Shares in Eli Lilly shot up last Thursday after the US pharma major announced positive top-line Phase III results from ACHIEVE-1, comparing orforglipron to placebo in adults with type 2 diabetes and inadequate glycemic control with diet and exercise alone. 23 April 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted another approval for Dupixent (dupilumab), for the treatment of adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) who remain symptomatic despite histamine-1 (H1) antihistamine treatment. 19 April 2025
In keeping with US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr’s promise to carry out the Department’s work with “radical transparency” and mitigate perceived industry influence and conflicts of interests, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr Martin Makary, has announced a policy directive. 19 April 2025
Dutch gene therapy company uniQure (Nasdaq: QURE) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to AMT-130, sending the firm’s shares leaping more than 38% to $13.00 by close of trading on Thursday. 18 April 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for Priority Review the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Eylea HD (aflibercept) Injection 8mg, submitted by US biotech Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. 18 April 2025
India’s Venus Remedies has secured Qualified Infectious Disease Product designation from the United States Food and Drug Administration for its investigational antibiotic VRP-034, a next-generation formulation of polymyxin B designed to reduce kidney toxicity. 17 April 2025
Italian pharma major Recordati today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for Isturisa (osilodrostat) for the treatment of endogenous hypercortisolemia in adults with Cushing’s syndrome for whom surgery is not an option or has not been curative. 16 April 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated Yuflyma (adalimumab-aaty) as an interchangeable biosimilar to AbbVie’s mega blockbuster drug Humira (adalimumab), to treat eight conditions, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. 15 April 2025
Deal-making news last week included US drug developer KalVista Pharma signing a licensing agreement with Kaken Pharma to market its investigational hereditary angioedema (HAE) drug sebetralstat in Japan. US biotech firm Cartesian Therapeutics released positive Phase IIb data on its Descartes-08 in myasthenia gravis. The US Appeal Court gave a favorable ruling on Indian drugmaker Sun pharmaceuticals’ alopecia drug Leqselvi. Also of note, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week approved Bristol Meyers Squibb’s checkpoint therapy Opdivo plus Yervoy. 13 April 2025
Late Thursday, the US Food and Drug Administration revealed it is taking a ground-breaking step to advance public health by replacing animal testing in the development of monoclonal antibody (MAb) therapies and other drugs with more effective, human-relevant methods. 11 April 2025
Swiss biopharma Idorsia has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for an updated label on its hypertension drug Tryvio (aprocitentan), removing the previous Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy requirement. 9 April 2025
Israel-based Teva Pharmaceuticals industries today revealed two important updates reflecting its commitment to expanding access to both biosimilars and innovative medicines. 7 April 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Uplizna (inebilizumab-cdon) as the first and only treatment for adults living with immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD), the drug’s developer, Amgen announced yesterday. 4 April 2025
US biotech Aldeyra Therapeutics has received a Complete Response Letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the resubmission of the New Drug Application (NDA) of its dry eye disease candidate reproxalap. 4 April 2025
US biotech Novavax is still waiting on a decision from the Food and Drug Administration over full approval of its protein-based COVID-19 vaccine, despite the agency having set an April 1 target date to complete its review. 4 April 2025
Novartis today announced the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval for Vanrafia (atrasentan), a potent and selective endothelin A (ETA) receptor antagonist, for the reduction of proteinuria in adults with primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) at risk of rapid disease progression. 3 April 2025
Freed from their former obligations to remain loyal to agency and state, a number of high-profile figures from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have sounded the alarm about its direction of travel under Robert Francis Kennedy Jr (RFK Jr), the new Secretary of Health and Human Services. 2 April 2025
AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi (durvalumab) in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin as neoadjuvant treatment, followed by Imfinzi as adjuvant monotherapy after radical cystectomy (surgery to remove the bladder) has been approved in the USA for the treatment of adult patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). 31 March 2025
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
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
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
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
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week authorized KalVista Pharmaceutical’s Ekterly for the treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older. US President Donald Trump put out another warning on imposing tariffs on pharmaceutical products, albeit they may get a grace period of 10 months. US biopharma Rhythm Pharmaceuticals released encouraging Phase II results for its bivamelagon in acquired hypothalamic obesity. Also of note, AbbVie entered an up to $1.9 billion licensing deal with Ichnos Glenmark on autoimmune diseases. 13 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
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 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 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
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
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
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 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
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided an update on the risk of myocarditis after receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, noting the risk is higher in young men. 3 July 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals’ Lynozyfic (linvoseltamab-gcpt) to treat adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM) who have received at least four prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent and an anti CD38 monoclonal antibody. 3 July 2025