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Innovation drives CROs to win new business, but unchecked customization creates complexity that undermines reproducibility, weakens renewals and leads to turnover—making standardization a strategic necessity, not a constraint.
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A recent FDA reversal sparked new hope for patients with Huntington’s disease. Flying under the radar, Skyhawk Therapeutics revealed 12-month functional data from a midstage trial of its own candidate showing improvements on a key disease measurement scale.
Recent approvals for Corcept Therapeutics and Merck have injected momentum into the space, where GSK, Allarity Therapeutics, OSE Immunotherapies and others are advancing their own candidates.
The FDA plans to hold an advisory committee meeting to discuss Capricor Therapeutics’ application for deramiocel, which the agency rejected last July. The news surprised CEO Linda Marbán, who told BioSpace the FDA has not communicated any issues of concern with the company’s resubmitted application.
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If cell and gene therapy makers are going to achieve their mission to improve patients’ lives, the industry must come together to share information across stakeholders, from regulators to manufacturers to payers.
THE LATEST
Bristol Myers Squibb has bought the rights to develop and commercialize SystImmune’s potentially first-in-class, bi-specific antibody-drug conjugate for lung and breast cancer as well as other solid tumors.
Following the regulator’s administrative complaint and threat of a lawsuit in federal court, Sanofi has decided to terminate its licensing deal with Maze Therapeutics to avoid a long litigation process.
The trial demonstrated that C3G glomerulopathy patients treated with the oral factor B inhibitor saw a significant reduction in protein in their urine. The results come days after iptacopan won the FDA’s green light for a rare blood disease.
The company’s fiscal report for 2023 details revenue losses of $539 million and layoffs of 1,100 employees but notes that future GLP-1 manufacturing revenues could help stabilize its finances.
The New York-based pharma reported at ASH that odronextamab had an 80% objective response rate, with 73% of patients experiencing a complete response.
Patients treated with the investigational sickle cell therapy saw an increase in hemoglobin levels and improved red blood cell parameters.
The investigational allogeneic CAR-T therapy P-BCMA-ALLO1 appears to be more effective following strong immunosuppressive preconditioning.
FDA
Friday’s FDA approval of Vertex-CRISPR’s Casgevy and bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia has immediately revealed startling differences between these two gene therapies: price and a black-box warning.
FDA
Along with CRISPR/Cas9-based Casgevy—developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics—the regulator on Friday approved bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia, a second gene therapy for sickle cell disease.
Another Flagship-founded company is shutting down its operations, according to an SEC filing. Axcella Health, which was focused on the development of a long COVID therapeutic, is no more.