IgA nephropathy

A slow launch for Alzheimer’s medicine Leqembi, a lackluster pipeline and a challenging drug launch environment are just a few of the factors that have sent Biogen’s shares down this year.

William Blair analyst Myles Minter in a Monday note to investors said that Vertex’s povetacicept “has maintained its potential to be a best-in-class asset” in the IgA nephropathy space and could become a “multibillion-dollar pipeline-in-a-drug product” for autoimmune disorders, while “outstanding questions” remain for Biogen’s felzartamab before moving into pivotal studies.

With the regulator’s traditional green light in IgA nephropathy, Filspari is up against Novartis’ Fabhalta—which won accelerated approval last month—and Calliditas’ Tarpeyo, which was approved in December 2023.

The FDA has three regulatory milestones in the next two weeks, including a decision on a subcutaneous formulation of an effective multiple sclerosis therapy.

Fabhalta is approved for the treatment of IgAN patients who are at risk of rapid disease progression, which is indicated by a urine protein-to-creatinine ratio of at least 1.5 g/g.

The potential purchase by the Japanese conglomerate could secure access to Calliditas’ IgA nephropathy therapy Tarpeyo, which won the FDA’s full approval in December 2023.

With back-to-back victories in IgA nephropathy and C3 glomerulopathy, Novartis on Saturday said it is planning to make regulatory submissions for the rare kidney diseases this year.

Days after backing out of two Ionis-partnered neuro programs, Biogen has inked a potential $1.8 billion buy of Human Immunology Biosciences and boosting its late-stage immunology pipeline.

With its first-in-class endothelin and angiotensin II receptor antagonist Filspari, Travere Therapeutics is providing a more efficacious treatment option for the rare autoimmune disease.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday announced it is acquiring clinical-stage immunotherapy company Alpine Immune Sciences for $4.9 billion in cash, the largest acquisition so far this year.