News in Numbers

57,995

There are 57,995 confirmed monkeypox cases reported in the world, as per a 13 September Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) update

$1.4 billion

Over $1.4 billion in financial commitments have been pledged to the World Health Organization (WHO)’s financial intermediary fund (FIF) for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR)

12.58 billion

As of 11 September, 12,589,972,108 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered, as per the WHO.

38

After 38 years as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Dr. Anthony Fauci announced he will be leaving the position in December

$1.29 billion

The drug wholesale company AmerisourceBergen entered into a definitive agreement to acquire specialized services provider PharmaLex for $1.29 billion

 Approvals

SPIKEVAX BIVALENT ORIGINAL/OMICRON

The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted conditional authorisation for Moderna’s Covid-19 booster vaccine, mRNA-1273.214 (Spikevax Bivalent Original/Omicron), for use in adults aged 18 years and above. 

Source: PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY

ROCTAVIAN

The European Commission (EC) has granted conditional marketing authorisation (CMA) for BioMarin Pharmaceutical’s gene therapy, Roctavian (valoctocogene roxaparvovec), to treat adults with severe haemophilia A (congenital Factor VIII deficiency). It is indicated for patients with no history of Factor VIII inhibitors and any detectable antibodies to adeno-associated virus serotype 5 (AAV5).

Source: PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY

SUNLECA

Gilead Sciences has obtained the European Commission (EC) marketing authorisation for Sunlenca (lenacapavir) injection and tablets to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The MAA for lenacapavir is based on data from the Phase II/III CAPELLA clinical trial.

Source: Pharmaceutical Technology

TECARTUS

The European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorisation for Gilead Sciences subsidiary Kite’s CAR T-cell therapy Tecartus (brexucabtagene autoleucel) to treat relapsed or refractory (r/r) B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).

Source: Pharmaceutical Technology

Clinical Trials

83bar and Virgo collaborate to introduce patient recruitment platform

83bar has entered a strategic collaboration with Virgo Surgical Video Solutions for launching a new Constellation Platform to recruit patients into clinical trials. The Constellation platform will aid practice managers and trial sponsors in connecting different aspects of the recruitment process.

Source: Clinical Trials Arena

Ideaya reports positive Phase II data for MUM combination therapy

Ideaya Biosciences reported positive interim Phase II clinical trial data of a darovasertib (IDE196) and crizotinib-synthetic lethal combination for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM). Of the any-line MUM patients, 89% and 83% had tumour shrinkage and disease control rate, respectively.

Source: Clinical Trials Arena

Dynavax doses first subject in Phase II plague vaccine trial

Dynavax Technologies dosed the first subject in a Phase II clinical trial of a recombinant plague (rF1V) vaccine, along with the company’s CpG 1018 adjuvant. The vaccine is being developed by the US Department of Defense (DoD).

Source: Clinical Trials Arena

FDA authorises Edgewise’s Phase II duchenne muscular dystrophy trial

The US FDA granted authorisation for Edgewise Therapeutics’ Phase II clinical trial of EDG-5506 for treating duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in children. Named LYNX, the trial is expected to begin dosing subjects in the fourth quarter of this year.

Source: Clinical Trials Arena

Synairgen enters partnership to support viral infection trial

Synairgen has entered a partnership to support the UNIVERSAL trial being led by the Clinical Trials Unit of the University of Southampton in the UK to potentially develop antivirals for viral infections. The trial plans to recruit 1,000 subjects who will be assessed for a period of 12 months.

Source: Clinical Trials Arena

Astellas reports Phase III data of fezolinetant for menopause-linked VMS

Astellas Pharma has reported topline findings from the Phase III MOONLIGHT 3 clinical trial of fezolinetant to treat moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) linked to menopause in women in mainland China. The adverse events were generally in line with those seen in prior Phase III trials of fezolinetant.

Source: Clinical Trials Arena