Duchenne muscular dystrophy
With Sarepta’s gene therapy Elevidys now available to a majority of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients, experts express cautious optimism while emphasizing the need for further data.
Since its inception in 1992, the FDA’s accelerated approval pathway has helped shepherd nearly 300 new drugs to the market. However, recent years have seen a number of high-profile market withdrawals and failed confirmatory trials.
The highly anticipated results come as the company makes significant changes to its C-suite. Despite the turnover, Dyne said it is looking toward expedited approval pathways for its DMD treatment.
While Thursday’s label expansion and traditional approval for the gene therapy is an important milestone, many challenges still face the Duchenne muscular dystrophy community.
On the heels of a Phase III flop for Pfizer’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy candidate, the FDA has green lighted the expanded use of Sarepta Therapeutics’ Elevidys.
Pfizer’s investigational Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy, fordadistrogene movaparvovec, failed in a late-stage study to significantly improve motor function in patients versus placebo.
The FDA has a packed calendar this week, with six decisions on the docket, including ones for Merck’s Keytruda, BMS’s Krazati and Sarepta’s Elevidys.
NS Pharma, a subsidiary of Nippon Shinyaku, announced Monday that its Duchenne muscular dystrophy candidate Viltepso failed a late-stage confirmatory trial, showing no significant motor function improvements over placebo.
Pfizer’s investigational Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy fordadistrogene movaparvovec has been hit with another patient death, forcing the pharma to pause dosing in its Phase III study.
As Sarepta Therapeutics moves closer to full approval and an expanded label for its gene therapy, some experts push back on clinical efficacy and cost while others note the hope it provides patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
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