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USDA Approves First Therapeutic Treatment for Canine Parvovirus Using Monoclonal Antibody Technology

  • The USDA has granted conditional license for Elanco's Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody, marking the first approved therapeutic solution to treat canine parvovirus.
  • In efficacy studies, all 28 treated puppies survived with significantly faster recovery times for vomiting, inappetence, and lethargy compared to traditional supportive care.
  • The single intravenous dose treatment could reduce hospitalization costs and make parvovirus treatment more accessible to pet owners who previously couldn't afford intensive care.
  • This breakthrough represents the first monoclonal antibody treatment for Elanco and addresses a critical unmet need in veterinary medicine for a disease with over 90% fatality rate if untreated.

FDA Approves Two Bispecific T-Cell Engagers for Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell Lymphomas

  • The FDA has granted accelerated approval to epcoritamab-bysp (Epkinly), the first T-cell engaging bispecific antibody for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy.
  • Epcoritamab demonstrated a 61% overall response rate with a 38% complete response rate in the EPCORE NHL-1 trial, with a median duration of response of 15.6 months.
  • The FDA also approved glofitamab-gxbm (Columvi), another CD20/CD3-targeted bispecific T-cell engager, showing a 56% overall response rate and 43% complete response rate in clinical trials.
  • Both therapies carry boxed warnings for serious immune-related adverse reactions including cytokine release syndrome and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome.

Novel BCMA-Targeted Therapies and Emerging Agents Transform Treatment Landscape for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

  • BCMA-directed therapies including CAR T-cell products ide-cel and cilta-cel, along with bispecific T-cell engager teclistamab, have demonstrated unprecedented efficacy in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.
  • Emerging bispecific antibodies elranatamab and talquetamab show promising response rates of 61-74% in triple-class refractory patients, offering new treatment options for those who have exhausted conventional therapies.
  • Novel agents including mezigdomide (a CELMoD), purinostat mesylate (HDAC inhibitor), and bispecific CS1-BCMA CAR T cells are expanding therapeutic options with manageable safety profiles.
  • The treatment paradigm is shifting toward earlier use of BCMA-targeted therapies and novel combinations, as patients increasingly become refractory to multiple drug classes including immunomodulators, proteasome inhibitors, and anti-CD38 antibodies.

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Gains Regulatory Approvals in China and Europe for HER2-Positive Cancers

  • China's National Medical Products Administration approved trastuzumab deruxtecan for HER2-positive breast cancer patients who received prior anti-HER2 therapies, based on DESTINY-Breast03 trial showing 72% reduction in disease progression risk.
  • The European Commission approved trastuzumab deruxtecan as second-line treatment for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer, marking the first antibody-drug conjugate approved in Europe for this indication.
  • DESTINY-Breast03 demonstrated superior efficacy with median progression-free survival not reached for trastuzumab deruxtecan versus 6.8 months for trastuzumab emtansine.
  • The approvals expand treatment options for patients with HER2-positive cancers who face poor outcomes after initial therapy progression.

FDA Approves Elacestrant as First Oral SERD for Advanced ER+/HER2- Breast Cancer

  • The FDA has approved elacestrant (Orserdu), marking the first oral selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) to demonstrate improved efficacy over standard of care treatments in advanced breast cancer.
  • In the phase 3 EMERALD trial, elacestrant reduced the risk of progression or death by 30% in all patients and by 45% in patients with ESR1 mutations compared to standard endocrine therapy.
  • The approval provides a new oral treatment option for patients with estrogen receptor-positive/HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer following prior endocrine therapy including CDK4/6 inhibitors.
  • Elacestrant showed manageable safety profile with nausea being the most common adverse event, occurring in 35% of patients in the treatment arm.

FDA Approves First CGRP-Targeting Therapy for Pediatric Migraine Prevention

  • The FDA approved fremanezumab (Ajovy) for preventive treatment of episodic migraine in children and adolescents aged 6-17 years, marking the first anti-CGRP monoclonal antibody approved for pediatric use.
  • The Phase III SPACE trial demonstrated statistically significant reductions in monthly migraine days (-2.5 vs -1.4 with placebo) and a 47.2% responder rate compared to 27.0% with placebo.
  • This approval addresses a significant unmet need in pediatric migraine care, where approximately 7.7% of children and adolescents are affected but have had limited FDA-approved preventive treatment options.
NCT03539393available
Teva Branded Pharmaceutical Products R&D, Inc.

FDA's Accelerated Approval Program Shows Strong Performance Despite Recent Criticisms, Analysis Reveals

  • A comprehensive 30-year analysis of FDA's accelerated approval program demonstrates that 50% of accelerated approvals have been successfully converted to traditional approval in a median time of 3.2 years, indicating the pathway's effectiveness in providing early access to life-saving treatments.
  • The program has evolved significantly over three decades, with 83% of accelerated approvals in the last decade (2012-2021) being for oncology indications, reflecting advances in targeted therapies and established surrogate endpoints in cancer treatment.
  • While concerns exist about delayed confirmatory trials, only 12% of accelerated approvals have been withdrawn over the program's history, with FDA demonstrating improved oversight by reducing median withdrawal time from 10.4 years in the 1990s to 3.5 years in the most recent decade.
  • Government analysis reveals that Medicare and Medicaid spent over $18 billion from 2018-2021 on drugs with incomplete confirmatory trials past their original completion dates, highlighting the financial implications of program oversight challenges.

FDA Authorizes Novavax's Protein-Based COVID-19 Vaccine for US Adults

• The US Food and Drug Administration has authorized Novavax's protein-based COVID-19 vaccine for adults, making it the fourth COVID-19 shot available in the United States.
• Novavax's vaccine uses traditional protein-based technology that has been employed for decades against diseases like hepatitis B and influenza, potentially appealing to the 27 million unvaccinated American adults skeptical of mRNA platforms.
• The US government has secured 3.2 million Novavax doses to be released after quality testing, though European uptake has been limited with only about 242,000 doses administered since its December launch.

Eagle Pharmaceuticals Submits NDA for Landiolol, Ultra-Short-Acting Beta Blocker for Critical Care Tachycardia

  • Eagle Pharmaceuticals announced that AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals submitted a new drug application to the FDA for landiolol, seeking approval for short-term reduction of ventricular rate in patients with supraventricular tachycardia.
  • Landiolol is an ultra-short-acting, cardio-selective beta-1 adrenergic blocker with a β1:β2 ratio of 255:1, making it the most cardioselective beta blocker available.
  • The drug is already commercially available in Japan and several European markets, with multiple clinical studies demonstrating its safety and efficacy for rapid short-term control of tachyarrhythmias.
  • If approved, Eagle expects five years of new chemical entity exclusivity and anticipates approval by mid-year 2023 based on FDA feedback from a Type C meeting.

Eskayef Pharmaceuticals Becomes Third Bangladeshi Company to Receive US FDA Approval for Manufacturing Facility

  • Eskayef Pharmaceuticals Ltd received US FDA approval for its solid manufacturing facility in Tongi, Gazipur, becoming the third Bangladeshi pharmaceutical company to achieve this milestone after Square and Beximco Pharma.
  • The approval enables Eskayef to export Pregabalin capsules in eight different strengths (25mg to 300mg) to the US market, with the anti-epileptic and neuropathic pain medication set to launch shortly.
  • This achievement follows more than five years of efforts and represents a significant step toward Bangladesh's pharmaceutical export growth, which reached $169 million in 2020-21, more than doubling from $83 million five years earlier.
  • The FDA approval validates Eskayef's manufacturing quality standards and opens doors to the world's largest pharmaceutical market, reinforcing the company's global presence across 67 countries.

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