Arrowhead Files for Regulatory Permission to Begin Phase 1 Trial of RNAi Therapeutic ARC-AAT

PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Arrowhead Research Corporation (NASDAQ: ARWR), a biopharmaceutical company developing targeted RNAi therapeutics, today announced that it recently filed an application for approval to begin a Phase 1 clinical trial of its RNAi-based therapeutic candidate, ARC-AAT, for the treatment of liver disease associated with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

Pending approval, Arrowhead intends to proceed with a double blind, placebo-controlled dose escalation, Phase 1 study to determine the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and effect on circulating alpha-1 antitrypsin levels of ARC-AAT in healthy volunteers and patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. The study is planned to start in Australia in healthy volunteers and will dose escalate until predetermined levels of alpha-1 antitrypsin reduction are reached. Once these levels of protein knockdown are achieved, the study will transition into a population of patients with ZZ genotype alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency to further evaluate escalating doses of ARC-AAT. The study is designed to enroll up to 48 subjects, including healthy volunteers and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency patients.

The application was submitted to an ethics committee in compliance with the Clinical Trial Notification process of the Australian Department of Health and Ageing, Therapeutic Goods Administration.

About ARC-AAT

Arrowhead has developed ARC-AAT for the treatment of liver disease associated with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD), a rare genetic disease that severely damages the liver and lungs of affected individuals. ARC-AAT employs a novel unlocked nucleobase analog (UNA) containing RNAi trigger molecule designed for systemic delivery using the Dynamic Polyconjugate delivery system. ARC-AAT is highly effective at knocking down the Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) gene transcript and reducing the hepatic production of the mutant AAT (Z-AAT) protein. Reduction of liver production of the inflammatory Z-AAT protein, which has been clearly defined as the cause of progressive liver disease in AATD patients, is important as it is expected to halt the progression of liver disease and potentially allow fibrotic tissue repair.

About Arrowhead Research Corporation

Arrowhead Research Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company developing targeted RNAi therapeutics. The company is leveraging its proprietary Dynamic Polyconjugate delivery platform to develop targeted drugs based on the RNA interference mechanism that efficiently silences disease-causing genes. Arrowhead's pipeline includes ARC-520 for chronic hepatitis B virus, ARC-AAT for liver disease associated with Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and partner-based programs in obesity and oncology.

For more information please visit http://www.arrowheadresearch.com, or follow us on Twitter @ArrowRes. To be added to the Company's email list and receive news directly, please visit

http://ir.arrowheadresearch.com/alerts.cfm.

Source: Arrowhead Research Corporation

Arrowhead Research Corporation
Vince Anzalone, CFA
626-304-3400
ir@arrowres.com
or
Investor Relations:
The Trout Group
Lauren Glaser
646-378-2972
ir@arrowres.com
or
Media:
Russo Partners
Martina Schwarzkopf, Ph.D.
212-845-4292
martina.schwarzkopf@russopartnersllc.com

Source: Arrowhead Research Corporation

News Provided by Acquire Media