The fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) analogue space took another turn as Novo Nordisk A/S said during its second-quarter financial update that work with zalfermin (NNC0194-0499) will be discontinued. A phase II study testing the compound in combination with glucagon-like peptide-1 therapy failed to hit the primary endpoint related to liver fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), without MASH worsening.

Alterity Therapeutics Ltd. helped develop a new neuroimaging biomarker called the multiple system atrophy index (MSA-AI), which looks to be a more reliable biomarker for tracking disease progression of MSA.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s bad news from a phase II pain study and separately on the regulatory front caused shares (NASDAQ:VRTX) to close Aug. 5 at $393.83, down $78.44, or 16%. Vertex rolled out top-line results from the phase II dose-ranging study to test the safety and efficacy of its NaV1.8 pain signal inhibitor, VX-993, in tackling acute pain after bunionectomy.  

Novartis AG’s financial update included good news about Scemblix (asciminib), the first and only U.S. FDA-approved allosteric inhibitor for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), which gained clearance in October 2021. The drug introduced a new mechanism of action by specifically targeting the ABL myristoyl pocket.

Praxis Precision Medicines Inc. is making a change to its upcoming registrational, 400-patient Power2 study – adding a dose arm plus a depression/mood endpoint – based on encouraging phase II data from the Radiant study with vormatrigine in focal onset seizure (FOS) patients over an eight-week period. Specifically, Power2 will test 20 mg, 30 mg, and 40 mg of the drug against placebo for 12 weeks.

Spine Biopharma Inc. cited an “inconsistent sham control response” among some of the sites in its phase III study testing SB-01 as an intradiscal treatment for patients with chronic low back pain associated with degenerative disc disease. The study, dubbed MODEL, fell short of statistical significance on pain intensity and pain-related function, despite showing numerical and clinically meaningful improvements.

At the 2025 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC), one of the bigger splashes was made by a cardiovascular drug.

Alterity Therapeutics Ltd. helped develop a new neuroimaging biomarker called the multiple system atrophy index (MSA-AI), which looks to be a more reliable biomarker for tracking disease progression of MSA. Developed using deep learning methods, the MSA-AI offers a superior, objective and quantifiable measure of brain atrophy in MSA patients.

A month away from the PDUFA decision date for a Leqembi (lecanemab) subcutaneous autoinjector to be used for maintenance dosing for those with early Alzheimer’s disease, Eisai Co. Ltd. and Biogen Inc. presented clinical data at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2025 in Toronto, showing comparable efficacy and safety to the FDA-approved intravenous formulation.