Archemix drug wins orphan status in Europe

Archemix Corp., a Cambridge biotechnology company, today announced that one of its product candidates has received orphan drug designation from European regulators.

The candidate, known as ARC1779, received orphan drug designation from the US Food and Drug Administration in April, the company added.

According to Archemix, ARC1779 is an anti-platelet agent that has the potential to treat a rare, life-threatening blood disorder known as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, or TTP.

There is no drug approved for the treatment of TTP, and acute episodes of TTP are associated with a significant mortality rate, estimated to be as high as 20 percent, Archemix said.

An orphan-drug designation in the European Union confers a range of benefits to pharmaceutical companies, including market exclusivity for a period of 10 years, said Archemix, which added that ARC1779 is currently in Phase 2 clinical development.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)