Abbisko Therapeutics Co., Ltd.(Abbisko Therapeutics) today announced that its CSF-1R inhibitor pimicotinib(ABSK021) has been granted the fast track designation (FTD) by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) patients that are not amenable to surgery. Previously, pimicotinib was granted the breakthrough therapy designation (BTD) by the U.S. FDAfor TGCT in January, 2023.The grant of FTD and BTD will accelerate the global development and commercialization of pimicotinib. Fast Track is a policy designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs in order to treat serious conditions and fulfill unmet medical needs. Its purpose is to get important new drugs to patients earlier. Moreover, the FTD enables companies to maintain more frequent communications and meetings with the U.S.FDA. The drug also becomes eligible for accelerated approval and priority review by the U.S.FDA. In early December, Abbisko entered into an agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, ...
While existing neuroblastoma treatments can help patients achieve remission, sustaining that remission has proven tricky. But now, patients and doctors have a new oral option. This week, the U.S. FDA approved US WorldMeds’ (USWM) Iwilfin—also known as eflornithine—as a new oral maintenance therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma. The drug, cleared in 192 mg tablets, is indicated to cut the risk of relapse in kids and adults with high-risk neuroblastoma who’ve had at least a partial response to prior multiagent, multimodality treatment, USWM said in a press release. Between 700 and 800 cases of neuroblastoma are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, according to the American Cancer Society. Ninety percent of diagnoses occur before a patient is 5 years old and more than 50% of neuroblastoma cases are classified as high-risk. Approximately half of children with high-risk neuroblastoma don’t live more than five years past their diagnosis, USWM added. Avoiding relapse is ...
Last month, Bristol Myers Squibb made the surprise announcement that the FDA will convene an advisory committee meeting to discuss the company’s bid to move the CAR-T therapy Abecma into earlier lines of treatment. Now, we know at least one reason why the FDA wants more opinions on the application. Abecma showed no advantage in extending patients’ lives compared with standard combination regimens when used in multiple myeloma patients after two to four prior lines of therapy, according to an updated interim analysis of the phase 3 KarMMa-3 trial presented at the 65th American Society of Hematology annual meeting. The statistical analysis revealed a negligible 1% increased risk of death for Abecma. But median overall survival looks better for Abecma, as patients lived a median of 41.4 months versus 37.9 months for control. The lack of an overall survival showing came in stark contrast to the 51% reduction in the ...
Novartis drug iptacopan, which won its first FDA approval in early December in a rare blood disorder, has met the main goal of a pivotal test in an ultra-rare kidney disease. The small molecule’s potential to address many diseases has stirred up blockbuster expectations. By FRANK VINLUAN The blockbuster potential for new Novartis drug iptacopan rests on the molecule’s ability to reach many diseases. The drug is on the way to its first one, following a recent FDA approval in a rare blood disorder. Now Novartis has data in a different rare disease with no approved treatment options. The Swiss pharmaceutical giant says these results could support regulatory submissions in 2024. While Novartis has said iptacopan could achieve peak sales topping $3 billion, the company has provided no breakdown of that projection by indication. The results announced Monday are from a Phase 3 test of iptacopan in C3 glomerulopathy (C3G), ...
Groundbreaking? Game-changing? Transformational? Historic? None of the buzzwords sound adequate to describe Friday’s FDA approval of Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics’ Casgevy (exa-cel) to treat sickle cell disease (SCD). The therapy is a long-awaited potential cure for the debilitating and life-threatening disease which affects more than 100,000 in the United States, most of them Black. It’s also the first medicine using the revolutionary CRISPR gene-editing system, which earned its inventors a Nobel Prize in 2020 and holds tantalizing potential to cure diseases for which there is no treatment. Friday, in surprising timing, the FDA approved a second gene therapy for SCD, bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia (lovo-cel), which was due for a decision Dec. 20. Both approvals are for people 12 and older. The FDA has signed off on roughly two dozen cell or gene therapies, beginning with Novartis’ Kymriah in 2017, but none have the potential impact of Casgevy and Lyfgenia. ...
