Osteoarthritis, Knee

Results from 68-week study of 407 adults with obesity and moderate knee osteoarthritis showed semaglutide 2.4 mg significantly reduced body weight, knee osteoarthritis-related pain, and improved physical function1 Obesity is a major risk factor of knee osteoarthritis development and disease progression2-4 Semaglutide is not approved in the U.S. for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis PLAINSBORO, N.J., Oct. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The New England Journal of Medicine published results from Novo Nordisk's STEP 9 phase 3 clinical trial that studied semaglutide 2.4 mg compared to placebo as an adjunct to lifestyle modifications in reducing body weight and knee osteoarthritis-related pain in adults with obesity, and a clinical and radiologic diagnosis of moderate knee osteoarthritis, and pain that is at least moderately severe.1 According to the published trial, semaglutide met the study's primary endpoints and was superior to placebo in significantly reducing body weight and knee osteoarthritis-related pain, as measured by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain score. In addition, the trial met a key confirmatory secondary endpoint of improving patients' physical function.1 In patients with a mean baseline body weight of 239.5 pounds, semaglutide led to a –13.7% mean change from baseline in body weight at week 68 versus –3.2% with placebo ([95% confidence interval (CI) –12.3, –8.6]; P<0.001). Semaglutide also led to a mean change from baseline (70.9) in the WOMAC pain score of –41.7 at week 68 versus –27.5 with placebo ([95% CI –20.0, –8.3]; P<0.001). WOMAC is a 24-item patient-reported questionnaire that assesses clinically important symptoms of pain, stiffness, and physical function in patients with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis (OA).1,5 A greater improvement in physical functioning scores was also observed from baseline at week 68 among trial participants taking semaglutide versus placebo (mean change: 12.0 versus 6.5 points [95% CI 3.1, 8.0], P<0.001]) as measured by the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36v2).1 Obesity is considered a major risk factor for the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis, a common type of osteoarthritis that can lead to chronic pain and reduced mobility.2-4 Obesity contributes to the development of knee osteoarthritis through increased mechanical stress on weight-bearing joints, metabolic factors, and obesity-related inflammation.2,3 "Obesity-related knee osteoarthritis is a progressive condition that can lead to pain and stiffness of the knee and impair critical daily functions such as walking or moving around. The risk of developing the condition is more than four times higher in people with obesity. Weight reduction along with physical activity is often a recommended approach to managing painful symptoms, but adherence can be challenging," said lead study author Henning Bliddal, MD, M.Sci., The Parker Institute, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark. "There is a significant need for non-surgical and sustainable treatment options for those living with obesity-related osteoarthritis. The STEP 9 trial aimed to provide rigorous evidence as to how semaglutide may help these people." The study implemented a targeted approach to safety data collection, with investigators recording only serious adverse events (SAEs), adverse events (AEs) leading to treatment discontinuation, AEs requiring invasive knee procedures, medication error, acute pancreatitis, COVID-19, and pregnancy or pregnancy-related AEs.1 AEs leading to treatment discontinuation occurred in 6.7% of patients in the semaglutide group and 3.0% of patients in the placebo group. The most common AEs leading to treatment discontinuation were gastrointestinal disorders (2.2% of patients in the semaglutide group and 0% of patients in the placebo group) and neoplasms (benign, malignant, and unspecified) (semaglutide, 1.9%; placebo, 1.5%). The incidence of SAEs was similar in both groups (semaglutide, 10.0%; placebo, 8.1%).1 STEP 9 was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial of 407 adults aged ≥18 years with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) and a clinical diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis per American College of Rheumatology criteria with moderate radiographic changes (Kellgren–Lawrence grade 2 or 3) in the target knee. Participants also had pain due to knee osteoarthritis, with a WOMAC pain score ≥40 out of 100 at randomization.1 "Obesity is a complex metabolic disease associated with multiple co-morbid conditions, including knee osteoarthritis," said Anna Windle, PhD, Senior Vice President, Clinical Development, Medical and Regulatory Affairs, Novo Nordisk. "The STEP 9 results are encouraging and provide important information about the effect of semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, on knee osteoarthritis outcomes in people with obesity. We look forward to working with regulatory authorities on next steps based on these findings." About obesity Obesity is a serious chronic, progressive, and misunderstood disease that requires long-term management.6-8 One key misunderstanding is that this is a disease of just lack of willpower, when in fact there is underlying biology that may