Drugs

Lymphoma Trial Enrollment Paused After 7 Deaths

ADC Therapeutics has paused new patient enrollment in the Phase 2 LOTIS-9 clinical trial evaluating Zynlonta (loncastuximab tesirine-lpyl) and rituximab in unfit or frail patients with previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma after reporting seven patient deaths. The action followed a recent review of aggregate data of the 40 patients enrolled in the trial and after consulting with the Data Monitoring Committee, which signaled potentially excessive respiratory-related events, according to the company.

“These respiratory-related treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) included seven Grade 5 fatal events and five Grade 3 or Grade 4 respiratory-related TEAEs,” ADC says. “As per investigator assessment, eleven of the twelve events (including six of the seven Grade 5 fatal events) were individually assessed as unlikely or unrelated to study drug. Four out of the five Grade 3 or Grade 4 events have since resolved and the patients have completed treatment per protocol. The cause of these events remains under further investigation.”

ADC says that all fatal events involved patients having one or more significant active underlying respiratory and/or cardiac co-morbidities including severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary edema, chronic bronchiectasis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and recent Covid-19 infection. The mean age of patients who died was 82.7 years and the mean number of days from the last dose to death was 51 days, it adds.

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