As Monica Bertagnolli, U.S. President Joe Biden’s choice to be the next NIH director, meets with senators to gather support for her confirmation, she’s sure to be grilled by some of them about her stance on whether the agency can march in on drug patents based on a drug’s list price. Up until now, NIH directors have said no. A change in that policy, along with nearly flatline NIH spending and other new government initiatives, could impact private investment in drug R&D by increasing the cost of research and lowering the return on investment.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: American Regent, Avadel, Bioinvent, Canbridge, Daiichi Sankyo, Foghorn, Hemogenyx, Innovent, Kyverna, Springworks, Theratechnologies.
Incannex Healthcare Ltd. had quietly been developing its commercialization plans for psychedelic clinics well before Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration announced it would allow psilocybin and MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) to be prescribed by authorized psychiatrists for treatment-resistant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Arcturus, Astrazeneca, Amarin, Coherus, Edding, Enterin, Merck, Minoryx, Molecular Templates, Pfizer, TG, YS.
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed an agreement with the Biden administration on the debt ceiling, a deal that does not affect mandatory spending programs such as Medicare. However, the agreement, which still must gain the Senate’s stamp of approval, appears to eliminate any chance of yet more monies for the National Institutes of Health or the FDA, two programs of intense interest for companies in the life sciences.
With False Claims Act (FCA) whistle-blower lawsuits multiplying amid the complexity of regulations that often are unclear, the U.S. Supreme Court provided some clarity as to what constitutes a false claim in a unanimous opinion handed down June 1. But it’s not what the biopharma and med-tech industries were hoping for.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Acticor, Aridis, Ascentage, Cocrystal, IGM, Pepgen, Pharmazz, Precigen, Rocket.
Becoming the second approved respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for the 60 and older crowd, Pfizer Inc.’s Abrysvo (RSVpreF; PF-06928316) received a U.S. FDA nod on May 31 for RSV lower respiratory tract disease. In February, the agency’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted 7-4 that data support both the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Behind this approval for the senior population is another potential approval, expected in August, for infants via maternal inoculation.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Akebia, Amylyx, Beigene, Bristol Myers Squibb, Inhibrx, Iovance, Janssen, Lexicon, Metriopharm, SK, Valneva.