DUBLIN – The EMA has rejected Biogen Inc.’s application for European Union approval of Aduhelm (aducanumab), its controversial Alzheimer’s disease drug. Its human medicines committee (CHMP) issued a negative opinion on Biogen’s dossier during its December meeting this week, stating that the data from the key studies submitted in support of the application “were conflicting and did not show overall that Aduhelm was effective at treating adults with early stage Alzheimer’s disease.”
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Alvotech, BMS, Braeburn, Calliditas, Camurus, Daiichi, Innoskel, Mesoblast, Mitotech, Neuvivo, Nkarta, Novavax, Pfizer, Rakuten, Sobi, Verrica, Zai Lab.
In the face of rare, sometimes fatal, side effects associated with Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted unanimously to recommend that the agency say it prefers mRNA COVID-19 vaccines over the Janssen vaccine for preventing COVID-19 in those ages 18 years and older.
Following initial approvals for rheumatic diseases, Bristol Myers Squibb Co.'s Orencia (abatacept) has become the first FDA-approved drug for the prevention of acute graft-vs.-host disease (aGVHD), in combination with calcineurin inhibitors and methotrexate, both types of immunosuppressants.
Calliditas Therapeutics AB expects its oral version of budesonide to be available early in the first quarter of 2022, following FDA approval for treating patients with progressive kidney disease primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). Branded Tarpeyo, the delayed-release capsules were cleared for use in reducing proteinuria in adults with primary IgAN at risk of rapid disease progression, usually determined as a protein-to-creatinine ration (UPCR) of 1.5 g/g or less.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Apellis, Boehringer, CSL, Everest, Fate, I-Mab, Incyte, J&J, Laurent, Merck, Nuvation, Sapience, Sobi.
With the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) imposing stricter regulatory requirements on listing companies, more Chinese companies are likely to decide to list on stock exchanges closer to home.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Abbvie, Alnylam, Alterity, Beigene, Chinook, Hemogenyx, J&J, Kenox, Merck, Moderna, Pfizer, Rockwell, Sparro, TG, Tonix.
Cardiologist Robert Califf has been nominated a second time to lead the FDA, and drug pricing was again high on the agenda at the Dec. 14 Senate hearing for his nomination.