UK pharma major GSK has gained US regulatory approval for a new prefilled syringe presentation of its shingles vaccine, Shingrix (zoster vaccine), a move aimed at streamlining administration and boosting immunization coverage. 17 July 2025
The Division of Hepatology and Nutrition of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has lifted the partial clinical hold on the completed PORTOLA Phase IIa clinical trial evaluating zetomipzomib, a first-in-class selective immunoproteasome inhibitor, in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), California, USA-based drug developer Kezar Life Sciences announced yesterday. 16 July 2025
Alnylam has secured expanded UK regulatory approval for Amvuttra (vutrisiran), broadening its indication to include treatment of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) in adults. 16 July 2025
The UK government’s new life sciences plan has been met with skepticism by the pharmaceutical industry, which says the strategy will fall flat unless there is a serious shift in the way new medicines are funded and valued. 16 July 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration approved, the first rapid-acting interchangeable biosimilar product, Kirsty (insulin aspart-xjhz, as a 3 mL single-patient-use prefilled pen and 10 mL multiple-dose vial. Kirsty is biosimilar to and interchangeable with Novolog (insulin aspart), from Denmark’s Novo Nordisk. 16 July 2025
China-based Jiangsu Hengrui Pharma and US start-up Kailera Therapeutics, which is advancing a broad pipeline of next-generation therapies for the treatment of obesity, today announced positive top-line data from Hengrui’s Phase III clinical trial (HRS9531-301) of once-weekly subcutaneous injection of HRS9531, a novel dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist, in individuals living with obesity or overweight in China. 15 July 2025
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today approved Ekterly (sebetralstat) 0for the treatment of hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older. 15 July 2025
A quiet shift with potentially big implications for cancer drug access is underway in the UK. In June, the country’s health technology assessor, NICE, recommended GSK’s Blenrep (belantamab mafodotin) in multiple myeloma. 14 July 2025
Germany’s Bayer has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Kerendia (finerenone) to treat patients with heart failure (HF) with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥40%, following the agency’s Priority Review of its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA). 14 July 2025
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorized the use of Bayer's Lynkuet (elinzanetant) for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause. 14 July 2025
Even as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has unveiled a strategic expansion of its oversight mechanisms for foreign manufacturing facilities supplying the American market, aiming to bolster product safety and ensure consistent quality for US consumers, the intensified oversight presents significant long-term benefits for the Indian pharmaceutical sector as a whole, reports The Pharma Letter’s India correspondent. 14 July 2025
South Korea’s Samsung Bioepis today published a whitepaper titled ‘Solving the Biosimilar Void in Europe’ that proposes policy recommendations to fully recognize the value of biosimilars and ensure a more sustainable market in Europe. 14 July 2025
US biotech Crinetics Pharmaceuticals has released new data on its investigational oral therapy Palsonify (paltusotine), supporting its potential as a convenient alternative to monthly injections for patients with acromegaly. 14 July 2025
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical has been dealt a regulatory setback, as the American medicines regulator has declined to approve its gene therapy UX111 (formerly ABO-102) for Sanfilippo syndrome type A. The decision, delivered in a complete response letter, will delay any potential approval until at least 2026. 14 July 2025
US biotech Capricor Therapeutics today revealed receipt of a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its Biologics License Application (BLA) for deramiocel, the company’s lead cell therapy candidate for the treatment of cardiomyopathy associated with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). 11 July 2025
At its July meeting, the European Medicines Agency’s pharmacovigilance committee (PRAC) completed its review of French specialty vaccine maker Valneva Ixchiq (chikungunya virus vaccine, a live attenuated chikungunya vaccine, following reports of serious side effects. 11 July 2025
Sino-American biopharma Ascentage Pharma announced that its proprietary novel Bcl-2 selective inhibitor lisaftoclax (APG-2575) has been approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). 11 July 2025
