Reata Pharmaceuticals Announces that the FDA Does Not Plan to Hold an Advisory Committee Meeting to Discuss the NDA for Omaveloxolone for Friedreich’s Ataxia

Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RETA) (“Reata,” the “Company,” “our,” “us,” or “we”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has informed the Company that it does not plan to hold an advisory committee meeting in connection with its review of the Company’s New Drug Application (“NDA”) for omaveloxolone for the treatment of patients with Friedreich’s ataxia.

“Friedreich’s ataxia is a rare, genetic, debilitating, and degenerative neuromuscular disorder with no approved therapies, and we are committed to our goal of working to secure approval for omaveloxolone for patients living with this severe disease,” said Warren Huff, Reata’s Chief Executive Officer.

About Friedreich's Ataxia

Friedreich’s ataxia is a rare, genetic, life-shortening, debilitating, and degenerative neuromuscular disorder typically caused by a trinucleotide repeat expansion in the first intron of the frataxin gene, which encodes the mitochondrial protein frataxin. Pathogenic repeat expansions can lead to impaired transcription and reduced frataxin expression, which can result in mitochondrial iron overload and poor cellular iron regulation, increased sensitivity to oxidative stress, and impaired mitochondrial ATP production. Patients with Friedreich’s ataxia typically experience symptoms in childhood, including progressive loss of coordination, muscle weakness, and fatigue that commonly results in motor incapacitation with patients requiring a wheelchair in their 20s. Patients with Friedreich’s ataxia may also experience visual impairment, hearing loss, diabetes, and cardiomyopathy. On average, patients with Friedreich’s ataxia die in the mid-thirties. Based on literature and proprietary research, we believe Friedreich’s ataxia affects approximately 5,000 children and adults in the United States and 22,000 individuals globally. There are an estimated 4,000 patients diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia in the United States. Currently, there are no approved therapies for the treatment of Friedreich’s ataxia.

About Omaveloxolone

Omaveloxolone is an investigational, oral, once-daily activator of Nrf2, a transcription factor that induces molecular pathways that promote the resolution of inflammation by restoring mitochondrial function, reducing oxidative stress, and inhibiting pro-inflammatory signaling. The FDA has granted Orphan Drug, Fast Track, and Rare Pediatric Disease Designations to omaveloxolone for the treatment of Friedreich’s ataxia. The European Commission has granted Orphan Drug designation in Europe to omaveloxolone for the treatment of Friedreich’s ataxia. A New Drug Application for omaveloxolone for the treatment of Friedreich’s ataxia is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

About Reata

Reata is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops novel therapeutics for patients with serious or life-threatening diseases by targeting molecular pathways involved in the regulation of cellular metabolism and inflammation. Reata’s two most advanced clinical candidates, omaveloxolone and bardoxolone methyl (“bardoxolone”), target the important transcription factor Nrf2 that promotes the resolution of inflammation by restoring mitochondrial function, reducing oxidative stress, and inhibiting pro-inflammatory signaling. Omaveloxolone and bardoxolone are investigational drugs, and their safety and efficacy have not been established by any agency.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain disclosures that contain “forward-looking statements,” including, without limitation, statements regarding the success, cost and timing of our product development activities and clinical trials, our plans to research, develop, and commercialize our product candidates, our plans to submit regulatory filings, and our ability to obtain and retain regulatory approval of our product candidates. You can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “believes,” “will,” “may,” “aims,” “plans,” “model,” and “expects.” Forward-looking statements are based on Reata’s current expectations and assumptions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements, which are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, (i) the timing, costs, conduct, and outcome of our clinical trials and future preclinical studies and clinical trials, including the timing of the initiation and availability of data from such trials; (ii) the timing and likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals for our product candidates; (iii) whether regulatory authorities determine that additional trials or data are necessary in order to obtain approval; (iv) the potential market size and the size of the patient populations for our product candidates, if approved for commercial use, and the market opportunities for our product candidates; and (v) other factors set forth in Reata’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, under the caption “Risk Factors.” The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made and, other than as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

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