Approvals
Chiesi Global Rare Diseases gained access to the Filsuvez topical gel in January 2023, when it bought Amryt Pharma. Tuesday’s approval comes nearly two years after an initial rejection by the regulator.
Merck’s HIF-2α inhibitor Welireg has been approved by the FDA to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma after treatment with PD-1 or PD-L1 and VEGF-TKI-based therapies.
Despite the lack of a randomized clinical trial to support eflornithine’s efficacy, the regulator approved US WorldMeds’ oral maintenance treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma in adults and children.
This week, we discuss the two major FDA approvals for sickle cell from Vertex/CRISPR and bluebird bio; Axcella and the future of long-covid treatments, Vanda’s $100m purchase and AI regulatory developments in Europe.
Friday’s FDA approval of Vertex-CRISPR’s Casgevy and bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia has immediately revealed startling differences between these two gene therapies: price and a black-box warning.
Along with CRISPR/Cas9-based Casgevy—developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics—the regulator on Friday approved bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia, a second gene therapy for sickle cell disease.
The Swiss pharma’s Fabhalta, a Factor B inhibitor, is the first FDA-approved oral monotherapy for adults with the rare blood disorder paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.
Lilly’s Jaypirca (pirtobrutinib) can now be used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic leukemia that had progressed from at least two prior lines of therapy, in addition to its previously-approved indications.
The Ogsiveo tablets are the first approval therapy for the rare subtype of soft tissue sarcomas, which can lead to severe pain and disability and previously were treated primarily through surgery.
The company’s Truqap, in combination with its endocrine therapy Faslodex, has been approved by the regulator for adult patients with advanced HR-positive breast cancer with specific biomarker alterations.
PRESS RELEASES