Epinephrine Bitartrate

$7.3 million in total neffy® (epinephrine nasal spray) U.S. net product revenue in 2024 since launch in late September 2024 neffy 1 mg approved by U.S. FDA for children aged four and older and weighing 15 kilograms to < 30 kilograms (33 lbs. to < 66 lbs.), expanding the reach of neffy to approximately 2 million younger, school-aged children at risk of a severe allergic reaction $314.0 million in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments at year-end 2024, supporting an increased investment in commercialization in 2025 while maintaining an operating runway of at least three years Company to host conference call today, March 20, 2025 at 5:30 a.m. PT / 8:30 a.m. ET SAN DIEGO, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPRY), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to empowering at-risk patients and caregivers to better protect themselves from allergic reactions that could lead to anaphylaxis, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024, and provided highlights on the U.S. commercial launch of neffy, the first and only needle-free epinephrine emergency treatment for Type I allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, as well as recent business updates. “Our strong execution throughout 2024 and into 2025 has positioned ARS Pharma for sustained growth and meaningful near-term value creation. The successful U.S. commercial launch of neffy, FDA approval of neffy 1 mg for younger children, and our expansion into new global markets mark key milestones in our effort to build a transformative franchise in severe allergy treatment,” said Richard Lowenthal, Co-Founder, President, and CEO of ARS Pharma. “Our momentum is highlighted by the steady increase in physician adoption, positive patient feedback, and growing payer coverage, which form a strong foundation for long-term success. With a solid financial position and a disciplined operational strategy, we are well-equipped to further accelerate adoption and drive significant impact for both our stakeholders and the millions of people who depend on life-saving epinephrine treatment.” Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results ALK-Abelló (ALK) Accounting Treatment: Under the terms of the companies’ licensing agreement signed in November 2024, ARS Pharma received a non-refundable, upfront cash payment of $145 million from ALK. Of the total cash payment, $73.5 million was included in ARS Pharma’s fourth quarter 2024 revenue. Of the remaining $71.5 million, $69.4 million was treated as a financing liability and $2.1 million was treated as a contract liability on the company’s balance sheet due to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) accounting treatment. Under the terms of the licensing agreement, ARS Pharma holds the option to repurchase rights to certain regions partnered to ALK. Per GAAP, the portion of the $145 million cash payment that is attributable to the regions eligible for repurchase is treated as a financing liability instead of revenue. Notably, this accounting treatment did not impact the amount of non-refundable cash proceeds received and ARS Pharma has sole discretion in their use.Revenue: Total revenue for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $86.6 million, which included $6.7 million in net product revenue from neffy sales in the United States, $73.5 million in collaboration revenue from ALK, $6 million in collaboration revenue from the company’s licensing partner in Japan (Alfresa Pharma), and $0.4 million in revenue from supply agreements. Full-year 2024 revenue totaled $89.1 million, reflecting $7.3 million in neffy sales, $81.5 million in collaboration revenue, and $0.4 million from supply agreements.Research and Development (R&D) Expenses: R&D expenses for the fourth quarter and full-year 2024 were $3.0 million and $19.6 million, respectively. These costs were primarily associated with product manufacturing to support the commercial launch of neffy in the U.S., along with other product development and personnel-related expenses.Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) Expenses: SG&A expenses for the fourth quarter and full-year 2024 were $35.5 million and $71.7 million, respectively, primarily comprised of personnel-related and marketing expenses associated with the commercial launch of neffy, as well as general operating expenses.Net Income: Net income for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $49.9 million, or $0.51 per share basic and $0.48 diluted. Net income for the full-year 2024 was $8.0 million, or $0.08 per share basic and diluted. Business Outlook Cash Position & Operating Runway: As of December 31, 2024, ARS Pharma had cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments of $314.0 million, with 97,954,172 shares of common stock outstanding. The company reiterates its guidance that its financial position is expected to support its operating plans for at least the next three years.Anticipated 2025 ALK Milestones: ARS Pharma projects to receive cash proceeds from milestone payments by ALK of approximately $5 million in both the second and fourth quarters of 2025. In accordance with GAAP, for cash payments under the terms of the ALK agreement, approximately half of the projected milestone payments would be recognized as revenue, and the remainder would be added to the financing liability on the company’s balance sheet. neffy U.S. Commercial Launch Highlights ARS Pharma continues to execute the U.S. commercial launch of neffy. Key achievements to date include: Direct sales force engagement with approximately 9,000 priority healthcare providers, with neffy prescriptions submitted by more than 4,000 healthcare providers via BlinkRx through neffyConnect.Approximately 81% of prescribing physicians are among the highest decile allergists.Engagement with more than 1,000 physicians at the 2025 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, with a significant company presence, including nine scientific presentations and a non-CME program.Enrollment of approximately 2,500 allergists in the neffy Experience Program, exceeding the company’s initial program target enrollment of 1,000 allergists, with approximately 15,000 doses of neffy available to allergists for their use in treating anaphylaxis.Multiple favorable coverage decisions secured, including by Express Scripts, Cigna Healthcare, OptumRx, Navitus Health Systems, and TRICARE, with ongoing discussions and contract negotiations with other key payors, keeping the company on track for more than 60% access to commercial lives under contract by the end of the first quarter of 2025, and more than 80% by early third quarter of 2025.Addition of neffy to Medicaid coverage with no prior authorization in Texas, Alabama and Montana, with additional states expected to follow throughout 2025. Of note, commercial insurance, Medicaid and cash pay accounted for approximately 85-90% of all epinephrine prescriptions dispensed in 2024 in the United States.Broad direct to consumer (DTC) marketing campaign to be initiated in May 2025, prior to the peak epinephrine prescribing season over the summer, which will