Key Takeaways RHHBY's phase III FENhance 1 met its primary endpoint in relapsing MS.Fenebrutinib cut RMS relapses 51% vs. teriflunomide; FENhance 2 showed a 59% reduction.RHHBY plans regulatory filings after consistent benefits across RMS and PPMS studies.Roche (RHHBY) recently announced that the late-stage study, FENhance 1, evaluating fenebrutinib for relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS), met its primary endpoint.Fenebrutinib is an experimental oral, central nervous system-penetrant, reversible and non-cova ...

Core Insights - Roche announced that the pivotal Phase III study (FENhance 1) of fenebrutinib in relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) met its primary endpoint, showing a 51% reduction in annualized relapse rate (ARR) compared to teriflunomide over at least 96 weeks of treatment [1][8] - Secondary endpoints in both RMS studies indicated statistically significant reductions in brain lesions, with all progression endpoints showing favorable trends for fenebrutinib [1][8] Study Details - FENhance 1 and 2 are Phase III multicenter, randomized, double-blind studies evaluating fenebrutinib against teriflunomide in 1,497 adult patients with RMS, with participants randomized 1:1 for treatment over at least 96 weeks [7][8] - The primary endpoint is ARR, while secondary endpoints include MRI lesion counts and measures of disability progression [9] Safety Profile - Liver transaminase elevations in both RMS studies were comparable to teriflunomide, with one Hy's Law case in each treatment arm, both of which were asymptomatic and resolved after discontinuation [4] - In the FENhance studies, one fatal case was reported in the teriflunomide arm and eight in the fenebrutinib arms, with further analyses ongoing to understand these findings [5] Mechanism of Action - Fenebrutinib targets B cells and microglia to control acute inflammation and address chronic damage, designed to be a high-potency, reversible BTK inhibitor that can penetrate the central nervous system [6][11][12] Future Plans - Full data from the FENhance studies will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting 2026 and submitted to regulatory authorities alongside data from the FENtrepid study [2]

leukemia. J Clin Oncol. 2017;35(13):1437-1443. doi:10.1200/JCO.2016.70.22826. Sharman JP,et al.2024 ASH Oral presentation #8867. Mato AR, Shah NN, Jurczak W, et al. Pirtobrutinib in relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies (BRUIN): a phase 1/2 study. Lancet. 2021;397(10277):892-901. doi:10.1016/S0140- 6736(21)00224-58. Jaypirca. Prescribing Information. Lilly USA, LLC.SOURCE Innovent Biologics## 21% [more press release views with Request a Demo]## Also from this source### Innovent Dosed First Participant ...

Core Insights - Roche announced that fenebrutinib, an investigational BTK inhibitor, met its primary endpoint of non-inferiority compared to OCREVUS in reducing disability progression in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), showing a 12% reduction in risk [1][5][6] Group 1: Study Results - The Phase III FENtrepid study involved 985 adult patients with PPMS, comparing daily oral fenebrutinib to intravenous OCREVUS for at least 120 weeks [7][12] - Fenebrutinib demonstrated a consistent treatment effect on the composite confirmed disability progression (cCDP12) across various patient subgroups, with curves separating as early as 24 weeks [1][2] - A post-hoc analysis indicated fenebrutinib was superior to OCREVUS on a composite endpoint, showing a 22% reduction in risk [3] Group 2: Treatment Effects - The strongest treatment effect was observed on the nine-hole peg test (9HPT), with a 26% reduction in the risk of worsening compared to OCREVUS [2] - Fenebrutinib showed a consistent clinical benefit in upper limb function, which is crucial for maintaining independence [3] Group 3: Safety Profile - Adverse events in the fenebrutinib group were comparable to OCREVUS, with infections occurring in 67.0% of patients on fenebrutinib versus 70.9% on OCREVUS [4] - Transient liver enzyme elevations were more frequent in the fenebrutinib group (13.3% vs 2.9% for OCREVUS), but all cases resolved after discontinuation [4] Group 4: Future Developments - Roche plans to submit regulatory applications for fenebrutinib in both PPMS and relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) following the readout of the second pivotal RMS study, FENhance 1, expected in mid-2026 [5][6]

Core Insights - Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced that its investigational BTK inhibitor fenebrutinib met the primary endpoint of non-inferiority compared to Ocrevus in reducing disability progression in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis [1] Group 1 - The Phase III FENtrepid study demonstrated a 12% reduction in the risk of disability progression with fenebrutinib compared to Ocrevus [1]

Core Insights - Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced that the first Phase III study (FENhance 2) for Fenebrutinib in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis met its primary endpoint [1] Group 1: Study Results - The Phase III study demonstrated that Fenebrutinib, a Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, significantly reduced the annualized relapse rate (ARR) compared to teriflunomide [1]

Core Insights - The FDA has extended the review period for tolebrutinib by three months, with a new target action date set for December 28, 2025, due to the submission of additional analyses [2][4] - Tolebrutinib is the first brain-penetrant BTK inhibitor designated as a breakthrough therapy for non-relapsing, secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (nrSPMS) [3][11] - Sanofi is committed to developing innovative treatments for neurological diseases, with tolebrutinib representing a significant advancement in addressing the underlying causes of disability progression in MS [12][13] Company Overview - Sanofi is an R&D driven biopharma company focused on improving lives through innovative medicines and vaccines, with a strong pipeline in neurology and immunoscience [13] - The company emphasizes its commitment to addressing serious neuro-inflammatory and neuro-degenerative conditions, including multiple sclerosis [12][13] Industry Context - Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, immune-mediated neurodegenerative disease that leads to irreversible disabilities, highlighting a significant unmet medical need in the treatment landscape [5] - Current therapies primarily target peripheral B and T cells, while the innate immunity within the CNS, which contributes to disability accumulation, remains largely unaddressed [5][11]

Core Opinion - The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has issued a positive opinion for Jaypirca (pirtobrutinib) for treating adult patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) previously treated with a BTK inhibitor [1][2][5] Clinical Trial Results - The BRUIN CLL-321 trial is the first randomized Phase 3 study in CLL conducted exclusively in patients previously treated with a BTK inhibitor [1][3] - The primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS) was met, showing pirtobrutinib was superior to the standard care options, reducing the risk of disease progression or death by 46% (median PFS: 14.0 months vs. 8.7 months) [3][7] - The median time to next treatment or death (TTNT) was 24 months for pirtobrutinib compared to 11 months for the control arm, indicating a 63% improvement [3][7] Safety Profile - The overall safety profile of pirtobrutinib was consistent with previous studies, with common adverse reactions including neutropenia, fatigue, diarrhea, anemia, rash, and contusion [3][18] - Serious adverse reactions occurred in 56% of patients with CLL, with pneumonia (18%) and COVID-19 (9%) being the most common [24][26] Regulatory Status - Following the positive opinion, the application for Jaypirca is now referred to the European Commission for final action, with a decision expected in one to two months [2][5] - Jaypirca has also received conditional marketing authorization in the EU for treating adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) previously treated with a BTK inhibitor [2][5] Market Context - There are currently no treatment options specifically studied in a randomized Phase 3 trial for patients with relapsed or refractory CLL in the post-BTK inhibitor setting, highlighting the unmet need in this area [2][5] - Jaypirca was approved in the U.S. in 2023 under the FDA's Accelerated Approval pathway for similar indications, indicating a growing market for targeted therapies in hematologic malignancies [5][6]