, MD, Hospital Clnic,University ofBarcelona, Institut dInvestigacions BiomdiquesAugust Pii Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Vasculitis Research Unit,Department of Autoimmune Diseases,Barcelona,Spain.

Poster Presentation Details:

Kiniksa intends to make the presentations available through the Science section of Kiniksas website (www.kiniksa.com) after the EULAR embargo lifts, which is expected to be at the time of each presentation.

1IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; 2Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milano, Italy; 3Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Lexington, United States of America; 4Vasculitis Research Unit, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS.

About MavrilimumabMavrilimumab is an investigational fully-human monoclonal antibody that is designed to antagonize granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) signaling by binding to the alpha subunit of the GM-CSF receptor. Kiniksas lead indication for mavrilimumab is giant cell arteritis (GCA), an inflammatory disease of medium-to-large arteries. Mavrilimumab was dosed in over 550 patients with rheumatoid arthritis through Phase 2b clinical studies in Europe and achieved prospectively-defined primary endpoints of efficacy and safety. Additionally, Kiniksa and Kite have a clinical collaboration to evaluate mavrilimumab in combination with Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel) in patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma.

About the Mavrilimumab Treatment Protocol in COVID-19 Pneumonia & Hyperinflammation in ItalyThe mavrilimumab open-label treatment protocol was a prospective, interventional, single-active-arm, single-center pilot experience inItaly conducted by Professor Lorenzo Dagna, MD, FACP, Head, Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy and Rare Diseases IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy within a COVID-19 Program directed by Professor Alberto Zangrillo, Head of Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care of the Scientific Institute San Raffaele Hospital and Universit Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan, Italy. Patients suffering from severe pulmonary involvement of COVID-19, acute respiratory distress, fever, and clinical and biological markers ofsystemic hyperinflammation status were treated with a single intravenous dose of mavrilimumab. The objective of the treatment protocol was to determine whether mavrilimumab in addition to standard management could improve clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and hyperinflammation. A control-group was assembled consisting of contemporaneous patients receiving local standard of care and matched for age, sex, comorbidities, baseline inflammatory markers and respiratory dysfunction. Per standard of care of the hospital, all patients received on admission medical treatment with hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, and lopinavir/ritonavir as well as respiratory support with supplemental oxygen and/or non-invasive ventilation with continuous positive airway pressure.

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About KiniksaKiniksa is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, acquiring, developing, and commercializing therapeutic medicines for patients suffering from debilitating diseases with significant unmet medical need. Kiniksas clinical-stage product candidates, rilonacept, mavrilimumab, vixarelimab and KPL-404, are based on strong biologic rationale or validated mechanisms, target underserved conditions, and offer the potential for differentiation. These pipeline assets are designed to modulate immunological signaling pathways that are implicated across a spectrum of diseases. For more information, please visit http://www.kiniksa.com.

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Kiniksa Investor and Media ContactMark Ragosa(781) 430-8289mragosa@kiniksa.com

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Kiniksa Announces Upcoming Presentation on Mavrilimumab in COVID-19 Pneumonia and Hyperinflammation at the European E-Congress of Rheumatology 2020 -...