Baxter Announces ADVATE Approval in China for the Treatment of Hemophilia A

Baxter International Inc. announced the approval of ADVATE[Recombinant Human Coagulation Factor VIII for injection] for the control and prophylaxis of bleeding episodes in individuals with hemophilia A (congenital factor VIII deficiency) in China by the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA). It is estimated that more than 50,000 people in China are living with hemophilia A.

''The introduction of recombinant FVIII therapies in China offers new treatment options for hemophilia patients. The launch of ADVATE is another step in advancing hemophilia care in China,'' said Professor Yang Renchi, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, the leading professional hematological institution providing basic medical research with clinical services in China.

''Great strides have been made in managing hemophilia, allowing people with this serious condition to live longer, more active and fulfilling lives than ever before,'' said Guan Tao, Secretary General of Hemophilia Home, the hemophilia patient organization in China. ''The availability of ADVATE will be an important milestone for people with hemophilia in China.''

ADVATE is infused directly into the bloodstream and works by temporarily raising the level of factor VIII in the bloodstream, allowing the body's blood clotting process to properly function. Extensive global use and multiple clinical trials demonstrate clinical evidence for ADVATE. With SFDA's action, ADVATE is now approved in 54 countries worldwide.

''The approval of ADVATE in China marks an important milestone for Baxter and supports our ongoing commitment to treating individuals living with hemophilia,'' said Ludwig Hantson, Ph.D., president of Baxter's BioScience business.

Baxter continues to work closely with the Chinese hemophilia community, including both patients and treaters, to provide access to care for this life-saving, life-sustaining therapy. In 2010, Baxter cooperated with the Ministry of Health to set up a ''Hemophilia Disease Management System,'' China's first nationwide hemophilia patient registration and management system integrating diagnosis and treatment information. In recent years, Baxter has donated more than five million IUs of hemophilia products to Chinese patients and has provided a number of resources to raise awareness of the disease.

About ADVATE

ADVATE [Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant) Plasma/Albumin-Free Method] was initially approved by the FDA in July 2003 for control and prevention of bleeding episodes in adults and children (0-16 years) with hemophilia A. ADVATE is a full-length (derived from the complete FVIII gene) recombinant FVIII product that is processed without any blood-based additives. Because no blood derived components are added at any stage of the manufacturing process, the potential risk of transmitting pathogens that may be carried in blood-based additives is eliminated. There have been no confirmed reports of transmission of HIV, HBV or HCV with rFVIII therapies.

ADVATE is approved in the United States, Canada, 27 countries in the European Union, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Hong Kong, Iceland, Iraq, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Puerto Rico, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Uruguay and Venezuela.

In the United States, ADVATE [Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant) Plasma/AlbuminFree Method] is also indicated for routine prophylaxis to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in adults and children (0-16 years) with hemophilia A. ADVATE is the only antihemophilic factor approved in the United States for prophylactic use in both adults and children. ADVATE is not indicated for the treatment of von Willebrand disease.

FastSeal(R) Bioabsorbable Vascular Access Closure System

Vascular Closure Systems, Inc, First in Human (FIH) Use of the FastSeal(R) Bioabsorbable Vascular Access Closure System -- 100% Success Rate, Including Patients with Challenging Anatomy and Vessel Condition.

The company is pleased to announce that after receiving Ethical Committee (EC) and Ministry of Health (MOH) approval, for the first human use of the company's FastSeal(R) Bioabsorbable Vascular Access Closure System, Phase I of the First in Human (FIH) clinical testing has been completed, with 100% successful results, and no adverse effects, including post procedural discomfort. The average Time to Hemostasis (TTH) was less than one minute. The clinical cases included vessels that were normal, diseased, severely fibrosed and with calcified plaque.

The initial series of human clinical cases were performed on Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) patients, by Prof. Alessandro Bortone of the Policlinico di Bari, University of Bari School of Medicine (IT). Phase II testing will begin within the next two weeks.

The detailed FIH test results will be presented at multiple upcoming medical conferences.

The company is planning to begin International commercialization (pending regulatory approval) during the fourth quarter of this year.

