Results from a phase III study comparing Celltrion Inc.’s biosimilar VEGF ligand inhibitor CT-P16 to Roche Holding AG’s Avastin (bevacizumab) in patients with metastatic or recurrent non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) found it to be similarly effective and as safe compared to the reference drug. Incheon, South Korea-based Celltrion presented the results at the 2022 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. The company now plans “to speed up the approval process through consultation with regulatory authorities in each country,” a Celltrion official said.
Akili Interactive Labs Inc. has made grabbing and holding attention a distinguishing feature of its digital therapeutics and overall company strategy. Last month, it made news with its hire of gaming industry veteran Jon David as its chief product officer. Now, a study indicates a new product in development may help people with depression extend their attention span and possibly improve cognition, two common symptoms associated with the mood disorder that are not treated by most medications.
As part of a series of guidances addressing clinical trial diversity, the U.S. FDA issued a draft guidance April 13 focused on improving enrollment of participants from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations.
Beigene Ltd.’s BTK inhibitor Brukinsa (zanubrutinib) has met the primary endpoints in a phase III trial to treat patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma.
Shionogi & Co. Ltd.’s plan to make ensitrelvir, an oral antiviral for COVID-19, the first domestically approved COVID-19 treatment has hit a snag. Animal studies showed the drug, also known as S-217622, disturbed fetal development, according to media reports.
The quixotic course of the cancer therapy Ontak continues with new top-line data from Citius Pharmaceuticals Inc. The company’s phase III study of I/Ontak (E-7777), a reformulation of previously FDA-approved oncology treatment Ontak (denileukin diftitox), was consistent with the prior formulation. No new safety signals were identified in treating persistent or recurrent cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
Ark Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s phase III testing its ziresovir in infants hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection produced positive top-line results, meeting both the primary endpoint of reduction in signs and symptoms (S&S) score (p=0.002) and a key secondary endpoint of reduction in viral load (p=0.006) compared with placebo. The company said it is the first oral RSV antiviral to be successful in phase III.
Shanghai Allist Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.’s third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, furmonertinib, met its primary endpoint in a phase III trial, demonstrating longer progression-free survival vs. first-generation EGFR TKI Iressa (gefitinib, Astrazeneca plc) as first-line therapy for locally advanced or metastatic EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.
Shares of Suzhou, China-based Kintor Pharmaceutical Ltd. (HKEX:9939) rose to HKD28.85 (US$3.68), up HKD14.87, or 106%, after the firm reported top-line data from the phase III multiregional trial with proxalutamide in people with mild to moderate COVID-19 infection, regardless of vaccination status or risk factors.
Oncology specialist Affimed NV is pushing forward with clinical development of technology that encourages natural killer cells to attack solid tumors. The move, supported by data the company presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), is backing its creation of “innate cell engager” molecules.
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