BOSTON — October 25, 2007 –– Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY, TSX: SHQ), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced the results of a study which demonstrated that adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experienced significant improvements in ADHD symptom control within one week of treatment with once-daily VYVANSE™ (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate), the first prodrug stimulant. Findings from this phase III pivotal trial were presented today at a national psychiatric meeting in Boston, Mass.
“Adults with ADHD may experience significant impairments in their ability to focus, and organize and complete tasks, which could affect their work, family life and personal relationships,” said Lenard A. Adler, M.D., lead researcher in this study and director of the Adult ADHD Program at New York University School of Medicine and author of Scattered Minds: Help and Hope for Adults with ADHD. “The results of this study demonstrated that VYVANSE significantly improved the core symptoms of ADHD in adult study patients.”
Results of Phase III Pivotal Trial
In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, four-week study with dose escalations in 414 adults aged 18 to 55 years, treatment with VYVANSE at all doses studied (30 mg, 50 mg, 70 mg) was significantly more effective than placebo and improvements were observed in the first week of the study.
All doses of VYVANSE showed significant improvements in the average change in ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS-IV) scores, as measured from the study’s start to end, the primary endpoint of this study. ADHD-RS-IV is a standardized, validated test for assessing symptoms of ADHD and for assessing their response to treatment. The scale, which contains 18 items, is based on the ADHD diagnostic criteria as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision®, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association.
VYVANSE provided a significant reduction in ADHD-RS-IV scores starting at week one that were observed throughout the full treatment period. At endpoint, VYVANSE provided a significant reduction in ADHD-RS-IV scores ranging from 16.2 to 18.6 points.
Investigators also measured the efficacy of VYVANSE with the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I) scale, a standard assessment used to rate the severity of a patient’s illness and improvement over time. The study found that the percentage of subjects taking VYVANSE rated improved on the CGI-I scale ranged from 57 to 61 percent across all doses and was significantly greater than placebo.
The study showed there were no statistically significant differences among the groups for total score of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) at endpoint with all groups showing a slight decrease in the PSQI total score at endpoint. The PSQI is a self-rated questionnaire that assesses sleep quality and disturbances over a one-month time interval.
Adverse events reported in this study were generally mild to moderate and included dry mouth (26 percent), decreased appetite (27 percent) and insomnia (19 percent).
VYVANSE is a therapeutically inactive prodrug, in which d-amphetamine is covalently bonded to l-lysine, and after oral ingestion it is converted to pharmacologically active d-amphetamine. The pharmacokinetic profile of VYVANSE is inherent to its chemical prodrug nature and alterations in gastric pH and gastrointestinal motility do not affect its absorption.
A supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for VYVANSE for the treatment of ADHD in adults is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). VYVANSE is currently approved in the United States for the treatment of ADHD in children aged 6 to 12 years.
Additional information about VYVANSE and Full Prescribing Information are available at www.vyvanse.com.
About ADHD
Approximately 7.8 percent of all school-age children, or about 4.4 million U.S. children aged 4 to 17 years, have been diagnosed with ADHD at some point in their lives, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). ADHD is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. The disorder is also estimated to affect 8.1 percent of adults, or approximately 9.2 million adults across the U.S. based on a retrospective survey of adults aged 18 to 44, projected to the full U.S. adult population. ADHD is a neurobiological disorder that manifests as a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development. To be properly diagnosed with ADHD, a child needs to demonstrate at least six of nine symptoms of inattention; and/or at least six of nine symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity; the onset of which appears before age 7 years; that some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more settings (e.g., at school and home); that the symptoms continue for at least six months; and that there is clinically significant impairment in social, academic or occupational functioning and the symptoms cannot be better explained by another psychiatric disorder.
Although there is no “cure” for ADHD, there are accepted treatments that specifically target its symptoms. The most common standard treatments include educational approaches, psychological or behavioral modification, and medication.
For further information please contact:
Porter Novelli for Shire
Jacelyn Seng
212-601-8385
917-392-0756 (on site at AACAP)
Brooke Salti
212-601-8241
646-761-5824 (on site at AACAP)
Poster #B34
Efficacy and Safety of Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate in Adults with ADHD
October 25, 2007; 11:00 a.m. EDT
About VYVANSE
Tell the doctor about any heart conditions, including structural abnormalities, that you, your child, or a family member, may have. Inform the doctor immediately if your child develops symptoms that suggest heart problems, such as chest pain or fainting.
VYVANSE should not be taken if your child has advanced disease of the blood vessels (arteriosclerosis); symptomatic heart disease; moderate to severe high blood pressure; overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism); known allergy or unusual reactions to drugs called sympathomimetic amines (for example, pseudoephedrine); seizures; glaucoma; a history of problems with alcohol or drugs; agitated states; taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) within the last 14 days.
Tell the doctor before taking VYVANSE if your child is being treated for or has symptoms of depression (sadness, worthlessness, or hopelessness) or bipolar disorder; has abnormal thought or visions, hears abnormal sounds, or has been diagnosed with psychosis; has had seizures or abnormal EEGs; has or has had high blood pressure; exhibits aggressive behavior or hostility. Tell the doctor immediately if your child develops any of these conditions or symptoms while taking VYVANSE.
Abuse of amphetamines may lead to dependence. Misuse of amphetamine may cause sudden death and serious cardiovascular adverse events. These events have also been reported rarely with amphetamine use.
VYVANSE was generally well tolerated in clinical studies. The most common side effects reported in studies of VYVANSE were decreased appetite, difficulty falling asleep, stomachache, and irritability.
Aggression, new abnormal thoughts/behaviors, mania, growth suppression, worsening of motion or verbal tics, and Tourette’s syndrome have been associated with use of drugs of this type. Tell the doctor if your child has blurred vision while taking VYVANSE.
SHIRE PLC
Shire’s strategic goal is to become the leading specialty biopharmaceutical company that focuses on meeting the needs of the specialist physician. Shire focuses its business on attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), human genetic therapies (HGT), gastrointestinal (GI) and renal diseases. The structure is sufficiently flexible to allow Shire to target new therapeutic areas to the extent opportunities arise through acquisitions. Shire’s in-licensing, merger and acquisition efforts are focused on products in niche markets with strong intellectual property protection either in the US or Europe. Shire believes that a carefully selected portfolio of products with strategically aligned and relatively small-scale sales forces will deliver strong results.
For further information on Shire, please visit the Company’s website: www.shire.com
"SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
Statements included herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time. In the event such risks or uncertainties materialize, Shire’s results could be materially affected. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated with: the inherent uncertainty of pharmaceutical research, product development (including the successful development of JUVISTA® (Human TGF3)), manufacturing and commercialization (including the launch and establishment in the market of VYVANSE); the impact of competitive products, including, but not limited to the impact of those on Shire’s Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (“ADHD”) franchise; patents, including but not limited to, legal challenges relating to Shire’s ADHD franchise; government regulation and approval, including but not limited to the expected product approval date of INTUNIV™ (guanfacine) extended release (ADHD) and GA-GCB (Gene-Activated Glucocerebrosidane); Shire’s ability to secure new products for commercialization and/or development; Shire’s ability to benefit from its acquisition of New River Pharmaceuticals Inc.; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Shire plc’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly Shire plc’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006.
Shire plc
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www.shire.com