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FDA’s rare disease decisions are strongest when the patient community has a voice in advisory committee decisions.
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Psychedelics are gaining momentum in depression, with one treating physician predicting that the drug class could “wipe out the SSRIs” if safety and durability hold up.
Saol Therapeutics is the latest biotech to resubmit for approval of a drug rejected under former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, following REGENXBIO and Replimune.
Even as FDA approvals for biologic therapies fell in the first half of 2026, regulatory experts are optimistic about a turnaround in the rare disease space after the departure of key leaders at the agency. Still, there will continue to be tension between science and politics.
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Congressional letters sent to the CEOs of Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Merck, BMS and AbbVie this week voicing concerns about the pharmas’ clinical trials in China highlight an ongoing discrepancy in how government and industry think about the rise of the Asian country’s biotech industry.
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BMO Capital Markets pointed to FDA leadership, and CBER Director Vinay Prasad in particular, as potential factors in the agency’s decision to issue a complete response letter for Replimune’s viral treatment RP1 for advanced melanomas. Shares of the company tumbled 75% on Tuesday.
The acquisition, which will give Sanofi a combination vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus, follows the pharma’s potential $1.4 billion COVID vaccine licensing deal with Novavax last year, plus a number of other big-ticket commitments outside of the vaccine space.
The money will focus on a manufacturing plant in Virginia that will make the company’s weight management and metabolic drugs like the hypertension drug baxdrostat and oral GLP-1 therapies.
In May, biotech iTeos Therapeutics decided to close down after being abandoned by GSK over the disappointing mid-stage performance of its anti-TIGIT antibody belrestotug.
In this episode presented by Eclipsebio, BioSpace’s head of insights Lori Ellis continues the discussion on mRNA and srRNA with Andy Geall of Replicate Bioscience and Alliance for mRNA Medicines and Pad Chivukula of Arcturus Therapeutics.
After initially refusing to suspend Elevidys distribution after two deaths, Sarepta has now given in to the FDA’s request, noting the need to maintain a good working relationship with the regulator.
The company is pushing inhaled versions of common oral drugs with the hope of avoiding severe side effects.
What will Boston Pharmaceuticals CEO Sophie Kornowski do now that the company is selling off its pipeline and winding down operations? Whatever it is, data will take her there.
The biotech is planning to expand antisense oligonucleotide capabilities and infrastructure on campuses that already produce drugs such as the ALS therapy Qalsody.
Tidmarsh, an adjunct professor at Stanford’s medical school, brings decades of industry experience to the table. Serving as director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research will be his first government position.