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If ultimately confirmed, Makary’s planned departure, broken by The Wall Street Journal Friday afternoon, would follow a controversial tenure in which his deputy and constant co-author Vinay Prasad riled biopharma feathers with myriad unexpected drug rejections. Prasad stepped down as biologics chief last week.
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The Department of Health and Human Services is spinning its wheels, unable to establish steady leadership at three major divisions—the CDC and the FDA’s two primary review units.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health department has consistently touted radical transparency as being key to its mission. Recent instances—the FDA’s decision not to disclose the recipients of three Commissioner’s National Priority Vouchers and FDA and CDC choices not to publish vaccine-related papers—call this intent into question.
In Salt Lake City, biotech founders new and seasoned reflect on ways to ride out the industry’s challenges, such as sending cold emails to investors and learning to address leadership weaknesses.
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Regeneron’s shares have declined nearly 17% following the failure of the company’s Dupixent follow-up itepekimab.
Blueprint has a next-generation systemic mastocytosis treatment, called elenestinib, that Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson told analysts provides an “opportunity to grow through the ‘30s.”
Bristol Myers Squibb is dropping at least $3.5 billion to jointly develop the bispecific antibody, which will race with Summit Therapeutics, Merck and Pfizer in the crowded PD-1/PD-L1xVEGF space.
AstraZeneca has put hundreds of millions of dollars into AI deals, with an eye toward not just accelerating the development of drugs that treat cancer after it appears but also in creating diagnostics that can catch cancer earlier than current methods allow.
Updated Phase I/Ib data in hand, Arcus will launch a Phase III trial as it aims to compete with Merck, whose drug secured approval for a type of kidney cancer in 2023.
Following Merus’ splash last month with a “best-in-disease profile” for its head and neck cancer bispecific, Bicara touted positive results for its monocolonal antibody, but analysts say Merus still has the upper hand.
Jefferies analysts said the approval was largely expected and an “incremental positive” for Moderna amid questions about the FDA’s attitude toward mRNA and COVID-19 vaccines that have investors worried.
The overturning of the FDA’s lab-developed tests rule is just the tip of the iceberg. With the loss of Chevron deference, power has shifted from federal agencies to the courts, with potential implications for everything from the FDA shortage list to CMS drug price negotiations.
Arguably the most notable of the FDA’s upcoming decisions is that regarding Gilead’s twice-yearly HIV prophylaxis lenacapavir.
Here’s how companies can ensure they’re in compliance with new requirements that go into effect in August.