Drugs

Orphan Drug Status for NantKwest ‘Killer’ Cell Therapy

FDA has granted NantKwest an orphan drug designation for the company’s activated natural killer (aNK) cell therapy for treating patients with advanced Merkel cell carcinoma. The therapy is currently in a Phase 2 clinical trial at sites in the U.S. treating subjects with metastatic or locally advanced Merkel cell carcinoma. The protocol in this study was recently amended to include ALT-803, an IL-15 superagonist therapy that has been shown in preclinical clinical studies to improve the activity of NK cells and will “synergistically improve the activity of both NantKwest’s infused aNK cells together with the subject’s own NK cells,” the company says. The designation was based in part on interim data showing that the therapy demonstrated activity in patients who failed multiple lines of therapy including check point inhibitors.

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