Vanda Pharmaceuticals Announces FDA Granted Orphan Drug Designation for VGT-1849B, a Novel and Selective Candidate for the Treatment of Polycythemia Vera

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[{"type":"text","content":"WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Vanda) (Nasdaq: VNDA) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation for VGT-1849B, a selective peptide nucleic acid-based JAK2 inhibitor for the treatment of polycythemia vera (PV).\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \nPV is a chronic myeloproliferative disorder characterized by aberrant hematopoiesis of myeloid lineage with exuberant red cell production and increased release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. More than 95% of PV patients harbor the JAK2 V617F gain-of-function mutation leading to aberrant JAK2 production.1 The prevalence of PV in the United States is estimated to affect 44 to 57 per 100,000 people.2\nVGT-1849B is an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) that utilizes a novel backbone chemistry, OliPass Peptide Nucleic Acid (OPNA), that has been derived from peptide nucleic acid (PNA) by rationally introducing cationic lipid moieties onto nucleobases. By covalently attaching cationic lipid groups onto PNA, cell permeability and affinity for RNA are markedly improved.\nBy selectively targeting JAK2 mRNA, VGT-1849B reduces downstream signaling and JAK2V617F-driven autonomous cell proliferation. VGT-1849B targets JAK2 with high precision and effectively reduces JAK2 protein production, without any off-target kinase effects. Inhibiting JAK2 acts to suppress hematopoiesis, consequently reducing red blood cell, neutrophil, platelet, and lymphocyte production. The ability of VGT-1849B to reduce JAK2 protein may alleviate the disease burden that patients with PV face with a favorable safety profile, resulting in a higher quality of life for patients.\nJAK2 inhibitors have been shown to be efficacious in treating various JAK-dependent hematologic malignancies, including the treatment of PV. While there are several JAK inhibitors available such as Jakafi®, Inrebic®, Ojjaara®, and Vonjo®, none are solely selective to JAK2. Due to the highly conserved structure of the catalytic sites of protein kinases, JAK2 inhibitors may bind to off-target kinases, leading to increased toxicity and a worse overall safety profile. The adverse side effects that may occur from JAK inhibition emphasize the importance of selectively targeting JAK2 while avoiding inhibition of other JAK family members. By specifically targeting JAK2, we aim to redu...

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