(Reuters) - Shire Plc’s experimental treatment for children with Hunter syndrome and cognitive impairment failed to meet the main and secondary goals of a late-stage clinical trial.
The trial evaluated the efficacy of Shire’s treatment, SHP609, based on changes in cognition between children treated with the drug and those on a placebo, the London-listed drugmaker said on Tuesday.
Hunter syndrome is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder that mainly affects males. About two in every three patients are also affected with progressive cognitive impairment.
SHP609 is being tested in combination with Elaprase, Shire’s existing drug that treats Hunter syndrome but not cognitive impairment.
Elaprase continues to be an important medication for patients with Hunter syndrome and is unaffected by Tuesday’s results, Shire said.
Shire shares fell more than 1 percent after the news but recovered to trade slightly higher by 1300 GMT. Its U.S.-listed shares fell marginally in premarket trading.
Reporting By Justin George Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Bernard Orr and Sai Sachin Ravikumar
