Drugs

Bayer Gets Priority Review for Lymphoma Therapy

FDA has granted Bayer a priority review on its NDA for copanlisib for treating relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) patients who have received at least two prior therapies. Copanlisib is an intravenous pan-class I phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor that the company says has “predominant inhibitory activity against PI3K-α and PI3K-δ isoforms.

The submission is based on data from the Phase 2 open-label, single-arm study CHRONOS-1 involving 141 indolent Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (iNHL) patients. “At the time of analysis, median duration of treatment was 22 weeks and 46 patients remained on treatment,” the company says. “The results across all patient groups show an objective response rate (ORR) of 59.2%, with a 12% complete response (CR) rate, and a median duration of response (DOR) of more than 98 weeks (687 days). In the FL subset (n=104), copanlisib achieved an ORR of 58.7%, with 14.4% of these patients achieving a CR, and a median DOR of more than 52 weeks (370 days).”

Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton’s responses on vaccines, contraception and abortion medication during her 9/24 Senate confirmation hearing raise concerns that ideology could influence her decision-making if she takes over the agency, MSNBC senior medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta said Friday. Gupta was particularly critical of Overton’

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton emerged from her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday (see earlier story) without resolving questions about whether she has enough Republican support to advance — and with a rapidly narrowing window for confirmation before the midterm elections. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing provided few

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA has classified Boston Scientific's recall of its Imager II Angiographic Catheters as Class I because a manufacturing problem could cause catheter tips to degrade and detach, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications. The agency announced the Class I classification 9/25, updating an Early Alert it issued

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

FDA has approved Roche’s Gazyva (obinutuzumab) for reducing the risk of relapse in adults and children aged 2 and older with frequently relapsing or steroid-dependent, childhood-onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who are in remission. The expanded approval covers the use of the CD20-directed antibody beyond its existing

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Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome