Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced that
GlaxoSmithKline's Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) for
ambrisentan for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)
was validated by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) following a
review by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).
Following the validation of an MAA, the dossier is distributed to
members of the CHMP for formal review. As a result of this validation,
Gilead will receive a milestone payment from GlaxoSmithKline.
About Ambrisentan
Ambrisentan is a non-sulfonamide, propanoic acid-class, endothelin
receptor antagonist that is selective for the endothelin type-A
(ET(A)) receptor. Activation of the ET(A) receptor by endothelin, a
small peptide hormone, leads to vasoconstriction and cell
proliferation. PAH is associated with elevated endothelin blood
levels. Ambrisentan has been granted orphan drug designation for the
treatment of PAH in both the United States and European Union.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently accepted for
filing and granted a Priority Review for Gilead's New Drug Application
(NDA) for marketing approval of ambrisentan (5 mg and 10 mg) for the
once-daily treatment of PAH. The FDA has established a target review
date, under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA), of June 18,
2007.
As an investigational compound, ambrisentan has not yet been
determined safe or efficacious in humans.
GlaxoSmithKline holds rights to commercialize ambrisentan in
territories outside of the United States.
About Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
PAH is a debilitating disease characterized by constriction of the
blood vessels in the lungs leading to high pulmonary arterial
pressures. These high pressures make it difficult for the heart to
pump blood through the lungs to be oxygenated. Patients with PAH
suffer from shortness of breath as the heart struggles to pump against
these high pressures causing such patients to ultimately die of heart
failure. PAH can occur with no known underlying cause, or it can occur
secondary to diseases such as connective tissue disease, congenital
heart defects, cirrhosis of the liver and HIV infection. PAH afflicts
approximately 200,000 patients worldwide.
About Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers,
develops and commercializes innovative therapeutics in areas of unmet
medical need. The company's mission is to advance the care of patients
suffering from life-threatening diseases worldwide. Headquartered in
Foster City, California, Gilead has operations in North America,
Europe and Australia. For more information on Gilead Sciences, please
visit the company's website at www.gilead.com or call Gilead Public
Affairs at 1-800-GILEAD-5 or 1-650-574-3000.
This press release includes forward-looking statements, within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that
are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including risks
related to Gilead's ability to successfully commercialize this
product. For example, the EMEA may not approve ambrisentan for the
treatment of PAH in the European Union and the FDA may not approve
ambrisentan for the treatment of PAH in the United States, and any
marketing approval, if granted, may have significant limitations on
its use. In addition, future discussions with the EMEA or FDA may
impact the amount of data needed and timelines for review, which may
differ materially from Gilead's current projections. These risks,
uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ
materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements.
The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking
statements. These and other risks are described in detail in Gilead's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 filed
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking
statements are based on information currently available to Gilead, and
Gilead assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking
statements.
