Regulation & Policy

FDA approves melanoma combination

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has given an accelerated approval for a new treatment for metastatic melanoma that combines two licenced GlaxoSmithKline Plc medicines which block signalling in different sites of the same molecular pathway.

Complete response letter for Lemtrada

Country
France

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a complete response letter (CRL) to Sanofi SA saying it can’t approve the company’s supplemental Biologics License Application for Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) for relapsing multiple sclerosis.

Agreement on EU Clinical Trials Regulation

Country
Belgium

Europe’s political leaders have reached an agreement on a new set of rules for conducting clinical trials in the EU. A key feature of the new legislation will be the introduction of a single authorisation procedure for all trials instead of multiple procedures at present.

EMA recommends new tuberculosis drug

Country
United Kingdom

The European Medicines Agency is recommending that Sirturo (bedaquiline) be granted a conditional market authorisation for pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis as part of a combination therapy. The new drug has been developed by Janssen Therapeutics.

FDA approves Anoro Ellipta for COPD

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Anoro Ellipta, a new medicine for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) developed by GlaxoSmithKline Plc. It is the second COPD medicine from GSK to receive US approval this year.

FDA tightens oversight of antibiotics in animals

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration is tightening the oversight of antibiotics for the treatment of diseases in animals, and is calling on animal pharmaceutical companies to voluntarily stop their use as growth enhancers.

FDA approves sofosbuvir for HCV

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a second new drug in two weeks to treat chronic hepatitis C virus infection – Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) from Gilead Sciences Inc. Sovaldi is the first drug for certain HCV genotypes that won’t need co-treatment with interferon.

EMA to further review safety of Iclusig

Country
United Kingdom

The European Medicines Agency has announced the start of an in-depth safety review of Iclusig (ponatinib) in light of reports of cases of blood clots and blockages in the arteries or veins associated with the medicine’s use. ARIAD Pharmaceuticals is the manufacturer.

FDA approves non-surgical procedure for varicose veins

Country
United Kingdom

BTG Plc has received the go-ahead from the Food and Drug Administration to market a non-surgical procedure for the treatment of patients with varicose veins, a condition that is estimated to affect more than 30 million adults in the US from the ages of 18 to 70 years.

CHMP recommends seven new medicines

Country
United Kingdom

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has given positive opinions to seven new medicines including Gilead Sciences’ new treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus infection, sofosbuvir. The EMA issued the opinions on 22 November.