8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 30, 2018

AVEXIS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

001-37693	90-1038273
(Commission File No.)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

2275 Half Day Rd, Suite 200

Bannockburn, Illinois 60015

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (847) 572-8280

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

oWritten communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

oSoliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

oPre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

oPre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  o

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.   o

Item 8.01.             Other Events.

On January 30, 2018, AveXis, Inc. (the “Registrant”) issued a press release to announce that the Registrant will initiate screening for the remaining patients in the Registrant’s pivotal trial of AVXS-101 for spinal muscular atrophy Type 1 as per the trial protocol, following review of safety data and early signals of efficacy from the first three patients dosed in the trial and with agreement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  A copy of this press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01.             Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit
Number	Exhibit Description
99.1	Press Release, dated January 30, 2018, titled “AveXis to Initiate Screening for Remaining Patients in Pivotal Trial of AVXS-101 in SMA Type 1 Following Review of Preliminary Data from First Three Patients.”

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: January 30, 2018	AVEXIS, INC.
	By:	/s/ Sean P. Nolan
		Sean P. Nolan
		President and Chief Executive Officer

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Media Inquiries:

Lauren Barbiero

W2O Group

646-564-2156

lbarbiero@w2ogroup.com

Investor Inquiries:

Jim Goff

AveXis, Inc.

650-862-4134

jgoff@avexis.com

AveXis to Initiate Screening for Remaining Patients in Pivotal Trial of AVXS-101 for SMA Type 1 Following Review of Preliminary Data from First Three Patients

Chicago, Ill. (January 30, 2018) — AveXis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVXS), a clinical-stage gene therapy company developing treatments for patients suffering from rare and life-threatening neurological genetic diseases, today announced that, following review of safety data and early signals of efficacy from the first three patients dosed in its pivotal trial of AVXS-101 for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type 1, the company, with agreement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, will initiate screening for the remaining patients in the trial as per the protocol.

The open-label, single-arm, multi-center trial (STR1VE) is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a one-time intravenous (IV) infusion of AVXS-101. There was at least a four-week interval scheduled between dosing the first three patients to allow review of the safety analysis as well as early signals of efficacy.

“We are pleased to share that we will be initiating screening for the remaining patients to be enrolled in STR1VE as planned, following review of safety data and early signals of efficacy from the first three patients who received a one-time IV infusion of AVXS-101,” said Dr. Sukumar Nagendran, Chief Medical Officer of AveXis. “We know there is an urgent need for new treatment approaches, and we are eager to rapidly enroll the remaining patients in the pivotal trial as we further our clinical understanding of AVXS-101.”

The trial will enroll a minimum of 15 patients with SMA Type 1 who are less than six months of age at the time of gene therapy, and who have one or two copies of the SMN2 backup gene as determined by genetic testing and bi-allelic SMN1 gene deletion or point mutations. The intent-to-treat population is defined as patients who are less than six months of age and symptomatic at the time of gene therapy,

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with two copies of the SMN2 gene as determined by genetic testing, bi-allelic SMN1 gene deletion and no c.859G>C mutation in SMN2.

About SMA

SMA is a severe neuromuscular disease characterized by the loss of motor neurons leading to progressive muscle weakness and paralysis. SMA is caused by a genetic defect in the SMN1 gene that codes SMN, a protein necessary for survival of motor neurons. The incidence of SMA is approximately one in 10,000 live births and is the leading genetic cause of infant mortality.

The most severe form of SMA is Type 1, a lethal genetic disorder characterized by motor neuron loss and associated muscle deterioration, which results in mortality or the need for permanent ventilation support before the age of two for greater than 90 percent of patients. SMA Type 2 typically presents between six and 18 months of age, and those affected will never walk without support and most will never stand without support. SMA Type 2 results in mortality in more than 30 percent of patients by the age of 25.

About AVXS-101

AVXS-101 is a proprietary gene therapy candidate of a one-time treatment for SMA Types 1 and 2, designed to address the monogenic root cause of SMA and prevent further muscle degeneration by addressing the defective and/or loss of the primary SMN gene. AVXS-101 is also designed to target motor neurons, providing rapid onset of effect and crossing the blood brain barrier to allow targeting of both central and systemic features.

About AveXis, Inc.

AveXis is a clinical-stage gene therapy company developing treatments for patients suffering from rare and life-threatening neurological genetic diseases. The company’s initial proprietary gene therapy candidate, AVXS-101, is in the pivotal phase of study for the treatment of SMA Type 1, and a Phase 1 trial for SMA Type 2. The company also intends to expand its development of gene therapy into two additional rare neurological monogenic disorders: Rett syndrome (RTT) and a genetic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) caused by mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene.

For additional information, please visit www.avexis.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding, among other things, AveXis’ continued enrollment of patients in the STR1VE trial, its research, development and regulatory plans for AVXS-101, and the planned expansion of the company’s development of gene therapy into additional disorders. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in its forward-looking statements. Meaningful factors which could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, the scope, progress, expansion, and costs of developing and commercializing AveXis’ product candidates; regulatory developments in the U.S. and EU, as well as other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” and the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of AveXis’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the SEC on March 16, 2017, and AveXis’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2017, filed with the SEC on November 9, 2017. In addition to the risks described above and in the Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly

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Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the SEC, other unknown or unpredictable factors also could affect AveXis’ results. There can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by AveXis will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, AveXis. Therefore, no assurance can be given that the outcomes stated in such forward-looking statements and estimates will be achieved.

All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein. AveXis cautions investors not to rely too heavily on the forward-looking statements AveXis makes or that are made on its behalf. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release (unless another date is indicated). AveXis undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, to publicly update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

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