Shield Therapeutics - EMA approves extension - to include adolescents
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RNS Number : 7136Y
Shield Therapeutics PLC
31 March 2026
Shield Therapeutics plc
("Shield" or the "Company" or the "Group")
European Medicines Agency approves extension of the indication to include adolescents
London, UK, March 31 2026: Shield Therapeutics plc (LSE: STX), a commercial-stage pharmaceutical company specialising in
iron deficiency, announces that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have published the CHMP meeting highlights in which
they confirm their adoption of a positive opinion for the extension of the indication for FeRACCRU® (ferric maltol) to include
adolescents. FeRACCRU® will now be indicated for the treatment of iron deficiency in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of
age and older. EMA have also confirmed that all measures in the agreed Pediatric Investigation Plan (PIP) for FeRACCRU®
have been fulfilled.
The indication expansion was supported by positive results from the Phase 3 pediatric clinical trial (FORTIS/ST10-01-305) that
confirmed the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of the new oral liquid pediatric formulation in children aged 1 month and
above with iron deficiency, presenting as iron deficiency anemia (IDA).
Shield's licensing partner, Norgine B.V. holds the marketing authorisation and is responsible for commercialising FeRACCRU®
in the European Union. Shield will receive a milestone payment of €500,000 from Norgine related to this EMA approval for
the term of the agreement.
Anders Lundstrom, CEO of Shield, commented: "We are delighted with the EMA approval of FeRACCRU® for an adolescent
population. This follows on from the FDA approval of ACCRUFeR® for adolescents reported in December 2025, further
expanding the geographic and age range of patients who can now benefit from a much needed safe and effective oral iron
treatment."
For further information please contact:
Shield Therapeutics plc www.shieldtherapeutics.com
Anders Lundstrom, CEO
Santosh Shanbhag, CFO
Stephanie Hicks, Investor Relations
+44 (0) 191 511 8500
Investorrelations@shieldtx.com
https://shieldtherapeutics.com/link/r69DGe
Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker
Peel Hunt LLP
James Steel +44 (0)20 7418 8900
Joint Broker
Cavendish Ltd
Geoff Nash/ Isaac Hooper/Nigel
Birks/Harriet Ward +44 (0)20 7220 0500
About Iron Deficiency and ACCRUFeR®/FeRACCRU®
Clinically low iron levels (aka iron deficiency, ID) can cause serious health problems for adults of all ages, across multiple
therapeutic areas. Together, ID and ID with anemia (IDA) affect about 20 million people in the US and represent a $2.3B
market opportunity. As the first and only FDA approved oral iron to treat ID/IDA, ACCRUFeR® has the potential to meet an
important unmet medical need for both physicians and patients and is now the #1 branded prescription oral iron the market
today (*data source - IQVIA Xponent PlanTrak).
ACCRUFeR®/FeRACCRU® (ferric maltol) is a novel, stable, non-salt-based oral therapy for adults with ID/IDA. The drug has a
novel mechanism of absorption compared to other oral iron therapies and has been shown to be an efficacious and well-
tolerated therapy in a range of clinical trials. More information about ACCRUFeR®/FeRACCRU®, including the product label,
can be found at: www.accrufer.com and www.feraccru.com.
About Shield Therapeutics plc
Shield is a commercial stage specialty pharmaceutical company that delivers ACCRUFeR®/FeRACCRU® (ferric maltol), an
innovative and differentiated pharmaceutical product, to address a significant unmet need for patients suffering from iron
deficiency, with or without anemia. The Company has launched ACCRUFeR® in the U.S. to include pediatric patients 10 years
of age and older with an exclusive, multi-year collaboration agreement with Viatris. Outside of the U.S., the Company has
licensed the rights to five specialty pharmaceutical companies. FeRACCRU® is commercialised in the UK and European Union
by Norgine B.V., to include pediatric patients 12 years of age and older and also have marketing rights in Australia and New
Zealand. FeRACCRU® is also commercialised in Canada by Kye Pharmaceuticals Inc. Shield also has an exclusive license
agreement with Beijing Aosaikang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., for the development and commercialisation of
ACCRUFeR®/FeRACCRU® in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, with Korea Pharma Co., Ltd. for the Republic of Korea, and
with Medleap Pharma Company Limited, a subsidiary of VITAL-NET Inc. for Japan.
ACCRUFeR®/FeRACCRU® has patent coverage until the mid-2030s.
ACCRUFeR®/FeRACCRU® are registered trademarks of Shield Therapeutics.
Details of the FORTIS/ST10-01-305 Phase 3 study
The open label randomized Phase 3 study included children aged 1 month to 17 years with mild to moderate IDA, who also
had serum ferritin levels below 30 μg/L or ferritin levels below 50 μg/L and transferrin saturation below 20%. Children aged
2 to 17 years were randomized 1:1 to receive either ferric maltol (N=31) or ferrous sulphate
(N = 30). Children 1 months to under 2 years (N=4) were all assigned to receive ferric maltol treatment. The full data sets
have been submitted for peer-review and subsequent presentation/publication. The trial is the final study in the
comprehensive pediatric development program that Shield committed to implement with both the European EMA and the
US FDA.
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