Approvals
Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics have secured another FDA approval for their Casgevy Cas9 gene-edited cell therapy, this time in treating transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia.
The regulator greenlit 55 new drugs last year, seven of which belonged to Pfizer, including an ulcerative colitis treatment and a migraine nasal spray—both acquired in multibillion-dollar buys.
Wainua, which is jointly developed and commercialized by AstraZeneca and Ionis Pharmaceuticals, was given the FDA’s green light on Thursday and will now compete with Alnylam’s two approved hATTR-PN therapies.
The oral formulation of budesonide, marketed as Tarpeyo, is the only FDA-approved therapy that significantly reduces the loss of kidney function in immunoglobulin A nephropathy patients.
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.
PRESS RELEASES