RedHill Biopharma Ltd. (NASDAQ: RDHL) (Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange: RDHL) (“RedHill” or the “Company”), a specialty biopharmaceutical company primarily focused on late clinical-stage development and commercialization of proprietary, orally-administered, small molecule drugs for gastrointestinal and inflammatory diseases and cancer, together with  IntelGenx Corp. (TSXV: IGX; OTCQX: IGXT) (“IntelGenx”), a leading oral drug delivery company primarily focused on the development and manufacturing of innovative pharmaceutical oral films based on its proprietary VersaFilm™ technology platform, today announced that they have resubmitted the 505(b)(2) New Drug Application (NDA) for RIZAPORT® 10mg to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
RIZAPORT® is a proprietary oral thin-film formulation of rizatriptan for the treatment of acute migraines. RIZAPORT® offers an innovative therapeutic alternative for many migraine patients, primarily patients who suffer from dysphagia or migraine-related nausea, due to its convenient dosing, facile intake due to the lack of need for water, and neutral flavor.
Following a first NDA submission to the FDA in March 2013, RedHill and IntelGenx received a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the FDA. The questions raised by the FDA, which triggered the current resubmission, primarily related to third party chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) and to the packaging and labeling of the product. The FDA letter raised no questions or deficiencies relating to RIZAPORT®’s safety and bio-equivalence data and did not require additional clinical trials.
If the RIZAPORT® NDA resubmission is deemed complete and permits a full review by the FDA, a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date is expected to be set by the FDA for the first half of 2018.
Reza Fathi, PhD, RedHill’s Senior VP Research & Development, said: “We are very pleased with the resubmission of the U.S. NDA for RIZAPORT®, which follows the marketing authorization received for RIZAPORT® in Germany and Luxembourg under the European Decentralized Procedure. Our efforts are focused on commercializing RIZAPORT® through partners in the U.S., Europe and other territories in the near future, and we are continuing the dialogue with potential partners.”
“This resubmission of the RIZAPORT® 505(b)(2) NDA is an important milestone for IntelGenx,” commented Dr. Horst G. Zerbe, President and CEO of IntelGenx. “We look forward to continuing to work with the FDA as we seek to bring this product to market as a new therapeutic option for the benefit of patients suffering from migraines.”
RIZAPORT® was granted marketing authorization in Germany and in Luxembourg on the basis of the European Decentralized Procedure (DCP). A national Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) has been submitted for RIZAPORT® in Spain. Under the European DCP, marketing authorization approval of RIZAPORT® in additional European countries is subject to a separate procedure to obtain additional national marketing authorizations in each country. A first commercialization agreement for RIZAPORT® was signed with Grupo JUSTE S.A.Q.F. (now Exeltis Healthcare, S.L.) for Spain, and a second commercialization agreement for RIZAPORT® was signed with Pharmatronic Co. for South Korea.