Zafgen, Inc. (Nasdaq:ZFGN), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to significantly improving the health and well-being of patients affected by obesity and complex metabolic disorders, today issued the following statement:
“Zafgen recently learned of a patient death which occurred in the Company’s ongoing double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 3 bestPWS study of beloranib in Prader-Willi Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder with a high rate of mortality linked to obesity and its co-morbidities. The cause of death remains unknown at this time. According to normal practice, the event was reported to the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration, at which point the Agency initiated a discussion with the Company. The Company is working with the Agency to expedite a review and understanding of this event, and to determine implications of the event on the conduct of the trial, and anticipates providing an update as its discussions with the Agency progress. The thoughts of the Company are with the family of the patient at this time. Zafgen remains committed to ensuring the safety of all patients enrolled in its studies.”
About Zafgen
Zafgen (Nasdaq:ZFGN) is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to significantly improving the health and well-being of patients affected by obesity and complex metabolic disorders. Zafgen is focused on developing novel therapeutics that treat the underlying biological mechanisms through the MetAP2 pathway. Beloranib, Zafgen’s lead product candidate, is a novel, first-in-class, twice-weekly subcutaneous injection being developed for the treatment of multiple indications, including severe obesity in two rare diseases, Prader-Willi Syndrome and obesity caused by hypothalamic injury, including craniopharyngioma-associated obesity; and severe obesity in the general population. Zafgen is also developing ZGN-839, a liver-targeted MetAP2 inhibitor, for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, and abdominal obesity, as well as second-generation MetAP2 inhibitors. Zafgen aspires to improve the lives of patients through targeted treatments and has assembled a team accomplished in bringing therapies to patients with both rare and prevalent metabolic diseases.Â
