Regulation & Policy

FDA approves new HIV combination treatment

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new once-daily combination tablet for HIV-1 infection in treatment-naïve adults that contains two previously approved HIV drugs plus two new ones, providing a complete treatment regime.

Lemtrada application turned back by FDA

Country
France

The US Food and Drug Administration has told Genzyme (Sanofi SA) to re-do its marketing authorization application for Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) for MS to change the presentation of the data. No additional data is being requested, Sanofi said.

FDA approves new indication for Lucentis

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Lucentis (ranibizumab injection) for the new indication of diabetic macular edema, an eye disease that can occur in people with diabetes. The developer is Genentech (Roche).

FDA approves Zaltrap for colorectal cancer

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new angiogenesis inhibitor, Zaltrap (ziv-aflibercept), for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with chemotherapy. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and Sanofi SA are co-developers.

FDA panel recommends ocriplasmin

Country
United States

An advisory committee of the US Food and Drug Administration has backed a new ophthamic medicine, ocriplasmin, from ThromboGenics NV of Belgium saying it should be granted approval to treat an eye disease known as symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion.

EMA recommends first gene therapy

Country
United Kingdom

After more than two years of deliberations, the European Medicines Agency has decided to recommend approval of the first ever gene therapy. The treatment, Glybera, is indicated for the treatment of patients with a rare inherited enzyme disorder.

Revised EU clinical trials legislation published

Country
Belgium

The European Commission has released its long-awaited revisions to the EU Clinical Trials Directive recommending that the procedures for getting approval for multi-state clinical trials be simplified and the supervision of trials strengthened.

FDA approves first HIV prevention drug

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new use for the Gilead Sciences, Inc antiretroviral drug, Truvada (emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), for use in individuals who are at high risk of HIV infection.

Meeting Report: Spotlight on advanced therapies

Country
Ireland

Some 300 clinical trials are underway in Europe testing prospective cell, gene and tissue-engineered therapies. Known as advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), these medicines are being investigated for a broad range of diseases- from macular degeneration to Parkinson’s disease.

 

GSK withdraws Tykerb application from the FDA

Country
United Kingdom

GlaxoSmithKline Plc announced that it has withdrawn an application from the US Food and Drug Administration for a new indication for its marketed cancer drug, Tykerb (lapatinib), a kinase inhibitor.