Pharmafile.com’s top 10 news stories of the week
pharmafile | February 26, 2021 | News story | Medical Communications | news, pharma news, pharmaceuticals, pharmafile, top news stories
COVID-19 news has slowed down in the last week, allowing different pharma developments to take centre stage. In the last seven days, the FDA has put bluebird bio’s LentiGlobin programme on clinical hold, Microsoft have started collaborating with UCB to develop new treatments, and Seagen’s new breast cancer drug TUKYSA has gained approval in the UK.
1. FDA halts studies for bluebird bio’s sickle cell therapy LentiGlobin – Published 24/02/21
The FDA has put bluebird bio’s LentiGlobin gene therapy programme for sickle cell disease (SCD) on clinical hold, following Suspected Unexpected Serious Adverse Reactions (SUSARs) in clinical trials.
2. Microsoft and UCB collaborate to treat immunological and neurological diseases – Published 23/02/21
UCB and Microsoft have agreed a new multi-year collaboration to discover new medicines by combining UCB’s drug discovery and development abilities with Microsoft’s computational service, cloud, and artificial intelligence (AI).
3. Dermavant announces positive Phase III findings for psoriasis treatment tapinarof – Published 19/02/21
Dermavant Sciences has announced positive safety and efficacy results from a planned interim analysis of PSOARING 3, a long-term, open-label safety study of tapinarof in adult patients with plaque psoriasis.
4. Seagen’s breast cancer drug TUKYSA gets UK approval – Published on 22/02/21
The MHRA has granted marketing authorisation in the UK for Seagen’s TUKYSA (tucatinib) in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine, for the treatment of adult patients with HER2-positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have received at least two prior anti-HER2 treatment regimens.
5. UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers treat atopic dermatitis with bacteriotherapy – Published on 24/02/21
Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have identified a universal strain of bacteria derived from healthy human skin that can treat atopic dermatitis, the most common type of eczema.
6. AstraZeneca to withdraw Imfinzi US indication for bladder cancer – Published on 22/02/21
AstraZeneca will voluntarily withdraw the Imfinzi (durvalumab) indication in the US for previously treated adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer.
7. New research article confirms role of masitinib as a potential pancreatic cancer therapy – Published on 25/02/21
A recently published, peer-reviewed research article has concluded that the inhibition of mast cells with AB Science’s masitinib could represent a novel antiangiogenetic approach in pancreatic cancer.
8. Novo Holdings acquires pharma research company Altasciences – Published on 23/02/21
Novo Holdings has agreed a deal to buy Canadian pharmaceutical research company Altasciences from Audax Private Equity, the two companies announced this week.
9. Sanofi and SIRION collaborate on AAV vector development to treat serious diseases – Published on 24/02/21
SIRION Biotech and Sanofi have entered into an agreement to develop effective medicines for illnesses impacting major human organs.
10. GSK and Sanofi to begin new Phase II trial of their COVID-19 vaccine – Published on 22/02/21
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Sanofi are set to begin a new Phase II study of their COVID-19 vaccine candidate, following setbacks that delayed the vaccine last year.
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