Biologics

Moderna Quits CMV Vaccine After Phase 3 Failure

Moderna’s bid to bring the first vaccine for congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) to market has ended in disappointment. The company says its investigational CMV vaccine, mRNA-1647, failed to meet the primary endpoint in a large Phase 3 trial, prompting the company to discontinue development for use in preventing congenital CMV. The vaccine showed efficacy ranging from just 6% to 23%, well below Moderna’s target for preventing primary CMV infection, it says. CMV, a common herpesvirus, is typically harmless in healthy adults but can cause severe birth defects when passed from a pregnant person to a fetus.

While Moderna is ending its congenital CMV program, the company says it will continue testing mRNA-1647 in a Phase 2 trial in bone marrow transplant patients, where CMV reactivation can cause serious illness.

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