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The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System, which Commissioner Marty Makary called “clunky,” previously published updates on a quarterly basis.
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In a recent interview, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said there “should be nothing political about the FDA.” Recent actions taken by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and others within the department appear to be at odds with this sentiment.
As tariffs, HHS workforce cuts and the ouster of CBER Director Peter Marks threaten the “lifeblood” of the cell and gene therapy space, experts express wariness over the unknowns and optimism that Marks’ legacy will carry on.
As Marty Makary nears the end of his first month on the job, the FDA Commissioner sat down for two interviews, offering statements that alternatively contradict and jibe with reported events.
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IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. announced that it has entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Merck to evaluate IDE161, the company’s investigational, potential first-in-class, small molecule poly glycohydrolase, or PARG, inhibitor, in combination with KEYTRUDA® Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, in patients with microsatellite instability-, or MSI-, high and microsatellite stable, or MSS, endometrial cancer, in a Phase 1 clinical trial.
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Following restricted vaccine approvals and changes to CDC immunization schedules, Merck, Pfizer, GSK and Sanofi are all suffering revenue hits to their vaccine programs.
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The rollercoaster week for Sarepta Therapeutics continued, with shares of the embattled gene therapy-turned-siRNA biotech down 37% Friday afternoon as media outlets reported FDA plans to request a stop to all shipments of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy therapy Elevidys following a third patient death linked to the underlying platform.
Despite the failure, BMS remains “encouraged” by Reblozyl’s clinical activity in myelofibrosis-associated anemia and will approach regulators to discuss potential submissions for this indication, for which few treatment options exist.
The panelists flagged safety concerns with Blenrep and GSK’s failure to optimize its dosing regimen for the antibody-drug conjugate in multiple myeloma.
The patient, who was being treated with an investigational gene therapy for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, died of acute liver failure, the same complication responsible for the deaths of two boys taking Sarepta’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment Elevidys.
In advance of CMS’ negotiated price for the blood thinner taking effect next year, partners Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer pitched the direct-to-consumer program as a way to allow uninsured, underinsured and self-pay patients to pay less out of pocket.
Sarepta Therapeutics appears to have right-sized itself after laying off over a third of its staff, announcing a significant pipeline shift and adding a black box warning to its Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy Elevidys.
The life sciences job market continues to shift. BioSpace’s Q2 2025 U.S. Life Sciences Job Market Report is now available, offering exclusive insights into the latest hiring trends, layoffs, and workforce dynamics across the life sciences industry.
In this episode presented by IQVIA, BioSpace’s head of insights Lori Ellis discusses the evolving role of local qualified persons for pharmacovigilance with Ana Pedro Jesuíno, global head local QPPV network at IQVIA.
In its Q2 earnings call Thursday, Novartis said it is moving quickly to reshore its drug manufacturing operations, but CEO Vas Narasimhan told reporters that for most medicines, it typically takes three to four years to completely relocate production.
In the first six months of 2025, 385 employees resigned from the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, compared with under 130 staff during the same period last year.