UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 6-K

 


 

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER

PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16

UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the Month of June 2018

 

Commission File Number: 001-38097

 


 

ARGENX SE

(Translation of registrant’s name into English)

 


 

Willemstraat 5
4811 AH, Breda, the Netherlands

(Address of principal executive offices)

 


 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

 

Form 20-F  x     Form 40-F  o

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): o

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): o

 

 

 



 

argenx SE

 

On June 14, 2018, argenx SE (the “Company) issued a press release, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.

 

The information contained in this Current Report on Form 6-K, including Exhibit 99.1, is incorporated by reference into the Company’s Registration Statements on Forms F-3 (File No. 333-225370) and S-8 (File No. 333-225375).

 

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EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit

 

Description

 

 

 

99.1

 

Press Release dated June 14, 2018

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

ARGENX SE

 

 

 

Date: June 14, 2018

By:

/s/ Dirk Beeusaert

 

 

Dirk Beeusaert

 

 

General Counsel

 

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Exhibit 99.1

 

 

argenx announces data from Phase 1 study of
efgartigimod (ARGX-113) subcutaneous formulation demonstrating comparable
characteristics to intravenous formulation

 

-    Subcutaneous formulation offers potential for increased patient convenience and acceptance -

 

June 14, 2018

 

Breda, the Netherlands/Ghent, Belgium — argenx (Euronext & Nasdaq: ARGX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a deep pipeline of differentiated antibody-based therapies for the treatment of severe autoimmune diseases and cancer, today announced results from its Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating a subcutaneous (SC) formulation of efgartigimod (ARGX-113) in healthy volunteers. The data show that at the same dose level the SC formulation was comparable across key measures, including half-life, pharmacodynamics and tolerability, to the intravenous (IV) formulation used in clinical studies to date.

 

argenx intends to use the data from the Phase 1 study to further explore SC dosing schedules of efgartigimod as a more convenient administration option for patients, including the potential of a loading dose of IV efgartigimod followed by SC maintenance.

 

“We believe the development of a SC formulation could offer a more tailored therapy by providing flexible dosing options and greater convenience for patients. With a SC formulation, we also plan to explore the potential for an off-the-shelf delivery system using a fine bore needle size to allow patients additional optionality around administration,” said Keith Woods, Chief Operating Officer at argenx. “Based on the data presented today showing that SC dosing can maintain IgG suppression, we intend to further develop this product candidate within our efgartigimod portfolio.”

 

The open-label, Phase 1 study enrolled 32 healthy volunteers and included three treatment arms: one each of single dose SC and IV efgartigimod, and one evaluating an IV induction followed by a SC maintenance dose. In the single dose treatment arms, the data showed the SC formulation to have comparable half-life, pharmacodynamics and tolerability to the IV formulation, and a bioavailability of approximately 50%. In addition, initial IV dosing followed by weekly 300 mg (2 ml) SC administration of efgartigimod provided sufficient exposure to maintain IgG suppression at a steady state IgG reduction of approximately 50%. The data also suggest a favorable tolerability profile and no meaningful anti-drug antibody signals were reported. The SC formulation supports key manufacturing improvements, including a high product concentration (150mg/ml), low viscosity and optimal stability.

 

About efgartigimod Phase 2 Trials

 

Efgartigimod is currently being tested in two Phase 2 clinical trials for immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and pemphigus vulgaris (PV). argenx is also preparing for a potential Phase 3 clinical trial in myasthenia gravis (MG) using the IV formulation of efgartigimod. In a Phase 2 clinical trial with MG

 



 

patients, the IV formulation was well-tolerated and showed promising pharmacodynamic effects relating to speed, depth and duration of total IgG and pathogenic IgG reduction.

 

About efgartigimod

 

Efgartigimod (ARGX-113) is an investigational therapy for IgG-mediated autoimmune diseases and was designed to exploit the natural interaction between IgG antibodies and the recycling receptor FcRn. Efgartigimod is the Fc-portion of an antibody that has been modified by the argenx proprietary ABDEG™ technology to increase its affinity for FcRn beyond that of normal IgG antibodies. As a result, efgartigimod blocks antibody recycling through FcRn binding and leads to fast depletion of the autoimmune disease-causing IgG autoantibodies. The development work on efgartigimod is conducted in close collaboration with Prof. E. Sally Ward (University of Texas Southwestern Medical and Texas A&M University Health Science Center, a part of Texas A&M University (TAMHSC)).

 

About argenx

 

argenx is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a deep pipeline of differentiated antibody-based therapies for the treatment of severe auto-immune diseases and cancer. The company is focused on developing product candidates with the potential to be either first-in-class against novel targets or best-in-class against known, but complex, targets in order to treat diseases with a significant unmet medical need. argenx’ ability to execute on this focus is enabled by its suite of differentiated technologies. The SIMPLE AntibodyTM Platform, based on the powerful llama immune system, allows argenx to exploit novel and complex targets, and the three antibody engineering technologies are designed to enable the expansion of the therapeutic index of the company’s product candidates.

 

www.argenx.com

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Joke Comijn, Director Corporate Communications & Investor Relations (EU)

+32 (0)477 77 29 44

+32 (0)9 310 34 19

info@argenx.com

 

Beth DelGiacco, VP Investor Relations (US)

+1 518 424 4980

bdelgiacco@argenx.com

 

Forward-looking Statements

 

The contents of this announcement include statements that are, or may be deemed to be, “forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” or “should,” and include statements argenx makes concerning the intended results of

 



 

its strategy and argenx’s advancement of, and anticipated clinical development and regulatory milestones and plans, including the Phase 1 program to evaluate a subcutaneous formulation of efgartigimod (including additional dosing schedules), including its potential manufacturing characteristics and convenience of administration; the progress of its Phase 2 clinical trials of efgartigimod in ITP and PV; the potential of a Phase 3 clinical trial of efgartigimod in MG; the timing of expected data readouts related to efgartigimod; and the commercial potential of efgartigimod. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. argenx’s actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including argenx’s expectations regarding its the inherent uncertainties associated with competitive developments, preclinical and clinical trial and product development activities and regulatory approval requirements; argenx’s reliance on collaborations with third parties; estimating the commercial potential of argenx’s product candidates; argenx’s ability to obtain and maintain protection of intellectual property for its technologies and drugs; argenx’s limited operating history; and argenx’s ability to obtain additional funding for operations and to complete the development and commercialization of its product candidates. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other risks can be found in argenx’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings and reports, including in argenx’s most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC as well as subsequent filings and reports filed by argenx with the SEC. Given these uncertainties, the reader is advised not to place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of publication of this document. argenx undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise the information in this press release, including any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.