November 07, 2011 07:33 AM Eastern Time 

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–Dyax Corp. (NASDAQ: DYAX) announced today that two oral and two poster presentations featuring KALBITOR® (ecallantide) data in hereditary angioedema (HAE) were presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Meeting held November 3-8, at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA. three of the presentations featured results from patients enrolled in DX-88/19, an open-label continuation study of ecallantide for the treatment of acute HAE attacks, and the fourth highlighted integrated results from 2 double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of ecallantide for treatment of acute HAE attacks, the EDEMA3® and EDEMA4® studies. KALBITOR® is indicated for the treatment of acute attacks of HAE in patients 16 years of age and older.

“Data from our clinical studies in HAE continue to support the use of KALBITOR in treating acute attacks, with a consistent and significant treatment effect demonstrated regardless of attack location”

Andrew MacGinnitie, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and attending physician at Children’s Hospital Boston, delivered the oral presentation titled “DX-88/19: Final Results from the Open-Label Continuation Study of Ecallantide for Acute Attacks of Hereditary Angioedema.” Commenting on the DX-88/19 study, Dr. MacGinnitie stated, “The data presented at ACAAI demonstrate that ecallantide remains effective for acute HAE attacks across multiple treatment episodes while drug related adverse events did not appear to increase upon repeat dosing.” He continued, “These findings confirm the safety and efficacy of ecallantide and further support its use as a treatment for this rare and potentially serious condition.”

“Data from our clinical studies in HAE continue to support the use of KALBITOR in treating acute attacks, with a consistent and significant treatment effect demonstrated regardless of attack location,” commented Gustav Christensen, President and Chief Executive Officer at Dyax Corp. “Dyax is highly committed to helping HAE patients and healthcare providers learn about this disease by providing educational and awareness programs and ensuring access to KALBITOR therapy.”

Complete List of Presentations on KALBITOR® at ACAAI 2011

• DX-88/19: Final Results from the Open-Label Continuation Study of Ecallantide for Acute Attacks of Hereditary Angioedema – Andrew J. MacGinnitie, MD, PhD, Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA – Oral Abstract 31 presented on Sunday, November 6, 2:30-2:45 p.m. EST
• Rebound and Relapse of Acute Attacks of Hereditary Angioedema Following Ecallantide Treatment – Jonathan a. Bernstein, MD, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH – Oral Abstract 8 presented on Sunday, November 6, 2:45-3:00 p.m. EST

Poster Presentations

• Ecallantide Administration as 2 vs. 3 Injections for Hereditary Angioedema: Results from the DX-88/19 Study – Daniel F. Soteres, MD, MPH, Asthma & Allergy Associates, P.C., Colorado Springs, CO – Poster P335 presented on Saturday, November 5, 12:30-1:30p.m. EST and Sunday, November 6, 12:00-1:00p.m. EST
• Efficacy of Ecallantide for the Treatment of Acute Attacks by Primary Attack Location in DX-88/19 (Continuation)—the Open-Label Extension Study – Timothy J. Craig, DO, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA – Poster P336 presented on Saturday, November 5, 12:30-1:30p.m. EST and Sunday, November 6, 12:00-1:00p.m. EST

About KALBITOR® (ecallantide)

KALBITOR is a plasma kallikrein inhibitor indicated for the treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in patients 16 years of age and older. KALBITOR, which was discovered and developed by Dyax, is the first subcutaneous treatment available in the U.S. for treating acute HAE attacks.

Important KALBITOR Safety Information

Anaphylaxis has been reported after administration of KALBITOR. because of the risk of anaphylaxis, KALBITOR should only be administered by a healthcare professional with appropriate medical support to manage anaphylaxis and hereditary angioedema. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the similarity of symptoms between hypersensitivity reactions and hereditary angioedema and patients should be monitored closely. KALBITOR should not be administered to patients with known clinical hypersensitivity to KALBITOR.

As part of product approval, Dyax has implemented a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. the goal of the REMS is to communicate the risk of anaphylaxis and the importance of distinguishing between a hypersensitivity reaction and HAE attack symptoms.

for more information about KALBITOR, including full prescribing information, visit KALBITOR.com.

