Little more than a month after the U.S. FDA approved the first gene therapy for adults with hemophilia B, Uniqure NV’s Hemgenix, strong phase III data have come from Pfizer Inc. The Pfizer results show fidanacogene elaparvovec, a vector containing an AAV capsid and a high-activity human coagulation factor IX (FIX) gene for treating adult men with moderately severe to severe hemophilia B, hit the primary endpoint in the phase III Benegene-2 study. The one-time therapy is designed to allow those living with hemophilia B to be able to produce FIX instead of receiving regular, ongoing doses of exogenous FIX.
New and updated clinical data presented by biopharma firms at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting and exposition, including: Amgen, Beigene, Novartis, Pharming.
New and updated clinical data presented by biopharma firms at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting and exposition, including: Abbvie, Actinium, Adicet, Affimed, Agios, Alphamab, Aptose, Argenx, Ascentage, Bellicum, Blueprint, BMS, Cellcentric, Cogent, CSL, CTI, Ellipses, Excellthera, Fate, Genentech.
Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital London have reported the first successful use of base-edited donor T cells, in the treatment of refractory T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. The case of a 13-year-old girl named Alyssa, whose disease had not responded to chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, was presented at the American Society of Hematology meeting in New Orleans on Dec. 11, 2022.
After gaining U.S. FDA priority approval for the first gene therapy to treat hemophilia B, CSL Ltd. reported long-term data from the pivotal HOPE-B trial that showed a single infusion of Hemgenix (etranacogene dezaparvovec-drlb) generated elevated and sustained mean factor IX levels and reduced the rate of annual bleeding. Presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting on Dec. 10, data showed 24-month results reinforced the safety of treatment, with no serious treatment-related adverse effects.
Affimed NV said the latest data with its lead innate cell engager (ICE) known as AFM-13, disclosed at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting, have caused the focus to shift from monotherapy to combination regimens.
Vega Therapeutics Inc. emerged from stealth in advance of a podium presentation at this year’s American Society of Hematology meeting in New Orleans. The company, a spin-out from Star Therapeutics Inc., will disclose preclinical data on its lead drug candidate VGA-039, a first-in-class antibody in development for von Willebrand disease.
The U.S. FDA gave its go-ahead for Hemgenix (etranacogene dezaparvovec-drlb), Uniqure NV’s one-time gene therapy – the first for the treatment of adults 18 and older living with hemophilia B. Patients have been waiting “maybe beyond two decades” for a new therapy, Uniqure CEO Matthew Kapusta said. Hemgenix emerged from pioneering work by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the University College London.
Merck & Co. Inc. is adding to its hematology assets in the takeover of Imago Biosciences Inc. for $36 per share, an arrangement with an equity value of about $1.35 billion. Shares of Imago (NASDAQ:IMGO) took flight as Wall Street learned of the deal, ending the day at $35.59, up $18.19, or 104%. Imago is working on new drugs for myeloproliferative neoplasms and other bone marrow diseases. Lead candidate bomedemstat (IMG-7289), an orally available inhibitor of the epigenetic enzyme lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), is undergoing phase II trials for the treatment of essential thrombocythemia, myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera, along with other indications.