Industry News

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Vanda) (Nasdaq: VNDA) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Fanapt® (iloperidone) tablets for the acute treatment of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adults. Fanapt® is an atypical antipsychotic agent that has been used for the acute treatment of patients with schizophrenia since its FDA approval in 2009.

Genmab A/S and ProfoundBio, Inc. announced  that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement for Genmab to acquire ProfoundBio in an all-cash transaction. ProfoundBio is a privately-owned clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation ADCs and ADC technologies for the treatment of certain cancers, including ovarian cancer and other FRα-expressing solid tumors. Genmab will acquire ProfoundBio for USD 1.8 billion in cash, payable at closing (subject to adjustment for ProfoundBio’s closing net debt and transaction expenses). 

Abbott announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company's first-of-its-kind TriClip transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) system that's specifically designed for the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation (TR), or a leaky tricuspid valve. This approval follows the recent recommendation of the Circulatory System Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee for the FDA, whose vote confirmed 13 to 1, with 0 abstention that the benefits of TriClip outweighed the risks.

Bristol Myers Squibb announced an update following the initial analysis of results from the first of two induction studies in the Phase 3 YELLOWSTONE clinical trial program evaluating Zeposia (ozanimod) in adult patients with moderate to severe active Crohn’s disease. The study did not meet its primary endpoint of clinical remission at Week 12.

Merck known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved sotatercept-csrk (U.S. Brand Name: WINREVAIR, for injection, 45mg, 60mg) for the treatment of adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, World Health Organization [WHO] Group 1) to increase exercise capacity, improve WHO functional class (FC), and reduce the risk of clinical worsening events. WINREVAIR was previously granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the FDA.

Akebia Therapeutics, Inc a biopharmaceutical company with the purpose to better the lives of people impacted by kidney disease, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Vafseo® (vadadustat) Tablets for the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults who have been receiving dialysis for at least three months.

Novartis announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion and recommended granting a marketing authorization for Fabhalta® (iptacopan) for the treatment of adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) who have hemolytic anemia.

AstraZeneca has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation radioconjugates (RCs). The acquisition marks a major step forward in AstraZeneca delivering on its ambition to transform cancer treatment and outcomes for patients by replacing traditional regimens like chemotherapy and radiotherapy with more targeted treatments.

AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited and Mankind Pharma Limited entered into an agreement for exclusive distribution of AstraZeneca's budesonide and formoterol fumarate dihydrate (inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) combination) brand Symbicort in India. AstraZeneca will retain the intellectual property rights to budesonide and formoterol fumarate dihydrate and will continue to be the Marketing Authorisation Holder (MAH) and import license.