Fulcrum Therapeutics Inc.’s phase IIb data with losmapimod in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) brought renewed hope for patients in what historically has proved a challenging therapeutic space. Though the firm’s oral p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor missed its primary biomarker endpoint – changes in DUX4-driven gene expression – other indicators of benefit in the study called ReDUX4 painted a bright picture.
Blueprint Medicines Corp. gained the FDA’s nod for Ayvakit (avapritinib) to treat systemic mastocytosis (SM), adding another indication to the KIT inhibitor’s label. For the first time, patients have available a targeted therapy designed to block D816V mutant KIT, the central driver of the disease.