Hookipa Pharma Inc. has received clearance from the U.S. FDA for its IND application for HB-700, a novel arenaviral therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of KRAS-mutated cancers. The HB-700 program is a replicating 2-vector therapy designed to treat KRAS-mutated lung, colorectal, pancreatic and other cancers by targeting the five most prevalent KRAS mutations in these disease indications.
The U.S. FDA approved Utility Therapeutics Ltd.’s Pivya (pivmecillinam), an oral prodrug of injectable mecillinam, on its April 24 PDUFA date for female adults with uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus.
The FDA has cleared Oncoc4 Inc.’s IND application for ONC-841, a potential first-in-class Siglec-10-blocking antibody for the treatment of solid tumors.
Becoming the first type II RAF inhibitor for relapsed or refractory BRAF-altered pediatric low-grade glioma, Day One Biopharmaceuticals Inc.’s Ojemda (tovorafenib, DAY-101) gained U.S. FDA accelerated approval on April 23, a week earlier than its expected PDUFA date, bringing the Brisbane, Calif.-based company a rare pediatric disease priority review voucher.
About a year after the U.S. FDA cleared Krystal Biotech Inc.’s topical gene therapy, Vyjuvek (beremagene geperpavec), as the first drug for recessive or dominant dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, competitor Abeona Therapeutics Inc. disclosed a complete response letter (CRL) from the FDA related to its cell-based graft therapy, prademagene zamikeracel.
In March, the U.S. FDA approved 30 new drugs, marking the highest monthly count in BioWorld’s records. The previous highest month of June 2020, with 29 FDA approvals, is followed by November 2017’s 27 approvals.
Genfleet Therapeutics Inc. has entered the KRAS G12C inhibitor race in the U.S. as it gears up to begin phase III trials of GFH-925 (IBI-351) in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) following FDA clearance.
Royal Philips NV may feel it has had enough recent interaction with the U.S. FDA, but the company is now in receipt of a warning letter from the agency over a facility located in Suzhou, China. The FDA was none too fond of the facility’s handling of a contract manufactured data cable used in CT systems because of malfunctions that may have delayed diagnostic imaging procedures, representing yet another regulatory distraction for a company that recently cleared a long-running conflict with the FDA over CPAP machines.
Neurovalens Ltd recently received U.S. FDA clearance for its Modius Stress device, a neurostimulator that treats people suffering from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It also closed a £2.1 million (US$2.65 million) funding round and is planning to raise up to $50 million in a series B fundraising round to be launched later this year.
After several delays, the interleukin-15 superagonist Anktiva (nogapendekin alfa inbakicept) from Immunitybio Inc. has been approved by the U.S. FDA for treating bladder cancer, specifically Bacillus Calmette-Guérin-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer with carcinoma in situ, with or without papillary tumors.