Kadimastem Ltd. and Itolerance Inc. have held a type B pre-IND meeting with the FDA regarding the development of ITOL-102, an investigational biologic for the treatment and potential cure of type 1 diabetes that would not require life-long chronic immune system suppression. It comprises Kadimastem’s allogenic human stem cell-derived pancreatic islets (Isletrx cells) combined with Itolerance’s immunomodulator, ITOL-100.

The U.S. FDA approved 12 drugs in January, falling below the 2024 monthly average of 19. Only three new molecular entities received approval, trailing the yearly average of just over four per month.

Radiance Biopharma Inc. bought its way into the ROR1 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) space through a potential $1 billion-plus licensing deal, including a $15 million up-front payment, with CSPC Megalith Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd. for rights to RB-164 (SYS-6005) in the U.S. and select countries.

LTZ Therapeutics Inc. has gained IND approval from the FDA for LTZ-301, a first-in-class myeloid engager immunotherapy intended to treat relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (r/r NHL).

Citing recent executive orders that suggest additional cuts to the federal workforce may be in the offing, U.S. Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy urging him to end “indiscriminate cuts that will cause lasting harm to FDA’s public health mission” and to protect the agency’s statutory obligations.

The U.S. FDA hasn’t taken up criminal justice as a sideline, but it did just clear Sonio Suspect. Far from a social miscreant, Suspect improves detection of fetal anomalies by 22 points by automatically detecting multiple types of abnormal findings and allows for detection as early as 11 weeks of gestation.

Though it’s been used off-label for more than three decades to treat cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis, Mirum Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s chenodiol gained an official U.S. FDA nod Feb. 21 as the first drug approved specifically for treating the rare autosomal recessive lipid storage disease.

The U.S. FDA approved 12 drugs in January, falling below the 2024 monthly average of 19. Only three new molecular entities received approval, trailing the yearly average of just over four per month.

In response to the news of reported layoffs at the U.S. FDA over the weekend, Advanced Medical Association president and CEO Scott Whitaker said in press release that these “significant job cuts could have a very negative impact on patient care in this country.”

With massive terminations, data removals, holds on U.S. government funding, cancellation of various programs and meetings, the potential for 25% tariffs on medical products and a multitude of court challenges and appeals, the dust is flying thick at the FDA, NIH and throughout the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).