USFDA

Bristol-Myers Squibb’s announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA), which seeks to expand the use of Opdivo to patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) after prior therapies.

AbbVie announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval of Venclexta™ (venetoclax) tablets for patients diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with 17p deletion, as detected by an FDA-approved test, who have received at least one prior therapy. The FDA approved this indication under accelerated approval based on overall response rate, and continued approval may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial. The FDA approved Venclexta as a first-in-class, oral, once-daily medicine that selectively inhibits the BCL-2 protein. The BCL-2 protein blocks apoptosis (programmed cell death) of cells, including some cancer cells, and can be overexpressed in CLL cells.Venclexta is being developed by AbbVie and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. It is marketed collaboratively by the companies in the U.S. and by AbbVie outside of the U.S.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first pacemaker that does not require the use of wired leads to provide an electrical connection between the pulse-generating device and the heart. While the Micra Transcatheter Pacing System works like other pacemakers to regulate heart rate, the self-contained, inch-long device is implanted directly in the right ventricle chamber of the heart.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) took the first step toward rescinding its approval of the use of carbadox to treat swine because the drug may leave trace amounts of a carcinogenic residue.

PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. reported that the encapsulation facility located in Bangkok, Thailand, that will be used to encapsulate the live cells used for PharmaCyte’s pancreatic cancer therapy has recently been inspected by the Food and Drug Administration of Thailand (Thai FDA). In its report on that inspection, the Thai FDA stated that, “The facility is built according to the pre-approved floor plan and is now deemed suitable for the manufacture of pharmaceutical products.”

Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Gastrointestinal Drugs Advisory Committee voted 17 to 0 to recommend accelerated approval of Ocaliva™ (obeticholic acid) for the treatment of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, recently renamed primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). The target date for the FDA to take action under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) is May 29, 2016. The FDA is not bound by the Advisory Committee's guidance, but takes its advice into consideration when reviewing investigational medicines. If approved, Ocaliva would be the first new treatment for PBC in nearly 20 years.

Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (Hikma) confirms that its abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation powder has been accepted for filing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Anavex Life Sciences Corp. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted that Orphan Drug Designation for ANAVEX 3-71 for the treatment of Frontotemporal dementia.

Aurobindo Pharma Limited is pleased to announce that the company has received final approval from the US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) to manufacture and market Polymyxin B for Injection USP, 500,000 units/vial. This product is expected to be launched in Q2 FY16-17

Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc. announced that a protocol amendment has been added to one of the Company's existing Investigational New Drug ("IND") Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") for a Phase 2 clinical trial of Resunab in systemic lupus erythematosus ("SLE").