KALBITOR Development HAE Program

the approval of KALBITOR is based on the results of two placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical studies, known as EDEMA3® and EDEMA4®. Patients having an attack of HAE, at any anatomic location, with at least one moderate or severe symptom, were treated with 30 mg subcutaneous KALBITOR or placebo. because patients could participate in both trials, a total of 143 unique patients participated. there were 64 patients with abdominal attacks, 55 with peripheral attacks, and 24 with laryngeal attacks. In both trials, the effects of KALBITOR were evaluated using the Mean Symptom Complex Severity (MSCS) score and the Treatment Outcome Score (TOS), two HAE-specific patient-reported outcome endpoints developed by Dyax. these measures evaluated the severity of attack symptoms at all anatomical locations (MSCS score) and response to therapy (TOS). In the EDEMA4 trial at 4 hours, patients treated with KALBITOR demonstrated a greater decrease from baseline in the mean MSCS than placebo (-0.8 vs. -0.4; p = 0.010) and a greater mean TOS (53 vs. 8, p = 0.003). In the EDEMA4 trial at 24 hours, patients treated with KALBITOR also demonstrated a greater decrease from baseline in the mean MSCS than placebo (-1.5 vs. -1.1; p = 0.04) and a greater mean TOS (89 vs. 55, p = 0.03). the results in the EDEMA3 trial were consistent with the EDEMA4 trial results.

Potentially serious hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, have occurred in patients treated with KALBITOR. In 255 HAE patients treated with intravenous or subcutaneous KALBITOR in clinical studies, 10 patients (3.9%) experienced anaphylaxis. for the subgroup of 187 patients treated with subcutaneous KALBITOR, 5 patients (2.7%) experienced anaphylaxis. Symptoms associated with these reactions have included chest discomfort, flushing, pharyngeal edema, pruritus, rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal congestion, throat irritation, urticaria, wheezing, and hypotension. these reactions occurred within the first hour after dosing.

the most common adverse reactions occurring in greater-than or equal to 3% of KALBITOR-treated patients and greater than placebo were headache, nausea, diarrhea, pyrexia, injection site reactions, and nasopharyngitis.

KALBITOR Access®

Patients and healthcare providers can contact KALBITOR Access® to receive information and work with program staff to research patient insurance coverage for KALBITOR. KALBITOR Access is designed as a one-stop point of contact for information about KALBITOR. the program is staffed with dedicated insurance specialists and nurse case managers who will help coordinate patient treatment and access to KALBITOR. Patients and healthcare providers can call 1-888-4KALBITOR (1-888-452-5248) for information and to utilize these services or visit KALBITOR.com.

About HAE

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare acute inflammatory condition characterized by episodes of severe, often painful swelling affecting the extremities, gastrointestinal tract, genitalia, and larynx. HAE is caused by low or dysfunctional levels of C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH), a naturally occurring molecule that inhibits plasma kallikrein, a key mediator of inflammation, and other serine proteases in the blood. HAE is estimated to affect 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 50,000 individuals. Learn more at HAEHope.com.

About Dyax

Dyax is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel biotherapeutics for unmet medical needs. the Company’s lead product, ecallantide, has been approved under the brand name KALBITOR® in the United States for the treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in patients 16 years of age and older.

Dyax is commercializing KALBITOR in the United States independently, and establishing strategic partnerships to develop and commercialize ecallantide for the treatment of HAE in key regions worldwide. Currently, Dyax has partnership agreements for regions including Europe, Japan, Russia, the Middle East, Israel, North Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America (excluding Mexico), the Caribbean, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea. the company is also exploring other potential indications for ecallantide, either alone or through partnerships, including drug-induced angioedema.

Ecallantide and other compounds in Dyax’s pipeline were identified using its patented phage display technology, which rapidly selects compounds that bind with high affinity and specificity to therapeutic targets. Dyax leverages this technology broadly through the Licensing and Funded Research Program (LFRP), which has approximately 75 revenue generating licenses and collaborations for therapeutic discovery, as well as for affinity separations, diagnostic imaging, and research reagents. the success of the Company’s LFRP royalty portfolio is illustrated by the program’s advanced licensee pipeline that includes 17 candidates in clinical development. Of those candidates, four are in Phase 3 clinical trials, four are in Phase 2 and nine are in Phase 1.

Dyax Disclaimer

this press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the prospects for therapeutic benefits and treatment advantages of KALBITOR for HAE. Statements that are not historical facts are based on Dyax’s current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry and markets in which Dyax competes. the statements contained in this release are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which are difficult to predict. therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed in such forward-looking statements. important factors which may affect the prospects for therapeutic benefits and treatment advantages of KALBITOR for HAE include the risks that: others may develop technologies or products superior to KALBITOR or that are on the market before KALBITOR; KALBITOR may not gain market acceptance; Dyax is dependent on the expertise, effort, priorities and contractual obligations of third parties in the manufacture, marketing, sales and distribution of KALBITOR; and other risk factors described or referred to in Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in Dyax’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Dyax cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. these statements speak only as of the date of this release, and Dyax undertakes no obligations to update or revise these statements, except as may be required by law.

Dyax, the Dyax logo, KALBITOR and KALBITOR Access are registered trademarks of Dyax Corp. EDEMA3 and EDEMA4 are registered service marks of Dyax Corp.