-Total enrollment complete in Phase 3 ARISE trial in children and adults-

-Target enrollment complete in Phase 2/3 trial in infants-

LEXINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Synageva BioPharma Corp. (Synageva) (NASDAQ:GEVA), a biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutic products for rare diseases, today announced total enrollment is complete in ARISE (Acid Lipase Replacement Investigating Safety and Efficacy), a global Phase 3 trial with sebelipase alfa in children and adults with lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL Deficiency). Enrollment exceeded the original target of 50 patients with 66 randomized as of December 31, 2013. As previously announced, the company expects to report top-line results from the ARISE trial during the second half of 2014.

In addition, the company today announced that it met the enrollment target in the Phase 2/3 trial in infants with LAL Deficiency. Nine patients enrolled in this open-label trial and preliminary results will be presented at the 10th Annual Lysosomal Disease Network (LDN) WORLD Symposium being held February 11-13 in San Diego, California.

Phase 3 ARISE trial with sebelipase alfa in children and adults with LAL Deficiency

The ARISE trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of sebelipase alfa in children and adults with LAL Deficiency and is designed to assess the effects of sebelipase alfa on a broad range of abnormalities associated with the disease. Patients enrolled in the trial are randomized to infusions of sebelipase alfa (1 mg/kg, every other week) or placebo for the 20-week, double-blind treatment period and then allowed to enter into a long-term, open-label extension period. The efficacy and safety results from the double-blind treatment period are expected to support global submissions for product registration.

Phase 2/3 trial with sebelipase alfa in infants with LAL Deficiency

The Phase 2/3 trial is an open-label, multicenter study of sebelipase alfa in infants with LAL Deficiency. Infants with growth failure before six months of age were eligible to enroll and receive weekly infusions with sebelipase alfa. The primary endpoint of the trial is survival at 12 months of age.

Sebelipase alfa for LAL Deficiency

LAL Deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease (LSD) caused by a marked decrease in LAL enzyme activity. LAL Deficiency presenting in children and adults, historically called Cholesteryl Ester Storage Disease (CESD), is an underappreciated cause of cirrhosis and accelerated atherosclerosis. These complications are due to the buildup of fatty material in the liver, blood vessel walls and other tissues as a result of the decreased LAL enzyme activity. Infants presenting with LAL Deficiency, historically called Wolman disease, show very rapid progression with death, usually in the first six months of life. Affected infants develop severe malabsorption, growth failure and liver complications.

Sebelipase alfa (SBC-102) is a recombinant form of the human LAL enzyme being developed by Synageva as an enzyme replacement therapy for LAL Deficiency. Synageva is evaluating sebelipase alfa in global Phase 3 clinical trials in infants, children and adults with LAL Deficiency. Sebelipase alfa has been granted orphan designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Additionally, sebelipase alfa received fast track designation by the FDA, and Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA for LAL Deficiency presenting in infants.

SBC-103 for MPS IIIB

The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) consist of a group of rare LSDs caused by a deficiency of enzymes needed to break down complex sugars called glycosaminoglycans. The MPS III syndromes (also known as Sanfilippo syndromes) share complications with other MPS diseases but represent a clinically distinct subset with marked central nervous system degeneration. Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB (MPS IIIB, also known as Sanfilippo B syndrome) is caused by a decrease in alpha-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAGLU) enzyme activity which leads to the buildup of abnormal amounts of heparan sulfates (HS) in the brain and other organs. The accumulation of abnormal HS, particularly in the central nervous system, leads to severe cognitive decline, behavioral problems, speech loss, increasing loss of mobility, and premature death.

SBC-103 is a recombinant form of the human NAGLU enzyme being developed by Synageva as an enzyme replacement therapy for MPS IIIB. Using various dosing approaches, SBC-103 reduced HS substrate storage in the brain, liver and kidney in an MPS IIIB animal model. SBC-103 has been granted orphan designation by the FDA and the EMA.

Synageva's additional pipeline programs and manufacturing platform

Synageva's additional pipeline programs include other proteins targeting rare diseases at various stages of preclinical development. These diseases are characterized by significant morbidity and mortality and these programs are selected based on scientific rationale, high unmet medical need, potential to impact disease course and strategic alignment with the company's corporate focus. In addition to these novel pipeline programs, Synageva is leveraging its manufacturing platform to develop improved biologic therapies for diseases with high unmet medical need.

Synageva's proprietary manufacturing platform utilizes technology to produce drug product with consistent characteristics that enable robustness and flexibility during scale-up. In addition, the platform can provide favorable structural properties for bio-distribution and cell targeting in comparison to glycoproteins produced from other sources.

Synageva routinely posts information that may be important to investors in the "Investor Relations" section of the company's web site at www.synageva.com. Synageva encourages investors and potential investors to consult this web site regularly for important information about the company.

Further information regarding Synageva BioPharma Corp. is available at www.synageva.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements". Such statements generally can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "plan," "could," "intend," "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "forecast," "project," or words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements address, among other matters, our expectation concerning when we will report top-line data from the ARISE trial, our expectation that these data will support our regulatory submissions, our plans for leveraging our manufacturing platform to advance our pipeline programs and develop improved biologic therapies, and our belief that our platform can provide favorable structural properties for bio-distribution and cell targeting in comparison to glycoproteins produced from other sources. Many factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements, including inaccurate assumptions and a broad variety of risks and uncertainties such as the risk that the results of our clinical trials may not support further development of our product candidates due to safety, efficacy or other reasons; the content or timing of decisions by the FDA and other regulatory authorities, including that the FDA and other regulatory authorities may not consider our clinical trial design, endpoints, and data, together with the other information that Synageva submits, sufficient for approval; the ability to maintain the current favorable protein structural properties for bio-distribution and cell targeting as compared to glycoproteins produced from other sources; and the risks identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in Synageva's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on November 4, 2013 and other filings Synageva periodically makes with the SEC, as well as other risks which are not known. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future results or events, and investors should avoid placing undue reliance on such statements. Synageva undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Our business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above. Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

"Dedicated to Rare Diseases®" is a registered trademark of Synageva BioPharma Corp. "Synageva BioPharma™" is a trademark of Synageva BioPharma Corp.

Contact for Synageva:
Matthew Osborne, 781-357-9947
matthew.osborne@synageva.com

Source: Synageva BioPharma Corp.

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