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The first gene therapies approved to treat sickle cell disease in December 2023 are struggling on the market. But there are glimpses of forward momentum as Vertex and Genetix Bio provide updates.
After last year’s ‘stampede’ for FGF21 assets, the focus for the metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis space has shifted toward differentiated approaches, such as THR-β agonists and combination treatments, that seek to mirror the commercial success of Madrigal’s Rezdiffra.
Maintaining America’s momentum demands that policymakers resist policies that undermine research and development incentives.
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Read our takes on the biggest stories happening in the industry.
FDA
Following the FDA’s refusal to review Moderna’s investigational mRNA flu vaccine last week, Commissioner Marty Makary faced questions from the U.S. president about the agency’s handling of vaccines. It’s a clear signal that the tension long brewing at the drug regulator has now gone all the way to the top.
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Jefferies analyst Kelly Shi in a Sunday note to investors said that both data drops for Revolution Medicines’ experimental RAS inhibitors are positive and could be “synergistic” in the first-line setting for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Orlynvah is the first oral penem approved in the U.S. and Iterum Therapeutics’ first FDA-approved product. CEO Corey Fishman said the company will renew its efforts to look for a potential partner to maximize value for its stakeholders.
William Blair analyst Myles Minter in a Monday note to investors said that Vertex’s povetacicept “has maintained its potential to be a best-in-class asset” in the IgA nephropathy space and could become a “multibillion-dollar pipeline-in-a-drug product” for autoimmune disorders, while “outstanding questions” remain for Biogen’s felzartamab before moving into pivotal studies.
FDA
As therapies for rare and neurological diseases earn accelerated approval, experts laud the program’s intent while remaining concerned about confirmatory trials and clinical efficacy, especially as products greenlit under this pathway are pulled from the market.
Vertex may have pivoted away from the space, but candidates in development by Arrowhead/Takeda, Wave, Korro and others could address the damage underlying alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and make today’s treatments a thing of the past.
With Sarepta’s gene therapy Elevidys now available to a majority of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients, experts express cautious optimism while emphasizing the need for further data.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla is in a tough spot as activist investor Starboard Value continues to call for a change in the company’s leadership. However, analysts are supportive of the embattled executive.
The French drugmaker’s newly launched respiratory syncytial virus antibody Beyfortus far exceeded analyst expectations, bringing in almost $700 million in the third quarter. Leerink Partners analyst David Risinger in a Friday note to investors said Sanofi expects Q4 Beyfortus sales similar to Q3.
The CDC’s vaccine advisors on Thursday maintained that respiratory syncytial virus immunization is only recommended for adults aged 75 and older, and in seniors 60 to 74 years who are at risk of severe disease.
Bank of America analysts said prior to Thursday’s readout that Tyra Biosciences’ TYRA-300 could rival Johnson & Johnson’s kinase inhibitor Balversa, which has suffered from safety concerns and poor tolerability.