The latest global regulatory news, changes and updates affecting medical devices and technologies, including: CMS tacks three years onto CJR, revises target price calculation; Connect for Health Act back in play; More bezel troubles for Alaris 8100; CMS announces two meetings for FY 2022 lab fee schedule.
Emergent Biosolutions Inc. CEO Robert Kramer assured investors that he takes “full responsibility” for woes that beset the firm after the FDA’s Form 483 found serious manufacturing problems at the Baltimore, Md.-based Bayview plant. “You have my commitment that we're going to do everything we can to resolve these issues quickly, and as safely as possible,” he said during an April 29 conference call on first-quarter financial results.
The FDA slapped Leo Pharma A/S’ BLA for IL-13 inhibitor tralokinumab with a complete response letter (CRL), making it the latest atopic dermatitis candidate to hit a regulatory setback in the U.S., following delays for three oral JAK inhibitor drugs earlier this month.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Ardelyx, Biocryst, Biomarin, Biontech, BMS, Eagle, Hikma, Janssen, Legend, Leo, Pfizer, Praxis Precision Medicines, Therapeutic Solutions International, Xeris.
The FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 6-2 April 29 to recommend withdrawing accelerated approval for Merck & Co. Inc.’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as a third-line treatment for a subgroup of patients with recurrent locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer. The vote was based on FDA assurances that, if it withdrew the approval, it would work with Merck to delay the withdrawal or set up an access program to ensure the estimated 1,000 patients who are beyond first-line treatment could still get Keytruda.
Atricure Inc. has received the green light from the FDA for its Epi-Sense guided coagulation system with Visitrax technology to treat patients diagnosed with long-standing, persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). The device was previously cleared via a 510(k) for the coagulation of cardiac tissue, and is already available in the U.S. The FDA approval represents the first and only minimally invasive ablation therapy for the more than 3 million Americans with longstanding AF.
Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Atricure, Cerapedics, Celltrion, Lumenis, Soliton, Sommetrics.
In the final part of its three-day meeting on accelerated approvals granted to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies, the FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) voted unanimously to continue the accelerated approval for Merck & Co. Inc.’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as a therapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib (Nexavar, Bayer AG).
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Biogen, CSL, Genentech, Lipac, Novartis.