Drug Development

Analysts are extremely encouraged by Phase 2 trial results for Relay Therapeutics’ PI3KA inhibitor in treating vascular malformations (VM), prompting the biotech to eye a potential path to accelerated approval.
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Last month, Revolution Medicines’ RAS inhibitor doubled survival in a Phase 3 pancreatic cancer trial. On the biotech’s heels are Immuneering, Actuate Therapeutics, Erasca and more, looking to improve on that result with increased tolerability—and more time for patients.
The recent approval of Regeneron’s Otarmeni underscores the maturation of gene therapies across a range of diseases. Here, BioSpace reviews genetic medicines in development for the central nervous system, retinal, cardiac and neuromuscular diseases.
The FDA has introduced models intended to accelerate rare disease drug development, but recent reversals of guidance from the agency speak to a lack of clarity in its implementation. AI can help focus this process.
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Krystal Biotech’s decision follows the FDA’s rejection last month of Replimune’s RP1, which works similarly to Krystal Biotech’s KB707. The biotech said this has introduced “heightened uncertainty” regarding a potential accelerated pathway for the candidate.
Capricor Therapeutics met with the FDA last week for a type A meeting, during which CEO Linda Marbán aimed to explain to the regulator that it got it wrong. Capricor plans to resubmit the application based on deramiocel’s existing dataset.
Viking Therapeutics’ VK2735 achieves a 10.9% placebo-adjusted weight loss at 13 weeks, but a less than ideal safety profile marred the results.
While the 10-fold increase in dose over injectable Wegovy has raised questions about the launch, Novo Nordisk has assured investors it has the manufacturing capacity to roll out oral semaglutide without restrictions on supply.
Inclacumab, which Pfizer obtained in its 2022 acquisition of Global Blood Therapeutics, failed to significantly lower pain episodes in patients with sickle cell disease over the 48-week treatment period.
The Boston-based AI/ML startup focuses on endocrine and cardiometabolic diseases and will use that expertise to generate new small molecule obesity medications for Lilly.
After two patients who received the investigational CDC7 blocker died, pushing forward with SGR-2921’s development would be “difficult,” according to Schrödinger, whose stock dropped 17.5% before the opening bell on Thursday.
The death was linked to acute kidney injury in a patient who had a single kidney remaining and a “complex medical history,” according to CytomX.
Jefferies analysts said these detailed safety outcomes confirm the gene therapy’s positive risk/benefit profile in ambulatory patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Phase Ib data show Hernexeos can elicit a confirmed objective response rate of 44% in patients with HER2-mutated NSCLC who had previously been treated with a directed antibody-drug conjugate.