With no drugs approved by the U.S. FDA for treating Becker muscular dystrophy, Edgewise Therapeutics Inc. reported positive two-year, phase Ib data looking at patients’ ability to physically function, plus biomarker data.
Enlivex Therapeutics Ltd. extolled the top-line “positive indication of effect and safety” from the phase II study of Allocetra in treating sepsis and sepsis shock, but the market took another view of the clinical trial. In an analysis of eligible adult patients from the cell therapy’s multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-finding study of 120 enrolled patients, the company also reported low mortality rates.
Biosimilar competition to Amgen Inc.’s denosumab (Prolia/Xgeva) is rising globally, with Mabwell (Shanghai) Bioscience Co. Ltd. gaining the latest China NMPA approval of Maiweijian (TK-006) on April 8. Mabwell’s wholly owned subsidiary, Jiangsu T-mab Biopharma Co. Ltd., gained NMPA clearance of Maiweijian (120 mg) as the first denosumab biosimilar for the indications of U.S.-licensed Xgeva for bone-related diseases.
Less than a month after disclosing that its confirmatory phase III trial of Relyvrio (sodium phenylbutyrate plus taurursodiol) fell short of its endpoint, Amylyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. is withdrawing the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) drug from the market.
Beijing- and Shanghai-based Sperogenix Therapeutics Ltd. said that China’s regulatory agency accepted the NDA filing and granted priority review of Agamree (vamorolone) for Duchenne muscular dystrophy on March 26.
The U.S. FDA has approved Duvyzat (givinostat), from Italfarmaco SpA, for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). It is the first oral, nonsteroidal drug for treating all of DMD’s genetic variants. The oral treatment is approved for those ages 6 and older.
Top-line data from Seelos Therapeutics Inc.’s phase II/III study of SLS-005 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) failed to meet statistical significance in its primary and secondary endpoints, continuing the stock’s nearly half-year downward trajectory.
Tweaks made to the design of the phase III trial called Phoenix (vs. the narrowly positive phase II Centaur study) with Amylyx Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) drug Relyvrio (sodium phenylbutyrate plus taurursodiol) didn’t work. Now, the Cambridge, Mass.-based firm is facing possible withdrawal of the treatment from the U.S. and Canada, where it’s known as Albrioza. Shares of Amylyx (NASDAQ: AMLX) closed March 8 at $3.36, down $15.61, or 82.3%, after the firm disclosed top-line results from Phoenix, a global, 48-week, randomized, placebo-controlled phase III effort with Relyvrio, also known as AMX-0035.
The biosimilars revolution continues with the U.S. FDA’s approval of the first denosumab biosimilars: Wyost (denosumab-bbdz) and Jubbonti (denosumab-bbdz) from Sandoz Inc. for treating osteoporosis and to prevent bone problems in cancer. The approval puts up a strong challenge to Amgen Inc.’s Prolia, the first biologic for osteoporosis, and Xgeva, for bone cancer.
Pharmaust Ltd.’s monepantel met its primary safety endpoints and showed positive signals of potential efficacy in a phase I trial in patients with motor neuron disease (MND)/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). With these results, the company will now progress to a pivotal phase II/III trial by midyear, Pharmaust CEO Michael Thurn told BioWorld.