About FastSeal(R)

Our Bioabsorbable Vascular Access Closure System is packaged and used as a single piece unit, with no assembly required prior to use, and no separate deployment device is needed to be inserted into the puncture site. Simply insert the FastSeal(R) system into the hub of the procedural introducer sheath, and advance the attached plunger. The system design enables hemostasis within less than a minute after the non-collagen sealing element has been deployed. Our system doesn't require the use of a specific type or brand of vascular introducer sheath, and is compatible with any commercialized vascular introducer sheath with a useable length of between 10 to 12 cm. Once the sealing element has been deployed, no external compression is required. The inner vessel section of the sealing element is absorbed within 10 to 14 days. The remainder of the sealing element is completely absorbed within 21 days. The FastSeal(R) system has the ability to be removed after deployment (if desired), without causing trauma to the vessel or requiring a surgical intervention.

CSL Behring Data Shows 4-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate Is Effective

Data presented by CSL Behring at the 2012 Thrombosis and Hemostasis Summit of North America (THSNA) showed that a balanced, human 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) is as effective as the current standard of treatment in stopping bleeding in patients receiving vitamin K antagonist therapy (i.e., warfarin). Currently in the United States, fresh frozen plasma is the standard treatment for warfarin reversal. The data are from the first and largest randomized clinical study to demonstrate the non-inferiority of 4-factor PCC to plasma through clinical endpoints and to show superiority through bioanalytical endpoints.

The Phase IIIb study results showed that the hemostatic efficacy of 4-factor PCC was comparable to plasma at 24 hours in patients who required urgent reversal of warfarin therapy (72.4 percent and 65.4 percent, respectively). Additionally, the co-primary efficacy endpoint analysis showed that the 4-factor PCC was superior in achieving target INR correction within 30 minutes at the end of infusion as compared to plasma (62.2 percent and 9.6 percent, respectively). Four-factor PCC was also superior to plasma in rapidly and safely raising the levels of clotting factors II, VII, IX, X, and anticoagulant Proteins C and S at the same 30 minutes post-treatment time point (p values<0.0001).

"Patients on warfarin therapy are susceptible to acute and serious bleeding. For the physician, quickly stopping that bleeding is absolutely critical," said Ravindra Sarode, M.D., Director of Transfusion Medicine and Hemostasis Reference Laboratory at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, who presented the data. "This trial demonstrates that 4-factor PCC may offer healthcare professionals an important new treatment advance over plasma in managing patient outcomes in an important critical care setting."

The study also found that PCC was well-tolerated in patients and that the incidences of severe treatment-emergent adverse events, serious adverse events and deaths were generally similar between the PCC and plasma groups. Also, PCC was shown to possibly reduce the risk of transfusion-associated circulatory overload - that is, when too much fluid is transfused or transfusion is too rapid, which can lead to cardiac events - when compared to plasma (8.7 percent compared to 19.3 percent, respectively).

"We are very encouraged by the results, as this is the first and largest randomized clinical study showing 4-factor PCC is highly effective in reducing INR and increasing factor levels to support hemostatic efficacy during warfarin-induced bleeding," said Russell Basser, M.D., Senior Vice President, Global Clinical R&D, at CSL Behring. "CSL Behring is advancing our investigational 4-factor PCC through rigorous clinical study with the goal of bringing to the United States a safe, effective new treatment option for people who are at risk of major bleeding that results from warfarin use."

About Prothrombin Complex Concentrate (PCC) (Human)

Prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC) are derived from human plasma. CSL Behring's investigational PCC contains four important pro-coagulant factors in significant quantities: Factor II (prothrombin), Factor VII, Factor IX and Factor X, as well as anticoagulant Proteins C and S.

Guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians recommend 4-factor PCC, rather than plasma, for rapid reversal of anticoagulation in patients with vitamin K antagonist associated major bleeding. The guidelines also recommend the use of vitamin K (5 to 10 mg) administered by slow intravenous (IV) infusion rather than reversal with coagulation factors alone.

About the Study

This was an open-label, randomized, multicenter Phase IIIb study to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerance of human 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) to plasma for rapid reversal of acute major bleeding in patients receiving warfarin therapy. The study enrolled 212 patients. The primary endpoint was hemostatic efficacy with respect to the adequacy of stopping an ongoing major bleed within 24 hours from the start of infusion. The secondary endpoints evaluated plasma levels of major clotting factors (Factors II, VII, IX, X, proteins C and S); time to INR correction; number of transfusions, amount of blood products used, and hemostatic agents; and safety and tolerability (including all-cause mortality).