Blueprint Medicines Announces EMA Validation of Type II Variation Marketing Authorization Application for AYVAKYT® (avapritinib) for the Treatment of Advanced Systemic Mastocytosis

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Mar 03, 2021, 08:00 ET

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Blueprint Medicines Corporation (NASDAQ: BPMC) today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated the company's Type II variation marketing authorization application for AYVAKYT® (avapritinib) for the treatment of advanced systemic mastocytosis (SM). Validation of the application confirms that the submission is sufficiently complete to begin the formal review process. The European Commission has granted orphan medicinal product designation to AYVAKYT for the treatment of mastocytosis.

"AYVAKYT represents a promising approach to address the needs of patients with advanced systemic mastocytosis, a rare, life-threatening disease characterized by severe organ damage," said Paul Beresford, Senior Vice President and General Manager, International, at Blueprint Medicines. "In robust datasets across our registrational trials, AYVAKYT has shown complete and durable remissions not typically observed in this patient population, and a generally well-tolerated safety profile. We look forward to working closely with the EMA during the review process, and aim to bring the first precision therapy to patients in Europe that targets the primary driver of the disease."

AYVAKYT, a potent and selective inhibitor of D816V mutant KIT, is being developed to treat advanced and non-advanced forms of SM. Last month, Blueprint Medicines announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted the company's supplemental new drug application and granted priority review for AYVAKIT™ (avapritinib) for the treatment of advanced SM.

About SM

SM is a rare disease driven by the KIT D816V mutation. Uncontrolled proliferation and activation of mast cells result in chronic, severe and often unpredictable symptoms for patients across the spectrum of SM. The vast majority of those affected have non-advanced (indolent or smoldering) SM, with debilitating symptoms that lead to a profound, negative impact on quality of life. A minority of patients have advanced SM, which encompasses a group of high-risk SM subtypes including aggressive SM, SM with an associated hematological neoplasm and mast cell leukemia. In addition to mast cell activation symptoms, advanced SM is associated with organ damage due to mast cell infiltration and poor survival.

Debilitating symptoms, including anaphylaxis, maculopapular rash, pruritis, diarrhea, brain fog, fatigue and bone pain, often persist across all forms of SM despite treatment with a number of symptomatic therapies. Patients often live in fear of severe, unexpected symptoms, have limited ability to work or perform daily activities, and isolate themselves to protect against unpredictable triggers. Currently, there are no approved therapies for the treatment of SM that selectively inhibit D816V mutant KIT.

About AYVAKYT (avapritinib)

AYVAKYT (avapritinib) is a kinase inhibitor approved by the European Commission for the treatment of adults with unresectable or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) harboring the PDGFRA D842V mutation. This medicine was approved by the FDA for the treatment of adults with unresectable or metastatic GIST harboring a PDGFRA exon 18 mutation, including PDGFRA D842V mutations, under the brand name AYVAKIT.

AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT is not approved for the treatment of any other indication, including SM, in the U.S. by the FDA or in Europe by the European Commission, or for any indication in any other jurisdiction by any other health authority.

Blueprint Medicines is developing AYVAKIT globally for the treatment of advanced and indolent SM. The FDA granted breakthrough therapy designation to AYVAKIT for the treatment of advanced SM, including the subtypes of aggressive SM, SM with an associated hematological neoplasm and mast cell leukemia, and for the treatment of moderate to severe indolent SM.

Blueprint Medicines has an exclusive collaboration and license agreement with CStone Pharmaceuticals for the development and commercialization of AYVAKIT in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Blueprint Medicines retains development and commercial rights for AYVAKIT in the rest of the world.

About Blueprint Medicines

Blueprint Medicines is a global precision therapy company that invents life-changing medicines for people with cancer and hematologic disorders. Applying an approach that is both precise and agile, we create therapies that selectively target genetic drivers, with the goal of staying one step ahead across stages of disease. Since 2011, we have leveraged our research platform, including expertise in molecular targeting and world-class drug design capabilities, to rapidly and reproducibly translate science into a broad pipeline of precision therapies. Today, we are delivering our approved medicines to patients in the United States and Europe, and we are globally advancing multiple programs for genomically defined cancers, systemic mastocytosis, and cancer immunotherapy. For more information, visit www.BlueprintMedicines.com and follow us on Twitter (@BlueprintMeds) and LinkedIn.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential benefits of AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT in treating patients with SM; plans, timelines and expectations for interactions with the EMA; plans, timelines and expectations for the commercialization of AYVAKYT for the treatment of advanced SM, if approved by the European Commission; and Blueprint Medicines' strategy, goals and anticipated milestones, business plans and focus. The words "aim," "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "intend," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "potential," "continue," "target" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to Blueprint Medicines' business, operations, strategy, goals and anticipated milestones, including Blueprint Medicines' ongoing and planned research and discovery activities, ability to conduct ongoing and planned clinical trials, clinical supply of current or future drug candidates, commercial supply of current or future approved products, and launching, marketing and selling current or future approved products; Blueprint Medicines' ability and plans in continuing to establish and expand a commercial infrastructure, and successfully launching, marketing and selling current or future approved products; Blueprint Medicines' ability to successfully expand the approved indications for AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT and GAVRETO™ (pralsetinib) or obtain marketing approval for AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT in additional geographies in the future; the delay of any current or planned clinical trials or the development of Blueprint Medicines' current or future drug candidates; Blueprint Medicines' advancement of multiple early-stage efforts; Blueprint Medicines' ability to successfully demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its drug candidates and gain approval of its drug candidates on a timely basis, if at all; the preclinical and clinical results for Blueprint Medicines' drug candidates, which may not support further development of such drug candidates; actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing and progress of clinical trials; Blueprint Medicines' ability to obtain, maintain and enforce patent and other intellectual property protection for AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT, GAVRETO or any drug candidates it is developing; Blueprint Medicines' ability to develop and commercialize companion diagnostic tests for AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT, GAVRETO or any of its current and future drug candidates; and the success of Blueprint Medicines' current and future collaborations, partnerships or licensing arrangements. These and other risks and uncertainties are described in greater detail in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Blueprint Medicines' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including Blueprint Medicines' most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented by its most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and any other filings that Blueprint Medicines has made or may make with the SEC in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent Blueprint Medicines' views only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Except as required by law, Blueprint Medicines explicitly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Trademarks

Blueprint Medicines, AYVAKIT, AYVAKYT, GAVRETO and associated logos are trademarks of Blueprint Medicines Corporation.

SOURCE Blueprint Medicines Corporation