UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
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| Item 7.01. | Regulation FD Disclosure. |
On September 29, 2020, Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed the Investigational New Drug Application (IND) for AR-15512 (TRPM8 agonist) eye drop for dry eye and it is now in effect, allowing Aerie to initiate clinical studies in the treatment of dry eye. Aerie expects to initiate a Phase 2b clinical study in the fourth quarter of 2020. A copy of this press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 7.01.
The information in this Item 7.01 (including Exhibit 99.1) is being furnished, not filed, pursuant to Regulation FD. Accordingly, the information in this Item 7.01 will not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, unless specifically identified therein as being incorporated therein by reference. The furnishing of the information in this Item 7.01 is not intended to, and does not, constitute a determination or admission by the Company that this information is material or complete, or that investors should consider this information before making an investment decision with respect to any security of the Company.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits.
The following exhibit relating to Item 7.01 shall be deemed to be furnished, and not filed:
| 99.1 | Press Release dated September 29, 2020. | |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) | |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| AERIE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. | ||||||
| Date: September 29, 2020 | By: | /s/ Richard J. Rubino | ||||
| Richard J. Rubino | ||||||
| Chief Financial Officer | ||||||
Exhibit 99.1
Aerie Pharmaceuticals Announces Acceptance of Its Investigational New Drug Application for AR-15512
(TRPM8 Agonist) Eye Drop for Dry Eye Disease
Durham, N.C., September 29, 2020 – Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AERI), an ophthalmic pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class therapies for the treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma, ocular surface diseases and retinal diseases, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed the Investigational New Drug Application (IND) for AR-15512 (TRPM8 agonist) eye drop for dry eye and it is now in effect , allowing Aerie to initiate clinical studies in the treatment of dry eye. Aerie expects to initiate a Phase 2b clinical study in the fourth quarter of 2020.
AR-15512, formerly AVX-012, was acquired by Aerie in November 2019 in the acquisition of Avizorex Pharma, S.L., a Spanish ophthalmic pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for the treatment of dry eye disease. The active ingredient in AR-15512 is a potent and selective agonist of the TRPM8 cold thermoreceptor ion channel that regulates tear production and blink rate. By stimulating these processes, TRPM8 agonists have the potential to restore tear film volume and reduce ocular discomfort in patients with dry eye. Avizorex completed a Phase 2a study in dry eye subjects in 2019 where positive results support the therapeutic potential to treat signs and symptoms of dry eye.
“The acceptance of the IND for AR-15512 marks the first clinical-stage dry eye product candidate for Aerie, another important milestone for the company. We expect to commence a Phase 2b clinical study, which will be powered as a Phase 3, later this year, with a topline readout expected in the third quarter of 2021,” said Vicente Anido, Jr., Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Aerie.
About Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Aerie is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class therapies for the treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma, ocular surface diseases and retinal diseases. Aerie’s first product, Rhopressa® (netarsudil ophthalmic solution) 0.02%, a once-daily eye drop approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, was launched in the United States in April 2018. In clinical trials of Rhopressa®, the most common adverse reactions were conjunctival hyperemia, corneal verticillata, instillation site pain, and conjunctival hemorrhage. More information about Rhopressa®, including the product label, is available at www.rhopressa.com. Aerie’s second product for the reduction of elevated IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, Rocklatan® (netarsudil and latanoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.02%/0.005%, the first and only fixed-dose combination of Rhopressa® and the widely-prescribed PGA (prostaglandin analog) latanoprost, was launched in the United States in May 2019. In clinical trials of Rocklatan®, the most common adverse reactions were conjunctival hyperemia, corneal verticillata, instillation site pain, and conjunctival hemorrhage. More information about Rocklatan®, including the product label, is available at www.rocklatan.com. Aerie continues to focus on global expansion and the development of additional product candidates and technologies in ophthalmology, including for wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. More information is available at www.aeriepharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We may, in some cases, use terms such as “predicts,” “believes,” “potential,” “proposed,” “continue,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “exploring,” “pursuing” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things: the duration and severity of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, including the impact on our clinical and commercial operations, demand for our products and financial results and condition of our global supply chains; our expectations regarding the commercialization and manufacturing of Rhopressa®, Rocklatan®, Rhokiinsa® and Roclanda® or any current or future product candidates, including the timing, cost or other aspects of their commercial launch; our commercialization, marketing, manufacturing and supply management capabilities and strategies in and outside of the United States; the success, timing and cost of our ongoing and anticipated preclinical studies and clinical trials for Rhopressa® and Rocklatan®, with respect to regulatory approval outside of the United States, and any current or future product candidates, including statements regarding the timing of initiation and completion of the studies and trials, such as statements in this press release regarding any expected clinical trials for AR-15512 (formerly AVX-012), AR-1105 or AR-13503 and the results of such clinical trials; our expectations regarding the effectiveness of Rhopressa®, Rocklatan®, Rhokiinsa®, Roclanda® or any current or future product candidates; the timing of and our ability to request, obtain and maintain FDA or other regulatory authority approval of, or other action with respect to, as applicable, Rhopressa®, Rocklatan® or any current or future product candidates, including the expected timing of, and timing of regulatory and/or other review of, filings for, as applicable, Rhopressa®, Rocklatan® or any current or future product candidates; the potential advantages of Rhopressa® and Rocklatan® or any current or future product candidates; our plans to pursue development of additional product candidates and technologies; our plans to explore possible uses of our existing proprietary compounds beyond glaucoma, including development of our retina program; our ability to protect our proprietary technology and enforce our intellectual property rights; and our expectations regarding strategic operations, including our ability to in-license or acquire additional ophthalmic products, product candidates or technologies. In particular, FDA approval of Rhopressa® and Rocklatan® do not constitute FDA approval of AR-15512, AR-1105 or AR-13503 or any future product candidates, and there can be no assurance that we will receive FDA approval for AR-15512, AR-1105 or AR-13503 or any future product candidates. In addition, FDA approval of Rhopressa® and Rocklatan® and EMA approval of Rhokiinsa® do not constitute regulatory approval of Rhopressa® and Rocklatan® in other jurisdictions, including EMA approval of Roclanda®, and there can be no assurance that we will receive regulatory approval for Rhopressa® and Rocklatan® in such other jurisdictions, including EMA approval of Roclanda®. Furthermore, EMA acceptance of the MAA for Roclanda® does not constitute EMA approval of Roclanda®, and there can be no assurance that we will receive EMA approval of Roclanda®. In addition, the acceptance of the IND discussed in this press release does not constitute FDA approval of AR-15512 and the outcome of later clinical trials for AR-15512 may not be sufficient to submit an NDA with the FDA or to receive FDA approval. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events, competitive dynamics, industry change and other factors beyond our control, and depend on regulatory approvals and economic and other environmental circumstances that may or may not occur in the future or may occur on longer or shorter timelines than anticipated. We discuss many of these risks in greater detail under the heading “Risk Factors” in the quarterly and annual reports that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update our forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.
Contact:
Media: Tad Heitmann 949-526-8747; theitmann@aeriepharma.com
Investors: Ami Bavishi 908-947-3949; abavishi@aeriepharma.com
Source: Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Document and Entity Information |
Sep. 29, 2020 |
|---|---|
| Cover [Abstract] | |
| Entity Registrant Name | AERIE PHARMACEUTICALS INC |
| Amendment Flag | false |
| Entity Central Index Key | 0001337553 |
| Document Type | 8-K |
| Document Period End Date | Sep. 29, 2020 |
| Entity Incorporation State Country Code | DE |
| Entity File Number | 001-36152 |
| Entity Tax Identification Number | 20-3109565 |
| Entity Address, Address Line One | 4301 Emperor Boulevard |
| Entity Address, Address Line Two | Suite 400 |
| Entity Address, City or Town | Durham |
| Entity Address, State or Province | NC |
| Entity Address, Postal Zip Code | 27703 |
| City Area Code | (919) |
| Local Phone Number | 237-5300 |
| Written Communications | false |
| Soliciting Material | false |
| Pre Commencement Tender Offer | false |
| Pre Commencement Issuer Tender Offer | false |
| Security 12b Title | Shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share |
| Trading Symbol | AERI |
| Security Exchange Name | NASDAQ |
| Entity Emerging Growth Company | false |
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