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Disc Medicine’s leadership tried to express optimism that its rare disease therapy bitopertin can be approved based on a Phase 3 trial set to begin shortly. However, analysts are worried that the protocol was developed with former FDA leaders.
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The FDA’s refusal to review Moderna’s mRNA-based flu vaccine is “part of a disturbing pattern” of moving regulatory goalposts, according to Clay Alspach, executive director of the Alliance for mRNA Medicines. Meanwhile, streamlined communications with regulators in other countries pave the way for rapid uptake of novel modalities.
The current state of political affairs in the U.S. does not bode well for the direction of that turn. The country is at real risk of losing its long-held lead in biotech innovation.
FDA
The FDA’s refusal to review Moderna’s mRNA-based flu vaccine is part of a larger communications crisis unfolding at the agency over the past nine months that has also ensnarled Sarepta, Capricor, uniQure and many more.
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The FDA issued a rare Refusal-to-File letter to Moderna over its mRNA-based influenza vaccine application, in an unusual move that sent the biotech’s shares tumbling.
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The BIOSECURE Act’s prohibition on doing business with China-based companies may have implications for biotech and biopharma markets on both sides of the Pacific.
The advantages of using circular RNAs—including increased durability, enhanced protein expression and substantially lower manufacturing costs compared to linear mRNAs—have driven a spate of investment in this technology.
Second-quarter revenues were better than analysts expected as Merck reported 16% growth for its blockbuster cancer treatment Keytruda, while Pfizer benefited from its ongoing cost-cutting efforts and sales of its COVID-19 antiviral Paxlovid.
Cognitive function in the liraglutide cohort declined 18% slower than in the placebo arm over one year of treatment, researchers announced Tuesday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.
BioNTech and Regeneron will face off against Merck and Moderna, which are advancing their investigational cancer vaccine mRNA-4157/V940 in combination with Keytruda, in advanced melanoma.
Adding to growing evidence of its benefits beyond glucose control and weight loss, Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic could also potentially help diabetics quit smoking, according to new research.
AstraZeneca is seeking a fixed-duration approval for Calquence, which will allow patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia to take breaks from the therapy and prevent excessive toxicities and drug resistance.
Back-to-back failures in psoriasis and Crohn’s disease have forced Ventyx Biosciences to abandon the development of its investigational oral TYK2 inhibitor VTX958.
Flagship Pioneering and its portfolio companies are in line to receive up to $720 million in milestones for each of the 10 programs that GSK could option, according to Monday’s announcement.
Under the deal announced Monday with the California biotech, German pharma Boehringer Ingelheim is gaining access to novel immune checkpoint inhibitors designed to activate the immune system to fight cancer cells.