As the world awaits more phase III data due any day from Akebia Therapeutics Inc. with vadadustat, its oral hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (HIF-PHI), in chronic kidney disease (CKD), the company is basking in the approval of the product in Japan as Vafseo as a once-daily treatment for CKD anemia.
Detailed results from a phase III test of Astrazeneca plc's Farxiga found that adding the drug to standard of care in patients with chronic kidney disease reduced a composite measure of worsening of renal function or risk of cardiovascular or renal death by 39% compared to placebo.
Hologic Inc., which focuses on women's health, reported Aug. 25 that it was acquiring Acessa Health Inc., a company that has developed a minimally invasive treatment for fibroids. It is offering about $80 million in cash plus contingent payments based on future revenue growth.
LONDON – Redx Pharma plc is in the process of handing its RXC-006 program over to Astrazeneca plc, after signing a potential $377 million development and commercialization deal for the porcupine inhibitor in the treatment of fibrotic disease.
PERTH, Australia – Melbourne-based Dimerix Ltd.’s stock shot up nearly 20% on the news that its lead compound, DMX-200, met primary and secondary endpoints in a phase IIa trial in patients with rare kidney disease focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), according to top-line results.
With an Aug. 22 PDUFA date set, Tricida Inc. said it received an FDA notification regarding the NDA for veverimer (TRC-101) for treating metabolic acidosis in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, noting that it had identified deficiencies precluding discussion of labeling and postmarketing requirements/commitments.
While members of the FDA’s Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee all recognized the severity of hepatorenal syndrome type 1 (HRS-1) and the significant unmet need in the space, they were divided on whether the FDA should follow the decades-old lead of regulators in 60 other countries in approving Mallinckrodt plc’s terlipressin as an HRS-1 treatment.
HONG KONG – Astellas Pharma Inc. reported positive results from phase III of its DOLOMITES study comparing the efficacy and safety of roxadustat to that of darbepoetin alfa in treating anemia in nondialysis-dependent, stage 3 to 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.
As the company gears up for two NDA filings this year, Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s $350 million deal with funds managed by Blackstone Life Sciences provides cash runway through the end of 2023.
In a bid to expand its presence in the cardiometabolic disease space and strengthen its core business in diabetes and obesity, Novo Nordisk A/S is buying Corvidia Therapeutics Inc., of Waltham, Mass., for $2.1 billion, which includes a $725 million up-front payment.