Allara Health Inc. officially launched its diagnostic test for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) this week, but word of mouth has already established a waitlist of more than 10,000 women. The diagnostic tool evaluates a full panel of hormonal and metabolic markers, which are used with patient-reported symptoms, to diagnose the increasingly common condition.
It’s all systems “go” for Travere Therapeutics Inc. and its sparsentan after meetings with the FDA paved the way for filings and potential accelerated approvals in the rare kidney disease IgA nephropathy and the kidney scarring condition focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
Shares of Angion Biomedica Corp. tumbled more than 50% Oct. 27 on disappointing top-line data from its phase III study testing ANG-3777’s ability to improve organ function in patients receiving deceased donor kidney transplants. The company’s management, however, remained cautiously optimistic that the safety results and signals of biological activity could bode well for an exploratory phase II study testing the drug in acute kidney injury associated with cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass, which is expected to read out later this quarter.
DUBLIN – With more than six months to go before an initial interim readout from its phase III pivotal trial of ilofotase alfa (recombinant human alkaline phosphatase) in sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI), AM-Pharma BV has already found a buyer for Japanese rights to the product. Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd. is paying €20 million up front and could pay up to €225 million more in milestones attached to the progress of the program.
DUBLIN – With more than six months to go before an initial interim readout from its phase III pivotal trial of ilofotase alfa (recombinant human alkaline phosphatase) in sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI), AM-Pharma BV has already found a buyer for Japanese rights to the product. Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd. is paying €20 million up front and could pay up to €225 million more in milestones attached to the progress of the program.
Women with endometriosis may be closer to finding relief from chronic inflammation and acute pain during menstruation after a group of international researchers have uncovered a new nonhormonal treatment target, neuropeptide S receptor 1.
The FDA has approved Korsuva (difelikefalin) from Cara Therapeutics Inc. for pruritis in patients undergoing hemodialysis, following a fast review. Korsuva is the first therapy approved by the FDA in the indication and is the first ever approval for the Stamford, Conn.-based company.
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. has added two potential drugs to its pipeline targeting autoimmune and kidney-related diseases through an acquisition and a licensing deal. Victoria, British Columbia-based Aurinia is building on its first ever FDA approval at the beginning of the year, for Lupkynis (voclosporin) for treating active lupus nephritis in adults.
Travere Therapeutics Inc. plans to file for accelerated approval in the first half of next year, based on data from the pivotal phase III Protect study of sparsentan, a dual-acting antagonist of the endothelin type A (ETA) and angiotensin II type 1 receptors, for IgA nephropathy (IgAN).