The FDA has placed a clinical hold on Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals’ investigational HEMO-CAR-T, which is being trialed for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the UK-based biotech announced Monday. In its full review letter, the FDA pointed to manufacturing problems as the reason for the regulatory pause. In particular, the regulator flagged a “splicing deficiency” that arises during the production of the lentivirus that is used to create the CAR-T cells for Hemogenyx’s candidate, according to the company’s press release. Hemogenyx has already found the source of the splicing issue and has come up with a method to solve it. CEO Vladislav Sandler said in a statement that the company is “confident” that it will “be able to address the FDA’s questions and concerns” regarding HEMO-CAR-T’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application. The company submitted its IND seeking to launch a Phase I trial for HEMO-CAR-T in May 2023. In its letter to Hemogenyx, the ...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has awarded priority review for Astellas Pharma’s biologics licence application (BLA) for zolbetuximab to treat gastric cancer patients. Zolbetuximab is an investigational monoclonal antibody that acts on Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2). It is intended for use as a first-line therapy for HER2-negative gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma that is locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic, with tumours that are CLDN18.2-positive. Zolbetuximab is the first treatment targeting CLDN18.2 to be offered in the region for such patients. A decision on the approval by the regulatory agency is anticipated on 12 January 2024. The application is based on the Phase III SPOTLIGHT and GLOW clinical trial findings. Zolbetuximab was assessed along with a regimen comprising oxaliplatin, leucovorin and fluorouracil (mFOLFOX6) in the SPOTLIGHT trial. The GLOW trial analysed zolbetuximab in combination with a chemotherapy regimen comprising capecitabine and oxaliplatin (CAPOX). Astellas immuno-oncology development ...
Takeda and F-star Therapeutics have announced a strategic collaboration and licence agreement focused on developing next-generation multi-specific immunotherapies for patients with cancer, with the deal potentially worth over $1bn. Though few details of the partnership were disclosed, the two companies said they will jointly research and develop antibodies for new immuno-oncology targets using F-star’s proprietary fully-human Fcab and tetravalent mAb2 platforms. Takeda will then have an exclusive option to take select candidates arising from the collaboration forward, with F-star retaining the rights to research, develop,and commercialise antibodies incorporating certain other Fcab domains. F-star will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and research funding for the period of the collaboration and will also be eligible to receive future payments of up to $1bn “if all milestones across multiple programmes are reached during the term of the agreement” plus royalties. The agreement marks the third deal between the two companies, with licence agreements ...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted traditional approval for Eisai and Biogen’s Leqembi (lecanemab-irmb) 100mg/mL injection to treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in adults. With the approval of the supplemental biologics licence application (sBLA), Leqembi becomes the first therapy to slow disease progression rate and cognitive and functional decline in AD patients. This development is based on findings from the Phase III portion of Eisai’s Clarity AD clinical trial. Trial data showed that the product met the Leqembi primary endpoint and all crucial secondary endpoints, and also demonstrated clinical benefit. In January 2023, the regulatory agency granted accelerated approval for Leqembi. Leqembi is a humanised immunoglobulin gamma 1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody that targets aggregated soluble (protofibril) and amyloid beta’s (Aβ) insoluble forms. Eisai CEO Haruo Naito stated: “The FDA approved Leqembi under the traditional approval pathway, making Leqembi the first and only approved anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s disease treatment shown ...
A global study, led by UCL and UCLH and sponsored by Roche, has shown that the cancer immunotherapy atezolizumab significantly improved the overall survival of advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer patients who were not able to be treated with platinum-containing chemotherapy, when compared to single-agent chemotherapy. The trial results, published today in The Lancet, are good news for non-small cell lung cancer patients who are not eligible for standard of care platinum-based chemotherapy, due to concerns about their ability to withstand the treatment. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, with around 2.2 million new cases and 1.8 million deaths a year. The majority of patients present with advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) . For the fittest patients with advanced stage NSCLC, first-line immunotherapy with or without platinum-based doublet chemotherapy (PDC) is now established as the standard of care treatment. This follows several randomized ...