impede people with obesity from losing weight and keeping it off.6,7 Obesity is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, social determinants of health, and the environment.9 The prevalence of overweight and obesity is a public health issue that has severe cost implications to healthcare systems.10,11 In the U.S., about 40% of adults live with obesity.12 About the STEP 9 trial (semaglutide 2.4 mg) STEP 9 was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of semaglutide 2.4 mg versus placebo as an adjunct to lifestyle modifications (counseling on a reduced-calorie diet and physical activity) in reducing body weight and knee osteoarthritis-related pain in patients with obesity and a clinical and radiologic diagnosis of moderate knee osteoarthritis, and pain that is at least moderately severe.1 Participants were randomized 2:1 to receive once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide 2.4 mg or placebo for 68 weeks, followed by 7 weeks' off-treatment follow-up. There was a 16-week dose escalation to allow for adjustment to therapy (gastrointestinal adverse reactions). The study randomized participants between October 2021 and March 2022.1 All endpoints were measured from baseline to week 68. The primary endpoints were the percentage change in body weight and change in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain score.1 The trial enrolled 407 adults and was conducted in 11 countries at 61 investigator sites.1 Semaglutide is not approved for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Safety and efficacy are not established, and there is no guarantee that semaglutide will become commercially available for this use under clinical investigation. About Novo Nordisk Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company that's been making innovative medicines to help people with diabetes lead longer, healthier lives for more than 100 years. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to drive change to help people defeat other serious chronic diseases such as obesity, rare blood, and endocrine disorders. We remain steadfast in our conviction that the formula for lasting success is to stay focused, think long-term, and do business in a financially, socially, and environmentally responsible way. With U.S. headquarters in New Jersey and commercial, production, and research facilities in seven states plus Washington DC, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 8,000 people throughout the country. For more information, visit novonordisk-us.com, Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube. References Bliddal H, Bays H, Czernichow S, et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Persons with Obesity and Knee Osteoarthritis. N Engl J Med. 2024; 391:1573-83. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Arthritis risk factors. Last accessed: September 2024. Available at . World Health Organization. Osteoarthritis. Last accessed: October 2024. Available at: . Nedunchezhiyan U, Varughese I, Sun AR, et al. Obesity, inflammation, and immune system in osteoarthritis. Front Immunol. 2022;13:907750. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.907750. ClinicalTrials.gov. Research study looking at how well semaglutide works in people suffering from obesity and knee osteoarthritis. Last accessed: October 2024. Available at: . Kaplan LM, Golden A, Jinnett K, et al. Perceptions of barriers to effective obesity care: results from the national action study. Obesity. 2018;26(1):61-69. Bray GA, Kim KK, Wilding JPH; World Obesity Federation. Obesity: a chronic relapsing progressive disease process. A position statement of the World Obesity Federation. Obes Rev. 2017;18(7):715-723. Garvey WT, Mechanick JI, Brett EM, et al. American association of clinical endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology comprehensive clinical practice guidelines for medical care of patients with obesity. Endocr Pract. 2016;22 (Suppl 3):1-203. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Causes of obesity. Last accessed: October 2024. Available at: . World Obesity Federation. World Obesity Atlas 2023. Last accessed: October 2024. Available at: . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Why it matters. Last accessed: October 2024. Available at: . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity and Severe Obesity Prevalence in Adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023. Last accessed October 2024. Available at: . © 2024 Novo Nordisk All rights reserved. US24SEMO01198 October 2024 SOURCE NOVO NORDISK INC. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

