Gene therapy
It can cure deadly diseases, save long-term healthcare costs and transform lives. But the U.S. insurance system still isn’t ready to pay for it.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals commits $45 million upfront to leverage Enlaza Therapeutics’ War-Lock platform to create drug conjugates and T cell engagers for autoimmune diseases and gentler conditioning for sickle cell/beta thalassemia gene-editing therapy Casgevy.
In late May, a patient died after receiving Rocket Pharmaceuticals’ investigational gene therapy for Danon disease, spurring the hold. After lowering the dose and changing the regimen of immune modulators patients receive, the company has received FDA clearance for the trial to continue.
The FDA has postponed its decision date for Regenxbio’s Hunter syndrome gene therapy to review additional longer-term clinical data for the asset.
Kriya is advancing a host of gene therapies for a wide variety of chronic diseases, including geographic atrophy, trigeminal neuralgia and type 1 diabetes.
Prasad Returns, Delany Departs, Lilly’s Weight Loss Pill Disappoints and Sarepta’s Fallout Continues
CBER Chief Vinay Prasad reclaimed his job less than two weeks after his mysterious exit; MAHA implementor Gray Delany is out after reportedly sparring with other agency officials over communications strategy; Eli Lilly’s first Phase III readout for oral obesity drug orforglipron missed analyst expectations; and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals addresses the recent woes of its of partner Sarepta.
Jefferies analysts said these detailed safety outcomes confirm the gene therapy’s positive risk/benefit profile in ambulatory patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Skysona can now only be used in patients with cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy who have no available treatment alternatives or stem cell donors.
In the wake of multiple patient deaths from liver injuries related to Sarepta Therapeutics’ AAV gene therapy platform, some in the sector are looking for ways to improve the current technology, while others are eager to move on.
Sarepta did not hold an investor call for its second-quarter earnings report or provide an updated full-year revenue outlook.
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