Duchenne muscular dystrophy

FDA
On the heels of a Phase III flop for Pfizer’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy candidate, the FDA has green lighted the expanded use of Sarepta Therapeutics’ Elevidys.
Pfizer’s investigational Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy, fordadistrogene movaparvovec, failed in a late-stage study to significantly improve motor function in patients versus placebo.
The FDA has a packed calendar this week, with six decisions on the docket, including ones for Merck’s Keytruda, BMS’s Krazati and Sarepta’s Elevidys.
NS Pharma, a subsidiary of Nippon Shinyaku, announced Monday that its Duchenne muscular dystrophy candidate Viltepso failed a late-stage confirmatory trial, showing no significant motor function improvements over placebo.
Pfizer’s investigational Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy fordadistrogene movaparvovec has been hit with another patient death, forcing the pharma to pause dosing in its Phase III study.
FDA
As Sarepta Therapeutics moves closer to full approval and an expanded label for its gene therapy, some experts push back on clinical efficacy and cost while others note the hope it provides patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Ahead of the FDA’s June target action date for Sarepta’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy, ICER Chief Medical Officer David Rind blasted the regulator’s accelerated pathway in a JAMA viewpoint article.
With three FDA approvals in the past 10 months, there is a lot of momentum in the Duchenne muscular dystrophy space. Here are five companies looking to keep it going.
FDA
Duvyzat, which will be sold in the U.S. by ITF Therapeutics, joins a growing market that includes recently approved gene therapy Elevidys and corticosteroid Agamree.
In advance of a March 21 PDUFA date, Italfarmaco on Tuesday reported that its drug candidate givinostat met the primary endpoint for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
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