ZYCUBO® is now the first and only therapy approved for the treatment of Menkes disease in the United States

Ahmedabad, Solana Beach, CA : Sentynl Therapeutics Inc. (“Sentynl”), a U.S.-based biopharmaceutical company wholly-owned by Zydus Lifesciences Limited (“Zydus Group”), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has approved ZYCUBO® (copper histidinate) for the treatment of Menkes disease in pediatric patients. This is the first and only treatment approved for Menkes disease, a rare and fatal genetic condition, in the United States. ZYCUBO® is not indicated for the treatment of Occipital Horn Syndrome.

“Approval is a pivotal step towards achieving our goal of making a meaningful impact on patients, caregivers, and the rare disease community,” said Dr. Sharvil P. Patel, Managing Director, Zydus Lifesciences Limited. “This milestone marks a transformative moment for the Zydus Group and for families affected by Menkes disease. For the first time, patients have access to an approved therapy, offering hope where no options existed. We are proud to advance patient care and deliver innovative solutions to those who need them most.”

Menkes disease is a rare X-linked recessive pediatric disease caused by mutations of the copper transporter ATP7A encoded by the ATP7A gene. Patients with Menkes disease are born with the inability to absorb dietary copper and subsequently have impaired copper transport across the blood-brain barrier, and, until now, there has been no approved treatment in the United States.  ZYCUBO® is a subcutaneous injectable formulation of copper histidinate that restores copper homeostasis and maintains copper levels in patients with Menkes disease. (Estimated birth prevalence of Menkes disease and ATP7A-related disorders based on the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) and Menkes disease | European Journal of Human Genetics)

“Menkes disease presents significant challenges for patients and their families. With no known cure, most untreated patients do not survive beyond three years of age,” said Matt Heck, CEO, Sentynl. “FDA’s approval serves as compelling affirmation that a safe and effective therapy is now available for patients living with this devastating disease.”

The approval is supported by positive topline clinical efficacy results for ZYCUBO, demonstrating statistically significant improvement in overall survival for Menkes disease subjects who received early treatment (“ET”) with ZYCUBO, compared to an untreated contemporaneous external control cohort, with a nearly 80% reduction in the risk of death. Median overall survival (“OS”) was 177.1 months for ZYCUBO ET cohort compared to 17.6 months for the untreated contemporaneous external control cohort. (U.S. Prescribing Information)

The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥7%) were pneumonia, viral infection, respiratory failure, seizure, bacterial infection, hemorrhage, hypotension, vomiting, tachycardia, pyrexia, volume depletion, fracture, dyspnea, transaminases elevation, diarrhea, fungal infection, anemia, and local administration reaction.

“This milestone represents the culmination of decades of research into better understanding and ultimately finding an effective treatment for Menkes disease,” said Dr. Stephen Kaler, a clinical genetics and genomics specialist at the Columbia University Medical Center. “Increased awareness of Menkes disease and rapid testing upon suspicion are critical, as beginning copper histidinate therapy in affected neonates has been shown to reduce symptoms and prolong life.”

Acquired from Cyprium Therapeutics in 2023, Sentynl has advanced ZYCUBOthrough the final stages of development with the FDA based on positive results from pivotal studies, receiving Breakthrough Therapy, Fast Track, Rare Pediatric Disease, and the FDA Orphan Drug Designations. Copper histidinate has also been granted Orphan Designation by the European Medicines Agency.