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping pharmacovigilance, promising faster detection of safety signals hidden within mountains of adverse event (AE) data. However, as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sharpens its focus on transparency, credibility, and real-world monitoring, the days of relying on opaque algorithms are numbered. In this article, we explore why sponsors and safety teams must rethink their approach to AE prediction to ensure the very tools designed to protect patients don’t become risks themselves. 11 July 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved US mRNA specialist Moderna supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Spikevax, the company's COVID-19 vaccine, in children six months through 11 years of age who are at increased risk for COVID-19 disease. 11 July 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken the radical move of publishing more than 200 decision letters, known as complete response letters (CRLs). 10 July 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review Merck & Co’s New Drug Application (NDA) for doravirine/islatravir (DOR/ISL), an investigational, once-daily, oral, two-drug regimen for adults with HIV-1 infection that is virologically suppressed on antiretroviral therapy. 10 July 2025
The European Commission has approved Tevimbra (tislelizumab), alongside gemcitabine and cisplatin, for the first-line treatment of adults with metastatic or recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), not amenable to curative surgery or radiotherapy. 10 July 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for Inqovi (decitabine and cedazuridine) plus venetoclax as a treatment for adults with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are ineligible for intensive induction chemotherapy. 10 July 2025
The USA’s Federal Trade Commission is sending payments totaling more than $409,000 to consumers who bought products from weight-loss supplement marketer Roca Labs. 10 July 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a label update with a new recommended titration dosing schedule for Kisunla (donanemab-azbt), Eli Lilly's once-monthly amyloid-targeting therapy for early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD), including patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and the mild dementia stage of AD, with confirmed amyloid pathology. 9 July 2025
US antivirals specialist Gilead Sciences today announced a strategic partnership agreement with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) to supply lenacapavir - Gilead's twice-yearly injectable HIV-1 capsid inhibitor - for the prevention of HIV as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). 9 July 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have hosted a hybrid workshop on reducing animal testing. 9 July 2025
Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk has filed for European approval of a higher-dose version of its obesity treatment Wegovy (semaglutide), aiming to expand options for patients who need stronger support for weight loss. 9 July 2025
Donald Trump has escalated his warnings to the pharmaceutical industry with a pledge to introduce import tariffs as high as 200% on drugs produced outside the USA. The US president said companies would be granted a grace period of up to 18 months before the measure takes effect. 9 July 2025
Swiss pharma giant Novartis today announced Coartem (artemether-lumefantrine) Baby has been approved by Swissmedic as the first malaria medicine for newborns and young infants. 8 July 2025
USA and UK-based KalVista Pharmaceuticals today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Ekterly (sebetralstat), a novel plasma kallikrein inhibitor, for the treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older. 7 July 2025
Swissmedic has introduced a fast-track review process for clinical trial applications, aiming to speed up access to innovative treatments in Switzerland. 7 July 2025
Indian biosimilars company Biocon Biologics, a subsidiary of Biocon, today announced that the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) granted marketing authorizations for Vevzuo and Evfraxy, biosimilars of Amgen’s (Nasdaq: AMGN) denosumab (trade names Xgeva and Prolia). 7 July 2025
Last week’s announcement of a Life Science Strategy from the European Commission, includes action to address long-standing issues that have been hampering the region’s competitiveness and preventing European patients from accessing the latest advances in treatment. The Strategy represents a very welcome step forward for life science companies operating in Europe. 7 July 2025
A Dutch appeals court has ruled that health insurers acted unlawfully in their group tender for three CDK 4/6 inhibitors, reigniting debate over cost-driven drug policies in the Netherlands. The case centered on whether insurers can restrict prescribing choices for innovative cancer drugs that differ in clinical profiles. 7 July 2025
US pharma major AbbVie announced it plan to acquire Capstan Therapeutics, along with its autoimmune disease candidate CPTX2309, for up to $2.1 billion. Organon posted disappointing mid-stage trial results for its investigational endometriosis pain drug, OG-6219. Also of note last week, the US Food and drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval for Regeneron’s multiple myeloma drug Lynozyfic. 6 July 2025
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA), through the Executive Steering Group on Shortages and Safety of Medicinal Products (MSSG), have issued recommendations to address vulnerabilities in the supply chain of anti-D immunoglobulins. 4 July 2025
Indian biosimilars developer Biocon Biologics, a subsidiary of Biocon Ltd has announced that the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization in the European Union (EU) for Vevzuo and Evfraxy biosimilars of denosumab, originated by Amgen. 4 July 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration has granted accelerated approval to sunvozertinib (trade name Zegfrovy) from Dizal (Jiangsu) Pharmaceutical for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). 3 July 2025