Exhibit 99.1
![LOGO](https://capedge.com/proxy/8-KA/0001193125-22-308032/g430132g1219091123857.jpg)
Wave Life Sciences Provides Positive Update on Proof-of-Concept Study for WVE-N531 in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
53% mean exon skipping and <1% (BLQ) mean dystrophin expression six weeks after initiating biweekly multidosing
PN chemistry improved pharmacology of WVE-N531 compared with Wave’s first-generation DMD program – demonstrated high muscle concentrations with a mean of 42 micrograms/gram
WVE-N531 appeared safe and well tolerated
Third Wave clinical trial evaluating a PN chemistry-containing compound to achieve target engagement in 2022
Wave to host investor conference call and webcast at 8:30 a.m. ET today
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., December 19, 2022 – Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (Nasdaq: WVE), a clinical-stage genetic medicines company committed to delivering life-changing treatments for people battling devastating diseases, announced today a positive update from the initial cohort of the Phase 1b/2a proof-of-concept study of WVE-N531 in three boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) amenable to exon 53 skipping. High muscle concentrations of WVE-N531 and exon skipping were observed six weeks after initiating biweekly multidosing at 10 mg/kg, achieving proof-of-concept in the study. WVE-N531 also appeared safe and well-tolerated.
“These data provide early evidence that WVE-N531 is working as intended, leading to substantial exon skipping after just three consecutive doses. This is the earliest timepoint at which exon skipping has been reported in a clinical trial of boys with DMD,” said Anne-Marie Li-Kwai-Cheung, Chief Development Officer of Wave Life Sciences. “While dystrophin was below the lower limit of detection, it is expected that dystrophin protein production would lag splicing of the RNA transcript. We are encouraged by these early results and are evaluating next steps for the program, including the continuation of this initial cohort. We would like to express our sincerest gratitude to the boys, their families, and the investigators who participated in the study.”
“There remains a significant unmet need in DMD for new treatment options. It is exciting to see this level of exon skipping in a short period of time, especially since skipping would be expected to increase over a longer dosing interval,” said Laurent Servais, MD, PhD, professor of pediatric neuromuscular diseases at the MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Center and primary investigator in the WVE-N531 study. “Based on the data, it appears Wave’s next-generation chemistry has led to significantly improved pharmacology. Expression of dystrophin after longer exposure will, of course, be key to confirm the promise of these early data. I look forward to the continued progression of clinical research for WVE-N531.”
Three ambulatory boys participated in this open-label, intra-patient dose escalation clinical trial (NCT04906460). The boys received single escalating doses of 1, 3, 6 and 10 mg/kg; and in the multidose portion of the study, the same boys received three doses of 10 mg/kg every other week. A muscle biopsy was taken two weeks after the third and final dose (six weeks after the first dose).