Nes-Ziona, Israel, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enlivex Therapeutics Ltd. (Nasdaq: ENLV, the “Company”), a clinical-stage macrophage reprogramming immunotherapy company, today announced that the Japanese Patent Office issued a notice of allowance for patent application number 2022-512861 titled “THERAPEUTIC APOPTOTIC CELLS FOR TREATMENT OF OSTEOARTHRITIS”. Once issued, the resulting patent will provide Enlivex with added intellectual property (IP) protection through at least 2040. The Company expects that this new patent will be formally issued in Japan by the end of the second quarter of 2025. Oren Hershkovitz, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Enlivex, commented, “this notice of allowance demonstrates our commitment to protecting Allocetra’s™ commercial opportunities in key geographies around the world. We also believe that it highlights the successful execution of our global IP strategy. Going forward, we will continue to pursue multiple layers of patent protection in key global markets as we work to develop Allocetra™ as a next generation cell therapy for osteoarthritis, which is an unmet medical need that currently has poor treatment alternatives.” ABOUT KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS1 Osteoarthritis is by far the most common form of arthritis, affecting more than 32.5 million Americans and more than 300 million individuals worldwide. About half of knees with ACL injuries develop osteoarthritis within 5 to 15 years. 78 million Americans are projected to have osteoarthritis by the year 2040. Symptomatic knee osteoarthritis is particularly prevalent and disabling, with 40% of men and 47% of women developing knee osteoarthritis in their lifetimes. Osteoarthritis accounts for over one million hospitalizations annually in the United States, primarily for total joint replacement. The burden of osteoarthritis is enormous, and the need for treatments that reduce pain and attendant disability for persons with osteoarthritis is critical. There are currently no medications approved by either the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA) that have been demonstrated to arrest, slow or reverse progression of structural damage in the joint. ABOUT ENLIVEX Enlivex is a clinical stage macrophage reprogramming immunotherapy company developing Allocetra™, a universal, off-the-shelf cell therapy designed to reprogram macrophages into their homeostatic state. Resetting non-homeostatic macrophages into their homeostatic state is critical for immune system rebalancing and resolution of life-threatening conditions. For more information, visit https://enlivex.com/. ENLIVEX CONTACT Shachar Shlosberger, CFO Enlivex Therapeutics, Ltd. shachar@enlivexpharm.com INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT Dave Gentry, CEO RedChip Companies Inc. 1-407-644-4256 ENLV@redchip.com Safe Harbor Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements, which may be identified by words such as “expects,” “plans,” “projects,” “will,” “may,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “should,” “would”, “could,” “intends,” “estimates,” “suggests,” “has the potential to” and other words of similar meaning, including statements regarding the timing and receipt of intellectual property protection for ALLOCETRATM programs and market opportunities for ALLOCETRATM programs. All such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may affect Enlivex’s business and prospects, including the risks that Enlivex may not succeed in generating any revenues or developing any commercial products; that the products in development may fail, may not achieve the expected results or effectiveness and/or may not generate data that would support the approval or marketing of these products for the indications being studied or for other indications; that ongoing studies may not continue to show substantial or any activity; and other risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The results of clinical trials in humans may produce results that differ significantly from the results of clinical and other trials in animals. The results of early-stage trials may differ significantly from the results of more developed, later-stage trials. The development of any products using the ALLOCETRATM product line could also be affected by a number of other factors, including unexpected safety, efficacy or manufacturing issues, additional time requirements for data analyses and decision making, the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation, the impact of competitive products and pricing and the impact of patents and other proprietary rights held by competitors and other third parties. In addition to the risk factors described above, investors should consider the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors discussed in Enlivex’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date the statements were made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required under applicable law. 1 Source: The Arthritis Foundation; Disease modification in osteoarthritis; pathways to drug approval, Katz et. Al., Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open (2) (2020)

SL-1002 demonstrated a favorable safety profile in adult patients with limb spasticity, achieving the primary safety endpoint of this first-in-human study. Key secondary efficacy endpoints were also met, including a statistically significant reduction in the Modified Ashworth Score at 6 months. ROSWELL, Ga. and DUBLIN and HAMILTON, Bermuda, Oct. