Comanche Biopharma Corp. announced today that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted orphan drug designation for CBP-4888, its investigational therapy for sFlt1-mediated preterm preeclampsia. This serious obstetric complication affects approximately four in 10,000 pregnancies in the European Union annually and is a leading cause of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality worldwide.
CBP-4888 is a novel small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutic designed to selectively downregulate the overexpression of sFlt1 protein in the placenta, which is believed to be a key pathogenic mediator of preeclampsia. If approved, it would represent the first molecularly targeted therapeutic for an obstetrical indication.
"We are grateful to the EMA for granting orphan designation to CBP-4888 and recognizing preeclampsia as a life-threatening, significant unmet medical need," said Allison August, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Comanche Biopharma. "Beyond the acute morbidity and mortality risk that preeclampsia presents for mothers and their babies, it is also associated with serious, lifelong health complications. By targeting a root cause of preeclampsia with a precision medicine, our goal is to provide a therapeutic solution that can prevent the far-reaching, short- and long-term impact of this condition for mothers, babies, families and society at large."
Understanding the Mechanism of Action
Preeclampsia pathogenesis involves the overexpression of sFlt1 protein in the placenta. When produced in excess, sFlt1 becomes toxic, severely damaging maternal blood vessels and impairing angiogenesis. This vascular damage leads to the characteristic maternal symptoms of preeclampsia and can result in fetal growth restriction.
CBP-4888 leverages siRNA technology to achieve sufficient placental uptake to selectively downregulate the disease-causing overexpression of sFlt1 protein. The investigational therapy aims to ameliorate the acute, potentially life-threatening maternal symptoms of preterm preeclampsia, potentially enabling safe pregnancy prolongation and continued fetal maturation.
Regulatory Recognition
The EMA orphan drug designation is awarded to drugs intended to treat rare, life-threatening, or chronically debilitating diseases that affect fewer than five in 10,000 people in the European Union. This designation provides benefits including protocol assistance, market exclusivity, and regulatory fee reductions.
CBP-4888 has also received Fast Track Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Innovation Passport Designation by the U.K. Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP) Steering Group, highlighting the recognized importance of this potential therapeutic approach.
The Global Burden of Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia affects up to 8% of pregnancies worldwide and can lead to severe complications for both mothers and babies. Maternal complications include multi-organ damage and potential progression to eclampsia (onset of seizures), while infants face risks of premature birth and associated complications.
The condition results in an estimated 76,000 maternal deaths and 500,000 fetal and newborn deaths annually. Long-term consequences include increased risk of heart disease, chronic hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and stroke for women, and learning disorders, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, blindness, and deafness for infants born prematurely.
While preeclampsia can affect any pregnancy, it disproportionately impacts Black individuals and those in low-resource settings. Currently, premature delivery is the only available option for stopping disease progression, highlighting the urgent need for targeted therapeutic interventions.
Clinical Implications
The development of CBP-4888 represents a significant potential advancement in maternal-fetal medicine. By targeting a specific molecular pathway involved in preeclampsia pathogenesis, this approach could fundamentally change management strategies for this serious condition.
If successful in clinical development, CBP-4888 could reduce the need for premature deliveries, allowing for continued fetal development while managing maternal symptoms. This would address both the acute complications of preeclampsia and potentially reduce long-term health consequences for mothers and their children.
Comanche Biopharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, states its mission is to make pregnancy safer worldwide by developing innovative solutions for patients in need. The company emphasizes its commitment to ethical representation of people of all colors and economic status in its clinical development programs.
