Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: AGTC), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and potential commercialization of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies for the treatment of rare and debilitating diseases with an initial focus on inherited retinal diseases, has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided favorable feedback on the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) design of AGTC’s manufacturing facility. In its feedback from a recent Type C meeting, the FDA concurred the facility design and proposed operating procedures are appropriate to support the cGMP manufacture of recombinant AAV drug substance.
In May 2022, AGTC announced that it had completed construction of the manufacturing facility’s exterior structure and the FDA’s feedback on the interior design of the facility helps assure the potential successful completion of next phase of construction. Initial operations at the facility are expected to begin in 4Q 2022 with GMP capabilities expected to be finalized in 1Q 2023.
“With the FDA’s feedback, we are pleased to be on-track with the build out of our cGMP manufacturing facility, which is crucial in supporting the late-stage clinical development and potential commercialization of our lead XLRP and ACHMB3 programs,” said Eduardo Jacobo, AGTC’s Senior Vice President, GMP Manufacturing. “The on-going challenges and costs associated with external vendors underscore the value of developing a manufacturing facility specifically designed and prioritized to meet the needs and timelines for the development of our drug candidates, including AGTC-501 for XLRP, which we recently reported positive three-month interim data. As we continue to advance development of this promising candidate, our new facility will play a crucial role in its commercialization should it receive FDA approval. We expect the facility will also play an important role in support of our promising pipeline of additional clinical and pre-clinical programs.”
In May 2022, AGTC announced positive three-month interim results from the Skyline Phase 2 expansion trial of AGTC-501, demonstrating robust improvements in visual sensitivity, the trial’s primary efficacy endpoint, in multiple patients three months after dosing, with a 62.5% response rate in dose group B and a 25% response rate in dose group A. This is well above the statistically significant 50% response rate the Vista Phase 2/3 trial for AGTC-501 is powered to detect.
About AGTC
AGTC is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing genetic therapies for people with rare and debilitating ophthalmic, otologic and central nervous system (CNS) diseases. AGTC is designing and constructing critical gene therapy elements and bringing them together to develop customized therapies with the potential to address unmet patient needs. AGTC’s most advanced clinical programs in XLRP and ACHM CNGB3 leverage its technology platform to potentially improve vision for patients with inherited retinal diseases. Its preclinical programs build on the AGTC’s AAV manufacturing technology and scientific expertise. AGTC is advancing multiple pipeline candidates to address substantial unmet clinical needs in optogenetics, otology and CNS disorders, and has entered into strategic collaborations with companies including Bionic Sight, Inc., an innovator in the emerging field of optogenetics and retinal coding, and Otonomy, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of innovative therapeutics for neurotology.
