Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Astrazeneca, Baudaxbio, Eyepoint, Imvax, Ionis, Janssen, Neuraly, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Nrx, Ocugen, Olix, TME, Unity, Yishengbio.
China’s NMPA granted conditional approval for a COVID-19 oral pill to treat adult patients with mild to moderate cases of the virus to a unit of Guangdong Zhongsheng Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. RAY-1216 is a peptidomimetic inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), which is also known as a 3C-like protease (3CLpro).
CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd.’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, SYS-6006, has been included for emergency use by the NMPA, the company said on March 22, marking the first domestically developed COVID-19 mRNA vaccine approved for use in China.
While Moderna Inc. CEO Stéphane Bancel was the one on the hot seat at a March 22 hearing before the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, biopharma profitability in general, and capitalism itself, came under fire as committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) railed about corporate greed in the sector.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Antengene, Aquavit, Arrowhead, Aviceda, Boan, Diamond, Enlivex, Fore, Ichnos, Intellia, Jiangsu Recbio, Luye, Mereo, Prestige, Sanofi, Sensei.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Ipsen, Kuria, Likang, Novartis, Pfizer, Sarepta.
Citing clinical trial data backed by real-world data, members of the U.S. FDA’s Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee voted overwhelmingly, 16-1, March 16 that the overall benefit-risk assessment is favorable for the use of Pfizer Inc.’s Paxlovid to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Argenx, Biontech, Bioprojet, Cognition, Deciphera, Edesa, Pfizer, Skye.
Pfizer Inc.’s Paxlovid has become such a part of the COVID-19 treatment scene in the U.S. that it’s easy to forget it’s only authorized for emergency use. That could soon change. The FDA is convening its Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee March 16 to consider Pfizer’s NDA for the co-packaged nirmatrelvir and ritonavir treatment.