The U.S. FDA has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to Breath Direct Inc. for its BDR-19 critical care ventilator for the treatment of critical care patients with respiratory insufficiency. Initial shipments of the device are expected within weeks. The EUA marks a major milestone for the fledgling Long Beach, Calif.-based company, which was started by medical device entrepreneur Darren Saravis in the early days of the pandemic.
The Advanced Medical Technology Association’s (Advamed) new board chairman, Michael Minogue, president and CEO of Abiomed Inc., noted that the association’s agenda for 2021 includes considerations of several headwinds. However, Advamed President and CEO Scott Whitaker said the Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technologies (MCIT) program should commence March 15 as planned, despite the overhang of the Biden administration’s regulatory review of all orders posted in the last days of the Trump administration.
The latest global regulatory news, changes and updates affecting medical devices and technologies, including: NIH touts new polygenic risk score methodology; HHS extends comment period for HIPAA NPRM.
Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Berlin Heart, Canam Scientific, Clordisys Solutions, Sd Biosensor, Zymo Research.
Oncology drugs that have racked up a number of indications through accelerated approvals are losing some of those indications as the result of an FDA industrywide evaluation of confirmatory trials that didn’t back up the approvals.
Aveo Oncology Inc. CEO Michael Bailey said the shifting treatment paradigm in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents “an advantageous opportunity” for the company with Fotivda (tivozanib), approved March 10 for adults with relapsed or refractory, advanced disease who have received two or more systemic therapies.
Positive COVID-19 efficacy numbers from Vir Biotechnology Inc. and Glaxosmithkline plc (GSK) has prompted them to immediately seek an emergency use authorization (EUA) with the FDA and similar authorizations in other countries for their monoclonal antibody, VIR-7831. Meanwhile, the phase III Remdacta study of Actemra/RoActemra (tocilizumab) plus Veklury (remdesivir) vs. placebo plus Veklury, from Roche Holding AG and Gilead Sciences Inc., missed its primary endpoint in treating hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia receiving standard of care.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Alkermes, Astellas, Aveo, Biocryst, Biohaven, Bioxcel, Denali, Eli Lilly, J&J, Kadmon, Longeveron, Marius, Nouscom, Nuvation, RDIF, Spectrum.
LONDON – Liquid biopsy specialist Inivata Ltd. has been granted a U.S. FDA breakthrough device designation for its Radar assay for detecting residual disease or relapse, following treatment for cancer. The personalized assay, which tracks a set of up to 48 genetic variants isolated from excised tumor tissue, is built on Inivata’s approved Invision platform for detecting circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in blood samples.