NeurogesX Part II

NeurogesX part II

Last time I covered the therapeutic market area of neuropathic pain, which is Neurogesx’ major area of focus. This time I’ll be doing the due diligence on their first product candidate NGX-4010, and it’s safe to say that the entire company rests with the fate of this therapeutic. NGX-4010 is a non-narcotic analgesic formulated in a topical (transdermal) patch containing an 8% concentration of synthetic capsaicin. Capsaicin is released from the patch and absorbed into the skin without significant absorption into the bloodstream. The chemical capsaicin is popularly known as the compound which gives hot chili peppers their spicy properties and natural concentrations range from 0.1% to 1% w/w. Chemically known as trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide, it is a highly selective agonist for the transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1). TRPV1 is a ligand-gated, nonselective, cation channel preferentially expressed in nociceptive sensory nerves. TRPV1 responds to noxious stimuli, including capsaicin, heat, and extracellular acidification, and integrates simultaneous exposures to these stimuli.

Low doses of capsaicin cream have long been used successfully for relief of neuropathic pain. However the first published study to use high doses (5-10%) in combination with regional anesthesia (to numb the normal burning sensation accompanying such high dose) was published in 1998 from UCSF. This study showed that at these levels of capsaicin, 90% of patients (N=10) were relieved from neuropathic pain from 1 to 18 weeks. Interestingly, in 1996, prior to the publication three of the authors of the study patented the use of high percentage capsaicin with the Regents of the University of California as an assignee on the patent. Subsequently, the first author on the above study, Dr Wendye Robbins, was issued another patent in 1997 (again UC Regents were the assignee) whereby local anesthetic was administered through the use of a transdermal patch containing the high concentration of capsaicin. Dr. Robbins founded Neurogesx in 2000, licensing the patents from the University of California. That pretty much brings us up to speed on the intellectual property with one final important caveat. The first patent outlining the use of high concentration capsaicin was issued to three authors, and two of the three were not UCSF faculty and so did not assign their patent rights to the University of California. In fact, Anesiva, a company focused on the development and commercialization of treatments for pain, including injection or infiltration of a capsaicin derivative for post-surgical pain, osteoarthritis or interdigital neuroma, has licensed from one of the non-assigning inventors the right to use the technology under the method patent.

So Neurogesx has the worldwide exclusive license for a high concentration capsaicin transdermal patch. The use of high-concentration capsaicin itself is not exactly in the public domain but neither does NGSX have exclusive worldwide rights. Therefore, it goes without saying any investment in Neurogesx is banking on the utility of the transdermal patch method of capsaicin delivery. As it turns out the only current alternatives to a transdermal patches are a topical creams which of course have the drawback of wildly inaccurate dosing (FDA wont approve) and injection such as Anesiva is developing for post surgical pain.

Now that we’ve covered the therapeutic market and the intellectual property let’s move on to the pipeline. NGX-4010 has completed two phase 3 clinical trials that have met their primary endpoints, one in PHN and one in HIV-DSP. The results demonstrated that a single 30 or 60 minute application of NGX-4010, depending on the indication, may provide at least 12 weeks of clinically-meaningful pain relief. Neurogesx expects to file a marketing authorization application in Europe for NGX-4010 in 2007 based upon existing clinical trial data, and if the safety and efficacy of NGX-4010 are confirmed by two ongoing pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials, they intend to file a new drug application in the United States in 2008. Furthermore NGX-4010 is currently in phase 2 clinical trials for PDN.

Relatively speaking, I feel that the Neurogesx story is fairly straightforward for a biotech company. First, the therapeutic market is underserved in terms of an easily administered, but long lasting, transdermal patch. Secondly, the intellectual property situation is not ideal but NGSX has 30% of the license for high-concentration capsaicin and a monopoly on the patch delivery. Finally we are looking at a late stage development pharmaceutical which needs secondary phase 3 studies before filing the NDA. That being said, the elephant in the room here is the indication for PDN which is acknowledged in the S-1. By far the biggest opportunity in a therapeutic for neuropathic pain exists for this disorder. Apparently Neurogesx plans to file the broad label authorization for NGX-4010 MAA in Europe in 2007, and use the proceeds from the European market to fund the ongoing trials for PDN domestically. The nuances of this approach are probably known only to the management and the underwriters, but I will try to read between the lines considering the information publicly available on the clinical trials. It seems that patients with PDN were involved in the original Phase I/II tolerability studies of NGX-4010. These patients reported a 32% decrease in pain, but for some reason the PDN clinical program has been halted awaiting the IPO filing. I read this as there being complications with the performance of NGX-4010 in the original phase 2a trial, perhaps the longevity of relief seen with PHN was not paralleled in the PDN case, but anything is possible. At any rate I feel Neurogesx is playing the PDN indication fairly close to the vest, and this must be noted because as mentioned above this is clearly the lions share of the peripheral neuropathy market.

Next time I’ll wrap up with the Neurogesx financial situation and put it all together for a final verdict.

Disclosure: I have no position in NGSX