Forge Biologics, a member of Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services and a manufacturer of genetic medicines, announced that the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK’s healthcare regulatory body, granted Innovation Passport designation to the company’s novel AAV gene therapy program, FBX-101, to enter the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP). FBX-101 was created for the treatment of patients with Krabbe disease, a rare neurodegenerative disease that is usually fatal in untreated patients by age two. The ILAP is intended to accelerate regulatory and market access interactions in the UK.

The REKLAIM clinical trial is evaluating the safety and efficacy of FBX-101 in patients with infantile and late infantile Krabbe disease. Children assessed in REKLAIM have received intravenous FBX-101 in addition to the current standard of care, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Clinical data demonstrate that FBX 101 has been well tolerated and has an excellent safety profile after the treatment of five patients. Results show improvements in motor function in all patients, the most meaningful clinical outcome for this disease.

FBX-101 has been granted Orphan Drug Designation and Priority Medicines (PRIME) designation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), allowing Forge to advance and expedite the development of FBX-101 as the leading worldwide gene therapy for patients with Krabbe disease. In the US, the FDA has granted FBX-101 Fast Track Designation, Orphan Drug Designation, and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation.

Regulatory review by the MHRA through ILAP provides opportunities for further global acceptance of Forge’s manufacturing process and facility though additional reviews and inspections, including Compliance Readiness Inspections that provide custom and pragmatic supervisory and licensing inspections specific to the GMP guidelines. Through this designation Forge has expanded global regulatory experience to include interactions with the MHRA in the UK. This access to global health authority resources will enable an added level of assurance to clients utilizing Forge’s CDMO services with integrated regulatory support.

“Considering the rapid progression of Krabbe disease in young patients and the positive results we’ve observed in the REKLAIM trial, we are pleased to receive the Innovation Passport designation which will enable Forge to further accelerate the clinical development of FBX-101,” said Maria Escolar, M.D., Forge’s Chief Medical Officer. “ILAP was created to provide access to tools to decrease the time to market and facilitate patient access to medicines in the UK for life-threatening or seriously debilitating conditions.”