Celltrion Inc. is on a biosimilar roll with the U.S. FDA this month, having gained clearance of Stoboclo and Osenvelt as products referencing Amgen Inc.’s biologic, denosumab (Prolia, Xgeva), along with Omlyclo becoming the first and only interchangeable biosimilar to omalizumab (Xolair, Genentech Inc. and Novartis AG).
The U.S. FDA’s latest draft guidance on pulse oximeters drew comment from the International Standards Organization and the International Electrotechnical Commission, which are making the case that in addition to differences in pigmentation, the pulsatility of the tissue in contact with the device is also a factor in device performance.
Sagimet Biosciences Inc. has obtained IND clearance from the FDA for TVB-3567 (ASC-60), a selective small-molecule fatty acid synthase (FASN) inhibitor set to enter clinical development for the treatment of acne. A first-in-human phase I trial of TVB-3567 in individuals with or without acne is expected to begin this year.
In another real-life episode of “sponsor beware,” the owners of a clinical research facility pleaded guilty March 10 in U.S. district court to fraud charges resulting from their conduct of two clinical trials for potential asthma drugs.
Sooma Oy secured U.S. FDA investigational device exemption approval to initiate a pivotal study of its transcranial direct current stimulation medical device in people with major depressive disorder. The study will examine the efficacy of the non-invasive Sooma 2Gen device in improving MDD as an at-home treatment.
Mindrank Ltd. has announced that the FDA has cleared the company’s IND application for MRANK-106, a potentially first-in-class, orally available dual inhibitor of WEE1 and YES1 kinases, for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, small-cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer.
Martin Makary, President Donald Trump’s pick to head the U.S. FDA, took his turn before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee March 6, a week ahead of the committee’s confirmation votes on both him and Jay Bhattacharya as the next NIH director. The committee votes will set the stage for the full Senate to vote on confirming both nominees later this month.
The first treatment for macular telangiectasia type 2 is set to enter the market following U.S. FDA approval of NT-501 (revakinagene taroretcel) from Neurotech Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately held company that has been quietly advancing its encapsulated cell therapy platform for more than two decades.
Rusfertide could become a blockbuster therapy for polycythemia vera, H.C. Wainwright analyst Douglas Tsao wrote March 4 after the injectable hepcidin mimetic peptide hit its primary endpoint and all four key secondary endpoints in the ongoing phase III Verify study.
The U.S. FDA drafted a guidance for clinical trials for evaluation of optical imaging (OI) agents. The policy may allow clinical studies to evaluate an OI agent by means of an intrasubject study design, which would save time and money for the sponsor.