EU/3/14/1347

On 15 October 2014, orphan designation (EU/3/14/1347) was granted by the European Commission to Great Ormond Street Hospital Foundation Trust, United Kingdom, for pyridoxal 5'-phosphate for the treatment of pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate oxidase deficiency.

What is pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate oxidase deficiency?

Pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate oxidase deficiency is a hereditary disease affecting children. It is caused by a defect in the PNPO gene needed to produce an enzyme known as pyridoxine 5’-phosphate oxidase. This enzyme is required to transform pyridoxine (or vitamin B6) into its active form pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate (PLP), which is essential for brain function. Children with the disease lack PLP and this leads to various symptoms, which normally appear shortly after birth, including irritability, inflammation of the lips, conjunctivitis (inflammation of the membrane that lines the eye and the inside of the eyelids), seizures (fits) as well as other neurological symptoms.

Pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate oxidase deficiency is a life-threatening disease due to seizures.

What is the estimated number of patients affected by the condition?

At the time of designation, pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate oxidase deficiency affected less than 0.02 in 10,000 people in the European Union (EU). This was equivalent to a total of fewer than 1,000 people*, and is below the ceiling for orphan designation, which is 5 people in 10,000. This isbased on the information provided by the sponsor and the knowledge of the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP).

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*Disclaimer: For the purpose of the designation, the number of patients affected by the condition is estimated and assessed on the basis of data from the European Union (EU 28), Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. This represents a population of 511,100,000 (Eurostat 2014).

What treatments are available?

At the time of designation, no satisfactory methods of treatment were authorised in the EU for pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate oxidase deficiency. Products containing PLP (the active form of vitamin B6) were given to patients, however existing formulations were for use by mouth only and not appropriate for use in infants.

How is this medicine expected to work?

This medicine is made of PLP to be given by injection. It is expected to work by replacing the missing PLP in patients with pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate oxidase deficiency, thus improving the symptoms of the disease.

What is the stage of development of this medicine?

At the time of submission of the application for orphan designation, the evaluation of the effects of the medicine in experimental models was ongoing.

At the time of submission, clinical trials with the medicine in patients with pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate oxidase deficiency had not started.

At the time of submission, the medicine was not authorised anywhere in the EU for pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate oxidase deficiency or designated as an orphan medicinal product elsewhere for this condition.

In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 141/2000 of 16 December 1999, the COMP adopted a positive opinion on 4 September 2014 recommending the granting of this designation.

Opinions on orphan medicinal product designations are based on the following three criteria:

• the seriousness of the condition;
• the existence of alternative methods of diagnosis, prevention or treatment;
• either the rarity of the condition (affecting not more than 5 in 10,000 people in the EU) or insufficient returns on investment.

Designated orphan medicinal products are products that are still under investigation and are considered for orphan designation on the basis of potential activity. An orphan designation is not a marketing authorisation. As a consequence, demonstration of quality, safety and efficacy is necessary before a product can be granted a marketing authorisation.

The Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products reviews the orphan designation of a product if it is approved for marketing authorisation.