Seres Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MCRB) today reported positive topline results from the pivotal Phase 3 ECOSPOR III study evaluating its investigational oral microbiome therapeutic SER-109 for recurrent C. difficile infection (CDI). The study showed that SER-109 administration resulted in a highly statistically significant absolute decrease of 30.2% in the proportion of patients who experienced a recurrence in CDI within eight weeks of administration versus placebo, the study’s primary endpoint. 11.1% of patients administered SER-109 experienced a CDI recurrence, versus 41.3% of placebo patients. The study results were equally compelling when characterized by the alternative metric of sustained clinical response, where 88.9% of patients in the SER-109 arm achieved this objective.
The study’s efficacy results exceeded the statistical threshold previously provided in consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that could allow this single clinical study to fulfill efficacy requirements for a Biologics License Application (BLA). The SER-109 safety results were favorable, with an adverse event profile comparable to placebo.
“We are extremely pleased with these highly clinically meaningful SER-109 Phase 3 study results, greatly exceeding the statistical threshold provided by the FDA. Based on our prior discussions with the FDA, we believe this trial should provide the efficacy basis for submitting an application for product approval. We look forward to meeting with the FDA as soon as possible to discuss the regulatory path forward with the goal of bringing SER-109 to patients as a first-in-class microbiome therapeutic.”
“Our results represent the first-ever positive pivotal clinical study results for a targeted microbiome drug candidate. We believe these Phase 3 data provide strong validation for our underlying microbiome therapeutics platform, which has been the scientific basis for the Company, as well as persuasive clinical evidence supporting our other active pipeline programs.”
said Eric D. Shaff, President and Chief Executive Officer of Seres.
“We would like to thank all those who participated in this landmark study. Based on these highly positive SER-109 ECOSPOR III results, we believe that this novel microbiome therapeutic candidate could potentially provide a much-needed effective oral treatment option for the approximately 170,000 patients in the U.S. that suffer from recurrent CDI annually.”
“Seres applied a data-driven and scientifically rigorous approach to develop SER-109. The proprietary scientific learnings we have obtained continue to drive our overall R&D efforts and the advancement of our other ongoing microbiome therapeutic programs.”
said Lisa von Moltke, M.D., FCP, Chief Medical Officer of Seres.
“Recurrent C. difficile infection is a serious disease that devastates patients’ quality of life, and in many severe cases may result in a patient’s death. Today’s treatment options have important shortcomings related to efficacy, safety and route of administration, and novel approaches that target the root causes of the disease are urgently needed. The SER-109 Phase 3 results are highly impressive and represent an exceptional advance in the fight against this disease. I believe that SER-109 has the potential to fundamentally transform the treatment of recurrent C. difficile infection,”
said Mark Wilcox, M.D., Professor of Medical Microbiology, University of Leeds.
ECOSPOR III Study Design and Results
The ECOSPOR III study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03183128) is a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled study that enrolled 182 patients with multiply recurrent CDI. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either SER-109 or placebo, after standard of care antibiotic treatment. SER-109, or placebo, was administered orally for three consecutive days. All patients were required to have a positive C. difficile toxin diagnostic test both at study entry and in the case of suspected recurrence to ensure the selection of individuals with active disease and to confirm the accuracy of the primary endpoint.
The primary efficacy endpoint of ECOSPOR III was the proportion of patients with recurrent CDI at up to eight weeks following administration of SER-109 or placebo. As a secondary endpoint, patients are evaluated for CDI recurrence through 24 weeks post-treatment, and the Company plans to present those results at a future date.
SER-109 met the study’s primary endpoint with a significantly lower recurrence rate of 11.1% in SER-109 patients versus 41.3% in placebo patients at eight weeks; p<0.001 tested at the one-sided 0.25 level. Patients administered SER-109 experienced a 30.2% lower rate of recurrence, on an absolute basis, compared to placebo. The SER-109 treatment arm relative risk was 0.27 (95% CI=0.15 to 0.51) versus placebo. The ECOSPOR III recurrence rates translate into a sustained clinical response rate of 88.9% versus 58.7% with SER-109 and placebo, respectively. The SER-109 Number Needed to Treat (NNT) was approximately 3.
In prior discussions, the FDA communicated that demonstration of a statistically very persuasive efficacy finding in the ECOSPOR III primary endpoint, defined as demonstrating a 95% upper confidence level of relative risk lower than 0.833, could support a BLA submission on the basis of this single study. The results of ECOSPOR III demonstrated a SER-109 relative risk of 0.27 (95% CI=0.15 to 0.51) compared to placebo. As a result, Seres believes that this study should support the efficacy basis for BLA submission. SER-109 has obtained FDA Breakthrough Therapy and Orphan Drug designations.
SER-109 was well tolerated, with no treatment-related serious adverse events (SAEs) observed in the active arm, and an adverse event profile similar to placebo. The overall incidence of patients who experienced AEs during the eight-week study period was similar between SER-109 and placebo arms. The most commonly observed treatment-related AEs were flatulence, abdominal distention and abdominal pain, which were generally mild to moderate in nature, and these were observed at a similar rate in both the SER-109 and placebo arms.
A SER-109 open-label study is ongoing (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03183141) at selected clinical sites that participated in the ECOSPOR III study, and the Company may initiate the program at additional clinical sites. The FDA has previously indicated that SER-109 administration to at least 300 patients, consistent with standard FDA guidance, would be required to support BLA submission. The ongoing SER-109 open-label study is continuing to contribute to the SER-109 safety database.
The Company plans to immediately request a Breakthrough Therapy designation meeting with the FDA to discuss the requirements to submit a BLA seeking regulatory approval of SER-109. Given the favorable efficacy and safety results seen in ECOSPOR III, the safety results observed in prior SER-109 clinical studies, and the critical unmet need for a therapeutic option for recurrent CDI patients, the Company plans to discuss with the FDA the safety data requirements for a BLA filing.
Seres continues to advance its commercial readiness for the potential launch of SER-109. In June 2020, Seres appointed Terri Young, Ph.D., R.Ph., as Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer. The Company has been conducting activities to support successful future potential commercialization. Seres believes that the commercial opportunity for SER-109 could be substantial, given the dire need for an effective, safe, oral therapeutic, and the strength of the SER-109 Phase 3 study results.