Drugs

Clinical Hold Lifted on Huntington’s Drug

FDA has lifted a 2022-ordered partial clinical hold on PTC Therapeutics’ PTC518 for treating Huntington’s disease based on the agency’s review of Phase 2 trial data (PIVOT-HD). The company says interim results from the study showed that at “month 12, PTC518 treatment resulted in dose-dependent lowering of mutant Huntingtin (mHTT) protein in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the interim cohort of patients. In addition, favorable trends were demonstrated on several relevant HD clinical assessments including Total Motor Score (TMS) and Composite Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (cUHDRS).”

"The evidence of both CNS [central nervous system] biomarker and early clinical effects at month 12 along with the continued favorable tolerability profile supports the promise of PTC518 to address the need for an effective and safe disease-modifying therapy for patients living with Huntington's disease,” the company says. “With these data in hand, we look forward to the next steps in the PTC518 development program.”

The company says small molecule PTC518 “reduces the production of the mutated Huntingtin protein that leads to injury and death of the neuron, which results in disease progression. The orally bioavailable small molecule penetrates the blood brain barrier, is selective, titratable, and not effluxed – which are key differentiation properties.”

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