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Pharmafile.com’s top 10 news stories of the week

pharmafile | January 29, 2021 | News story | Medical Communications  

Most of Pharmafile.com’s top stories this week concern the approval of various treatments in the US, UK, and EU – but Bristol Myers Squibb has seen a setback in NICE’s rejection of its multiple sclerosis drug Zeposia.

In coronavirus news, AstraZeneca has dismissed reports by German newspapers that its jab has only 8% efficacy in over 65s, and trial data for Eli Lilly’s neutralising antibody has suggested it can reduce COVID-19 risk by 80%.

 1. AstraZeneca rejects “incorrect” claims about COVID-19 vaccine efficacy – Published 26/01/21

AstraZeneca has rejected claims by German media that its COVID-19 vaccine has only 8% efficacy in over-65s.

2. ViiV’s long-acting HIV drug Cabenuva gets FDA approval – Published 22/01/21

The FDA has approved ViiV’s Cabenuva, the first and only complete long-acting regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults, for use in the US.

3. Lilly’s antibody could reduce COVID-19 risk by 80%, trial shows – Published 22/01/21

Eli Lilly’s neutralising antibody bamlanivimab significantly reduced the risk of contracting symptomatic coronavirus among residents and staff of long-term care facilities, the firm has announced.

4. FDA approves Exelixis’ cancer drug Cabometyx – Published on 25/01/21

The FDA has approved Exelixis’ Cabometyx (cabozantinib) for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) as a first-line treatment in combination with Opdivo (nivolumab).

5. NICE recommends Celgene’s REVLIMID for multiple myeloma – Published 27/01/21

NICE has issued a Final Appraisal Document (FAD) recommending Celgene’s REVLIMID (lenalidomide) as maintenance treatment after an autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma in adults.

6. Merck KGaA’s cancer drug Bavencio gets EU approvalPublished on 25/01/21

The EC has approved Merck KGaA’s BAVENCIO (avelumab) as monotherapy for the first-line maintenance treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) who are progression-free following platinum-based chemotherapy.

7. AbbVie’s psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis drug gets EU approvalPublished on 26/01/21

The European Commission (EC) has approved AbbVie’s RINVOQTM (upadacitinib 15 mg), an oral, once-daily selective and reversible JAK inhibitor for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in adult patients who have responded inadequately to, or who are intolerant to, one or more disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

8. NICE rejects multiple sclerosis drug ZeposiaPublished on 22/01/21

NICE has decided not to recommend Bristol Myers Squibb’s Zeposia (ozanimod) for the treatment of relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

9. Genentech announces positive top-line results for “wet” age-related macular degeneration antibodyPublished on 25/01/21

Genentech has announced positive top-line results from two identically designed global Phase III studies, TENAYA and LUCERNE, evaluating its investigational bispecific antibody, faricimab, in people living with neovascular or “wet” age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

10. MSD’s cancer therapy KEYTRUDA gets EU approvalPublished on 26/01/21

MSD, known as Merck in the US and Canada, has received approval from the European Commission (EC) for its anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA, as a monotherapy for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer.

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