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Saol Therapeutics, a privately held, clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, today announced positive topline results from its SL-1002 RAISE Limb Spasticity Trial (NCT05311215). The data were recently presented at the Spasticity X Symposium in Houston, Texas. Dr. Sheng Li, MD, PhD, Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and Director of Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery Research at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, along with Dr. Gerard Francisco, MD, professor and The Wulfe Family Chair of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and Chief Medical Officer at TIRR Memorial Hermann, presented the findings. SL-1002 is a novel chemoneurolytic injection utilizing Saol's proprietary CYCLOPHLEX™ technology. In the RAISE Limb Spasticity Trial, patients were randomized (3:1) into a double-blind, vehicle-controlled, single-ascending-dose escalation study designed to assess the safety and efficacy of a single SL-1002 treatment in patients with mild to severe limb spasticity. The study period lasted 26 weeks post-randomization, and the primary endpoint was to evaluate the overall safety profile of SL-1002 compared to vehicle. A total of 32 patients were randomized in the trial (24 receiving SL-1002, 8 receiving vehicle). Five serious adverse events (SAEs) were reported, all determined by investigators to be unrelated to the treatment. Fourteen non-serious treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) determined by the investigators to be possibly, probably, or definitely related to treatment were observed, all were considered mild. There were other mild and moderate non-serious treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) considered by the investigators to be unrelated to the treatment. Overall, SL-1002 was deemed well-tolerated, with no therapy- or program-limiting adverse events. Key secondary endpoints included assessments using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), the most widely used efficacy measurement in spasticity trials. Despite the trial not being powered for efficacy, SL-1002 demonstrated a statistically significant improvement over vehicle at multiple time points throughout the trial. At 6 months, the SL-1002 arm showed a statistically significant reduction in MAS compared to baseline, with a decrease of -1.18, compared to -0.33 reduction in the vehicle arm (p=0.0060). "We are thrilled to share the positive results from the RAISE Limb Spasticity Trial," said Dave Penake, CEO of Saol Therapeutics. "Spasticity can be an incredibly debilitating condition, and the need for new treatment options has been voiced by patients and clinicians. We are especially encouraged by the strong safety profile observed in the RAISE study, alongside the efficacy shown by SL-1002 lasting at least 6 months. Achieving a 1–2-point reduction in MAS is a significant, positive, clinical outcome, and the durability of the treatment give us great confidence in the future of this program." Penake added, "None of this would have been possible without the patients who volunteered for this study and the dedicated investigators and clinical trial site teams. Their collaboration and commitment are what drive medical progress, and we are deeply grateful for their contributions." Dr. Gerard Francisco, the Principal Investigator for the trial, commented, "Treating spasticity is complex, and there is an urgent need for more innovative therapies. These early results show that SL-1002 appears to be safe, effective, and durable. " The RAISE Limb Spasticity Trial was conducted at UTHealth Houston in Houston, TX, where Dr. Sheng Li and Dr. Gerard Francisco served as the investigators, and at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI, where Dr. John McGuire served as the Principal Investigator. Saol Therapeutics plans to meet with the FDA in the first half of 2025 to determine the next steps in the SL-1002 spasticity program. SL-1002 is also being investigated for the treatment of pain related to osteoarthritis of the knee in the COMPASS Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Trial, with results yet to be released. About RAISE Limb Spasticity Trial The RAISE Limb Spasticity trial is a Randomized double-blind, vehicle-controlled, single Ascend Ing dose escalation study to assess the Safety, Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of SL-1002 in adult patients with limb spasticity. (NCT05311215). About COMPASS Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Trial In addition to the RAISE Spasticity Trial, SL-1002 is also being investigated for the treatment of pain related to osteoarthritis of the knee. The COMPASS Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, vehicle- COntrolled, single-ascending dose escalation study to assess the safety and efficacy of SL-1002 injectable for treat Ment of PAin a SSociated with Osteo Arthritis of the knee. (NCT05470608). About SL-1002 SL-1002 is a novel, chemoneurolytic injection, that utilizes Saol's proprietary CYCLOPHLEX™ technology. It is currently being developed for the treatment of chronic knee pain related to osteoarthritis and limb spasticity, both in the adult population (18+) in the United States. About Saol Therapeutics Saol Therapeutics (pronounced "Sail") is a privately held, clinical-stage, pharmaceutical company with operations in Roswell, GA, Dublin, Ireland, and Hamilton, Bermuda. Saol is focused on development activity in CNS disorders such as spasticity and pain management, and orphan diseases. Saol is committed to providing and advancing therapeutic options for patients and the physicians treating these populations. For more information, visit . Saol Therapeutics Contact Senior Vice President, Strategy Brian Nappi [email protected] SOURCE Saol Therapeutics WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED