Drugs

Senate Committee Urges FDA Approval of Duchenne Drug

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has written FDA commissioner Robert Califf urging the agency to exercise its flexibilities when making a review decision this week on a Sarepta Therapeutics NDA for eteplirsen and its use in treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In April, the agency’s Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee voted 7 to 6 (see story) that a Sarepta Therapeutics NDA did not provide substantial evidence from adequate and well controlled studies that eteplirsen induces production of dystrophin to a level that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit in Duchenne patients. The vote was seen as a setback for the company’s bid to gain accelerated approval for the drug. A separate 7 to 3 vote by the panel recommended that data were not sufficient to meet traditional approval standards. The 5/20 letter to Califf encourages FDA to “prioritize the patient perspective” when making a decision on the submission. It also complains that the questions given to advisory committee member were posed in such a way to make it difficult for them to vote favorably on the NDA. “Patients are crying out for the FDA to hear them: they are engaged and knowledgeable and only want the agency to do what is already within their power,” it says. “We fully support their perspective.”

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