Relief’s Partner Acer Therapeutics Plans NDA Submission for ACER-001 in Q3 2021 Following Pre-NDA Meeting with FDA

Newton, MA, USA and Geneva, Switzerland, May 25, 2021 – Acer Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: ACER)(“Acer”), a pharmaceutical company focused on the acquisition, development and commercialization of therapies for serious rare and life-threatening diseases with significant unmet medical needs, and RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG (SIX: RLF, OTCQB: RLFTF)(“Relief”), a biopharmaceutical company with its lead compound RLF-100TM (aviptadil) in advanced clinical development to treat severe COVID-19 patients, today announced the outcome of Acer’s pre-New Drug Application (NDA) meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ACER-001 for the treatment of Urea Cycle Disorders (UCDs). ACER-001 is a proprietary immediate release multi-particulate powder formulation of sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB) with a taste-masked coating. ACER-001 is being developed in collaboration with Relief.
The purpose of the pre-NDA meeting was to discuss the content of Acer’s planned NDA submission. Based on FDA feedback, the Companies believe the proposed data package will be sufficient to support an NDA submission under the Section 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway of ACER-001 for the treatment of patients with UCDs. Following NDA submission and FDA determination of acceptance for filing, the FDA will conduct a substantive review before deciding upon the action on the application.
“We are pleased with the outcome of our recent pre-NDA meeting with FDA, supporting our belief that the studies and data we intend to include in our planned NDA for ACER-001 should be sufficient for NDA submission,” said Chris Schelling, CEO and Founder of Acer. “We remain on track to complete the NDA submission in Q3 2021, provided that we obtain agreement with the FDA on our initial pediatric study plan (iPSP).”
Jack Weinstein, CFO and Treasurer of Relief Therapeutics, added: “The outcome of the pre-NDA meeting with the FDA is highly encouraging and marks an important milestone in support of the development and potential commercialization of ACER-001 worldwide. We are pleased with the progress of the ACER-001 program and look forward to working with the Acer team to potentially bring to market an alternative to existing NaPB-based treatments.”
ACER-001 is an investigational product candidate which has not been approved by FDA. There can be no assurance that if submitted, an NDA will be accepted for filing and substantive review or, if filed, that an NDA would be approved.

###

ABOUT UREA CYCLE DISORDERS (UCDS)

UCDs are a group of disorders caused by genetic mutations that result in a deficiency in one of the six enzymes that catalyze the urea cycle, which can lead to an excess accumulation of ammonia in the bloodstream, a condition known as hyperammonemia. Acute hyperammonemia can cause lethargy, somnolence, coma, and multi-organ failure, while chronic hyperammonemia can lead to headaches, confusion, lethargy, failure to thrive, behavioral changes, and learning and cognitive deficits. Common symptoms of both acute and chronic hyperammonemia also include seizures and psychiatric symptoms.1,2 The current treatment of UCDs consists of dietary management to limit ammonia production in conjunction with medications that provide alternative pathways for the removal of ammonia from the bloodstream. Some patients may also require individual branched-chain amino acid supplementation.

Current medical treatments for UCDs include nitrogen scavengers, RAVICTI® and BUPHENYL®, in which the active pharmaceutical ingredients are glycerol phenylbutyrate (GPB) and sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB), respectively. According to a 2016 study by Shchelochkov et al., published in Molecular Genetics and Metabolism Reports, while nitrogen scavenging medications have been shown to be effective in helping to manage ammonia levels in some patients with UCDs, non-compliance with treatment is common. Reasons referenced for non-compliance associated with some available medications include unpleasant taste, the frequency with which medication must be taken, the number of pills, and the high cost of the medication.3

ABOUT ACER-001

ACER-001 is being developed for the treatment of various inborn errors of metabolism, including UCDs and MSUD. ACER-001 is a proprietary immediate release powder formulation of sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB). The formulation is a multi-particulate dosage formulation for oral administration consisting of a core center, a layer of active drug, and a taste-masked coating designed to avoid the bitter taste in the mouth while quickly dissolving in the low pH of the stomach. ACER-001’s taste-masked formulation is aimed to improve the palatability of NaPB. Acer has been granted orphan drug designation by the FDA for the MSUD indication. ACER-001 is under clinical investigation and its safety and efficacy have not been established. There is no guarantee that this product candidate will receive U.S. FDA approval or become commercially available for the indications under investigation.

ABOUT ACER THERAPEUTICS INC.

Acer is a pharmaceutical company focused on the acquisition, development and commercialization of therapies for serious rare and life-threatening diseases with significant unmet medical needs. Acer’s pipeline includes four programs: ACER-001 (sodium phenylbutyrate) for the treatment of various inborn errors of metabolism, including urea cycle disorders (UCDs) and Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD); EDSIVO™ (celiprolol) for the treatment of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) in patients with a confirmed type III collagen (COL3A1) mutation; ACER-801 (osanetant) for the treatment of induced Vasomotor Symptoms (iVMS); and ACER-2820 (emetine), a host-directed therapy against a variety of infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Each of Acer’s product candidates is believed to present a comparatively de-risked profile, having one or more of a favorable safety profile, clinical proof-of-concept data, mechanistic differentiation and/or accelerated paths for development through specific programs and procedures established by the FDA. In March 2021, Acer entered into a Collaboration and License Agreement with Relief Therapeutics for the worldwide development and commercialization of ACER-001. For more information, visit www.acertx.com.

ABOUT RELIEF THERAPEUTICS HOLDING AG

Relief focuses primarily on clinical-stage programs based on molecules with a history of clinical testing and use in human patients or a strong scientific rationale. Relief’s lead drug candidate RLF-100™ (aviptadil), a synthetic form of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP), is in late-stage clinical testing in the U.S. for the treatment of respiratory deficiency due to COVID-19. As part of its pipeline diversification strategy, in March 2021, Relief entered into a Collaboration and License Agreement with Acer Therapeutics for the worldwide development and commercialization of ACER-001. ACER-001 is a taste-masked and immediate release proprietary powder formulation of sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB) for the treatment of Urea Cycle Disorders and Maple Syrup Urine Disease.

RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the symbol RLF and quoted in the U.S. on OTCQB under the symbol RLFTF. For more information, visit www.relieftherapeutics.com.
Follow us on LinkedIn

REFERENCES

1. Ah Mew N, et al. Urea cycle disorders overview. Gene Reviews. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington, Seattle; 1993.
2. Häberle J, et al. Suggested guidelines for the diagnosis and management of urea cycle disorders. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 2012;7(32).
3. Shchelochkov OA, et al. Barriers to drug adherence in the treatment of urea cycle disorders: Assessment of patient, caregiver and provider perspectives. Mol Genet Metab. 2016;8:43-47.