A major clinical trial has found a simple change to world practice for kidney transplants could deliver real benefits for recipients and reduce their need for dialysis by 25 per cent. The BEST-Fluids trial was conducted by the Australasian Kidney Trials Network (AKTN) in collaboration with researchers from The University of Queensland, The University of Adelaide, and The University of Sydney. ATKN chair and UQ Professor David Johnson said the trial assessed the use of an intravenous fluid containing sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride in proportions similar to human blood – instead of the usual practice of using normal saline (sodium chloride and water). David Johnson, UQ Professor, said, “Of those study participants who received intravenous Plasma-Lyte 148, 30 per cent needed dialysis after their transplants, compared to 40 per cent for those given normal saline. This is a significant improvement in outcomes for those undergoing kidney transplant surgery.” Royal ...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an orphan drug designation to ImPact Bio’s padeliporfin vascular targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP) for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Israel-headquartered ImPact Bio expects to submit an investigational new drug application (IND) later in 2023, with a Phase I trial of the treatment in patients with locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma also scheduled for this year, per a 5 July press release. Orphan drug designations come with certain benefits such as granting tax credits for US-based clinical trials and recommendations from the FDA on the required clinical and preclinical studies. Padeliporfin VTP is based on the combined use of the drug padeliporfin and non-thermal laser light. The drug is administered intravenously to a patient after which it is activated by a non-thermal laser light in the specific area of the tumour, per the company’s website. The light results in the drug’s ...
By Tristan Manalac Pictured: BioMarin headquarters/iStock, Michael Vi The FDA has approved BioMarin Pharmaceutical’s valoctocogene roxaparvovec-rvox, to be marketed as Roctavian in the U.S., for the treatment of adult patients with severe hemophilia A, the company announced Thursday. Roctavian, a one-time single-dose infusion, is authorized for use only in adults without antibodies against the adeno-associated virus serotype 5 (AAV5), as determined by an FDA-approved test. It is also the first gene therapy approved for hemophilia A, according to BioMarin’s news release. In an investor call Thursday afternoon, BioMarin Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Ajer said that “the product profile of Roctavian presents tremendous value to patients, including bleed control, good safety profile and freedom from the burden of chronic therapy.” Roctavian is “priced at a wholesale acquisition cost, or WAC, that equates to $2.9 million for the typical patient for this one-time, single-dose treatment,” Ajer said. Hemophilia A is an inherited ...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved CellTrans’ Lantidra (donislecel) as the first cellular therapy to treat patients with type 1 diabetes. The authorisation specifically applies to adults who are unable to meet their target blood glucose levels because they have repeated episodes of severe low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), despite intensive disease management and education. Almost 1.9 million people in the US have type 1 diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. The condition requires lifelong care, including the regular administration of insulin, either through multiple daily injections or continuous infusion using a pump. However, some patients have trouble managing the amount of insulin needed every day, and dosing becomes difficult. These patients may also develop hypoglycaemia unawareness, where they are unable to detect that their blood glucose is dropping and may not have a chance to treat themselves. Lantidra, which is administered initially as a single infusion, ...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that Lantidra, a cellular therapy for type 1 diabetes (T1D), has become the first treatment of its kind to be approved. Lantidra is an allogeneic (donor) pancreatic islet cellular therapy made from deceased donor pancreatic cells. The approval applies to adults with ‘brittle’ T1D – those unable to reach target glycated haemoglobin (average blood glucose levels) due to repeated severe hypoglycaemic episodes, despite intensive diabetes management and education. T1D accounts for roughly 5%-10% of all diabetes cases. Within this population, an even smaller group, approximately three out of every 1,000 people with T1D, suffer from ‘brittle’ disease. The therapy works by essentially replacing the body’s insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. This is achieved through allogeneic islet beta cells that secrete insulin, administered as a single infusion into the hepatic (liver) portal vein. While this is generally sufficient, an additional infusion ...
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