After delaying a June PDUFA date, the U.S. FDA has approved Kalvista Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s Ekterly (sebetralstat) for hereditary angioedema (HAE) in those aged 12 and older. The plasma kallikrein inhibitor now joins a market with previously approved drugs for the rare, genetic, life-threatening condition, as well as other companies with HAE drugs in development. Ekterly is the first orally-delivered on-demand treatment, as all others in the U.S. are intravenously or subcutaneously administered.
Wuhan Healthgen Biotechnology Co. Ltd. gained clearance from the Shanghai Stock Exchange July 1 to list under a recently reinstated IPO growth tier geared towards supporting “unprofitable” biotechnology firms.
The EU is to harness the “silver economy” of its aging population to help drive innovation and growth as part of a new strategy to make Europe “the most attractive place in the world for life sciences by 2030.”
China’s National Medical Products Administration gave the green light to Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Ltd.’s Enzeshu (suvemcitug) for treating recurrent ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, or primary peritoneal cancer in combination with paclitaxel, liposomal doxorubicin, or topotecan in adults who have received at least one systemic therapy after platinum resistance.
With no U.S. CDC director in place yet, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy recently adopted two vaccine recommendations from the April meeting of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP), making them official CDC recommendations and ensuring coverage of the vaccines for the specified populations.
The U.S. Health and Human Services and the Justice Departments are bringing more resources to their crack down on False Claims Act (FCA) violations involving drugs, medical devices and Medicare fraud.
Four days ahead of its July 7 PDUFA date, the U.S. FDA granted accelerated approval to Dizal (Jiangsu) Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s sunvozertinib (DZD-9008), branded as Zegfrovy, for treating adults with locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer with epidermal growth factor receptor exon 20 insertion mutations following platinum-based chemotherapy.
It may be a year later than originally planned, but Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. is set to commercialize Lynozyfic (linvoseltamab) in the U.S. following FDA approval for use in adults with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. A bispecific antibody targeting B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) and CD3, Lynozyfic was cleared under the accelerated approval pathway, with continued approval contingent upon a confirmatory trial.
In subpoenaing a former Pfizer Inc. official to appear before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee July 22, Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, signaled legislative steps Congress may take in response to allegations that Pfizer slow-walked its COVID-19 vaccine development in 2020 so the trial results wouldn’t have to be disclosed until after the presidential election.
Without using the words “universal” or “nationwide,” a U.S. district judge granted a preliminary injunction July 1 to stop the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) reorganization plan, along with any workforce reduction that’s part of the plan.