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Novo had around 250 employees working on cell therapies, all of whom will be laid off, though a spokesperson declined to reveal which offices and locations will be affected.
FEATURED STORIES
Reshoring generic pharmaceutical production is essential in today’s era of geopolitical instability and heightened awareness surrounding national health security. And it is possible—if done right.
The FDA in September issued two rejections for spinal muscular atrophy therapies—both linked to manufacturing problems—and granted approvals in Barth syndrome and for a subcutaneous version of Merck’s Keytruda that could be key to the blockbuster’s future earnings.
By publishing complete response letters as soon as they are issued to drug sponsors, the FDA is expanding transparency in a way that, while positioned as a public health measure, also grants investors greater visibility into regulatory decisions. Experts question whether this is the agency’s proper remit.
Job Trends
Health and Human Services employees aren’t the only ones out of work. Thousands of private-sector biopharma professionals lost their jobs in the first quarter.
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Read our takes on the biggest stories happening in the industry.
Despite hotly debated biomarkers and failed or delayed confirmatory trials, the accelerated approval program has a track record of propelling R&D for some of medicine’s most challenging illnesses.
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The inaugural 40 Under 40 cohort includes CEOs, leaders who have founded or co-founded their company and executives from a range of disciplines. Winners’ accomplishments include shaping drug development, achieving key FDA milestones and launching a new field of study.
Cell and gene therapy experts question where the FDA designation fits in an environment that features a range of intersecting regulatory perks.
A new group of CDC advisors voted last month to separate the chickenpox vaccine from the measles, mumps, rubella components of the MMRV shot due to concerns over febrile seizures, while recommending a more risk-based approach to COVID-19 immunizations that mirrors recent FDA approvals.
The hold was placed earlier this year when the FDA asked for more preclinical data, but the agency was slow to respond due to ‘strain’ on its capacity, according to Neurizon.
AstraZeneca has invested heavily in AI, primarily through collaborations, including an up to $5.3 billion partnership with China’s CSPC Pharmaceutical in June.
This latest FDA program aims to provide speedier reviews for generic drugmakers who produce their products in the U.S.
Rocket Pharmaceuticals’ strategic realignment initiative in July pulled funding from fanca-cel, which the biotech was developing for Fanconi anemia.
The centerpiece of the collaboration is the gene editor ABO-101, being developed for primary hyperoxaluria type 1, a rare disease that leads to severe kidney stones.
As industry leaders gather at the annual event in Phoenix, the cell and gene therapy space remains in a state of flux, with M&A activity and regulatory support signaling momentum while commercialization challenges continue to hinder broader investor interest.
Smarter design through targeted delivery and human-relevant testing can save the industry from costly safety failures.