Pharmaceutical Executive Editorial Staff FDA approval of bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia and Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ and CRISPR Therapeutics’ Casgevy marks significant milestone in the treatment of sickle cell disease. The FDA has approved a pair of landmark treatments for sickle cell disease (SCD) in patients 12 years of age and older, marking the first cell-based gene therapies for SCD. As part of today’s regulatory action, both bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia (lovotibeglogene autotemcel [lovo-cel]) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ and CRISPR Therapeutics’ Casgevy (exagamglogene autotemcel [exa-cel]) gained approval for the inherited blood disorders, which affect approximately 100,000 people in the United States. “Sickle cell disease is a rare, debilitating and life-threatening blood disorder with significant unmet need, and we are excited to advance the field especially for individuals whose lives have been severely disrupted by the disease by approving two cell-based gene therapies today,” Nicole Verdun, MD, director of the Office of Therapeutic Products within the ...
Pfizer already reported its experimental drug for hemophilia A and B met a pivotal study’s goals of reducing bleeding episodes. During the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology, the company presented a full look at the results, which are expected to support regulatory submissions soon. By FRANK VINLUAN Patients with hemophilia A or B can manage the inherited bleeding disorders with regular infusions of the clotting proteins they lack. This treatment helps—until it doesn’t. One problem with these infused factor replacement therapies is patients can develop inhibitors, which are antibodies that render the clotting proteins ineffective. Experimental Pfizer drug marstacimab takes a different approach to both forms of hemophilia. Results from a pivotal study show the subcutaneously injected drug met the main goals of reducing bleeding episodes. The company also has some additional long-term data showing continuing improvement beyond the initial clinical trial evaluation period. The full Phase ...
The FDA has granted fast track designation to Solid Biosciences’s gene therapy SGT-003 for the treatment of DMD. The US-based company received clearance from the FDA to start Phase I/II trial for the gene therapy on 14 November. SGT-003 uses a novel capsid AAV-SLB101 to deliver the DNA sequence encoding the shortened form of the dystrophin protein (microdystrophin). It also has R16 and R17 nNOS binding protein domains. DMD is a rare genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness. It affects approximately six in 100,000 individuals across Europe and North America, as per the US Muscular Dystrophy Association. The first gene therapy for treating DMD was approved earlier this year. In June, Sarepta Therapeutics’s gene therapy Elevidys (delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl) received accelerated approval by the FDA for treating ambulatory patients aged 4-5 years with a confirmed mutation in the DMD gene. There has been an increased interest in developing gene therapies ...
Dive Brief The Food and Drug Administration received more than 19,600 comments related to its planned changes to the oversight of laboratory developed tests (LDTs). The public comment period closed on Monday. Multiple groups pushed back against plans to increase FDA oversight of LDTs. The American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA) is at the forefront of the resistance, submitting a 107-page document that outlines “grave concerns” and urges the FDA to withdraw the proposal. Hospitals and healthcare provider groups, like the American Hospital Association (AHA), also opposed the FDA’s proposal, arguing that the rule would limit patients’ access to tests. Dive Insight The FDA closed the comment period Monday, resisting calls to give affected groups more time to send feedback. The length of the comment period is one of many points of contention. Plans to increase regulatory oversight of LDTs, without gaining additional powers from Congress, have alarmed a spectrum of ...
BY CHRIS NEWMARKER Microbot Medical today announced the successful completion of its pivotal pre-clinical study of its Liberty endovascular robotic surgical system. The study, performed under good laboratory practice (GLP) and essential for the company’s investigational device exemption (IDE) submission, took place under rigorous FDA guidelines. The study involved pigs. In this study, three interventional radiologists performed 96 robotic navigations using Liberty. They used the system to control various commercially available intravascular catheterization devices. They then microscopically examined and evaluated the target vessels and surrounding tissue. Microbot Medical officials think Liberty’s remote operation could enable it to democratize endovascular interventional procedures. “I am very pleased with the positive outcomes of the histopathology report and the completion of the GLP study,” said Juan Diaz Cartelle, chief medical officer of Braintree, Massachusetts–based Microbot Medical. “This gives us confidence to move forward to the next stage of human clinical study.” Microbot Medical CEO ...
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