Stealth receives accelerated approval for elamipretide in Barth Syndrome and with it a priority review voucher. Third attempt at approval and the priority review voucher likely saves the company.
The FDA has accepted the now third NDA submission from Stealth BioTherapeutics, for elamipretide in Barth Syndrome (rare, genetic disorder). I have put together a timeline below of the very tortuous history between Stealth and the FDA.
• Dec ’16 - Stealth submits a protocol to the FDA to evaluate elamipretide in patients with Barth syndrome.
• Nov ’17 - FDA grants Fast Track designation.
• Mar ’18 - FDA grants Orphan Drug designation.
• Jan ’19 - Stealth meets with the FDA, indicating its intent to submit an NDA.
• Mar ’20 - FDA grants Rare Pediatric Disease designation.
• Jan ’19 to May ’21 - Several meetings with the FDA. FDA states existing data is unlikely to support filing and recommends a new phase 3 trial.
• Aug ’21 - Stealth submits an NDA for Barth syndrome despite prior FDA feedback.
• Oct ’21 - FDA issues refuse-to-file letter
• Nov ’21 - Stealth and the FDA discuss the refuse-to-file letter. FDA continue to recommend a new phase 3 trial. Stealth informs the FDA of their intent to resubmit the NDA without conducting a new trial.
• Aug ’22 - Stealth takes company private.
• Dec ’23 - The Barth Syndrome Foundation submits a petition to the FDA advocating for a fair, equitable and appropriate review.
• Jan ’24 - Stealth resubmits the NDA.
• Mar ’24 - FDA accepts the NDA (Standard Review) to conduct a more detailed review of the data and plans to convene an advisory committee for external input.
• Apr ’24 - FDA upgrades the review to Priority Review.
• Oct ’24 - The Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee votes 10–6 that elamipretide is effective for treating patients with Barth syndrome.
• Jan ’25 - Following the AdCom, the FDA requests additional data constituting a major amendment. The PDUFA date is extended by three months.
• Apr ’25 - FDA misses the PDUFA date.
• May ’25 - FDA issues a Complete Response Letter. Stealth cuts its workforce by ~30%.
• May ’25 - FDA responds to Dec ’23 petition.
• 18 Aug ’25 - Stealth resubmits the NDA following feedback from the FDA, seeking accelerated approval based on an intermediate clinical endpoint, using data already included in prior submissions.
• 21 Aug ’25 - FDA accepts the resubmission with goal date of 26 September 2025.