include connected and linear TV, print, social media and influencer campaigns, as well as broad and targeted advertising.Successful launch of ARS Pharma’s neffyinSchools program, offering eligible K-12 schools in the U.S. the opportunity to receive two cartons (four single-use doses) of neffy 2 mg at no cost for emergency use through the School Health Corp. SHConnect platform. The program includes provisions for 1 mg dose upon availability, and replacement doses when used or expired. Global Regulatory Approvals and Activities for neffy and EURneffy U.S. Pediatric Approval: On March 5, 2025, the U.S. FDA approved ARS Pharma’s sNDA for neffy 1 mg as an emergency treatment for Type I allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in children aged four and older and weighing 15 kilograms to < 30 kilograms (33 to <66 lb.). neffy 1 mg is expected to be available in pharmacies starting in May 2025.U.S. Allergy Challenge Clinic Registry Study: ARS Pharma plans to initiate a post-marketing registry-based study of neffy for the treatment of anaphylaxis in oral food challenge or allergen immunotherapy clinics in April 2025.Canada & United Kingdom: In collaboration with its licensing partner, ALK-Abelló A/S, ARS Pharma submitted applications for neffy 2 mg in the U.K. and Canada in December 2024 and January 2025, respectively. Regulatory decisions are anticipated by mid-2025 in the U.K. (where it will be marketed as EURneffy®, if approved), and year-end 2025 in Canada.China, Japan & Australia: In December 2024, ARS Pharma’s licensing partners for China, Japan and Australia submitted applications for neffy 2 mg in their respective countries. A regulatory decision in Japan is expected in the second half of 2025, followed by decisions in China and Australia in the first half of 2026.Global Commercial Launches: In mid-2025, commercial launch is expected in Germany, as well as in the U.K., if approved. Expansion of Intranasal Epinephrine into Urticaria ARS Pharma plans to initiate a Phase 2b clinical trial in the second quarter of 2025 to evaluate its intranasal epinephrine technology as a treatment for acute flares in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria, a prevalent skin disease affecting approximately 2 million people in the U.S. The trial is expected to enroll patients in the U.S. and Europe, with topline data anticipated in early 2026. Conference Call and Webcast Information ARS Pharma management will host a conference call and webcast at 8:30 a.m. ET today, March 20, 2025. To access the webcast and slides, please visit the Events & Presentations page in the Investors & Media section of the Company’s website. A replay of the webcast will be available for 30 days following the event. Dial-in information for conference participants may be obtained by registering for the event. About neffy® neffy is a nasal spray used for emergency treatment of allergic reactions including anaphylaxis, in adults and children aged 4 years and older who weigh 33 lbs. or greater. INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR neffy (epinephrine nasal spray) INDICATION It is recommended that patients are prescribed and have immediate access to two neffy nasal sprays at all times. In the absence of clinical improvement or if symptoms worsen after initial treatment, administer a second dose of neffy in the same nostril with a new nasal spray starting 5 minutes after the first dose. neffy is for use in the nose only. Advise patients when to seek emergency medical assistance for close monitoring of the anaphylactic episode and in the event further treatment is required. Absorption of neffy may be affected by underlying structural or anatomical nasal conditions. Administer with caution to patients who have heart disease; epinephrine may aggravate angina pectoris or produce ventricular arrhythmias. Arrhythmias, including fatal ventricular fibrillation, have been reported, particularly in patients with underlying cardiac disease or taking cardiac glycosides, diuretics, or anti-arrhythmics. The presence of a sulfite in neffy should not deter use. neffy may alter nasal mucosa for up to 2 weeks after administration and increase systemic absorption of nasal products, including neffy. Patients with certain medical conditions or who take certain medications for allergies, depression, thyroid disorders, diabetes, and hypertension, may be at greater risk for adverse reactions. Epinephrine can temporarily exacerbate the underlying condition or increase symptoms in patients with the following: hyperthyroidism, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, renal impairment. Epinephrine should be administered with caution in patients with these conditions, including elderly patients and pregnant women. Most common adverse reactions are nasal discomfort, headache, rhinorrhea, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, throat irritation, nasal congestion, paresthesia, sneezing, upper respiratory tract congestion, epistaxis, rhinalgia, nasal dryness, dry throat, fatigue, and feeling jittery. These are not all the possible side effects of neffy. To report suspected adverse reactions, contact ARS Pharmaceuticals Operations, Inc. at 1-877-MY-NEFFY (877-696-3339) or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. Please see the full Prescribing Information for neffy. About Type I Allergic Reactions Including AnaphylaxisType I allergic reactions are serious and potentially life-threatening events that can occur within minutes of exposure to an allergen and require immediate treatment with epinephrine, the only FDA-approved medication for these reactions. While epinephrine auto-injectors have been shown to be highly effective, there are well published limitations that result in many patients and caregivers delaying or not administering treatment in an emergency situation. These limitations include fear of the needle, lack of portability, needle-related safety concerns, lack of reliability, and complexity of the devices. There are approximately 40 million people in the United States who experience Type I allergic reactions. Of this group, over the last three years, approximately 20 million people have been diagnosed and treated for severe Type I allergic reactions that may lead to anaphylaxis, but (in 2023, for example) only 3.2 million filled their active epinephrine auto-injector prescription, and of those, only half consistently carry their prescribed auto-injector. Even if patients or caregivers carry an auto-injector, more than half either delay or do not administer the device when needed in an emergency. About ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.ARS Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to empowering at-risk patients and their caregivers to better protect patients from allergic reactions that could lead to anaphylaxis. The Company is commercializing neffy® (trade name EURneffy® in the EU) (previously referred to as ARS-1), an epinephrine nasal spray indicated in the U.S. for emergency treatment of Type I allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in adult patients and pediatric patients 4 years of age and older who weigh 15 kg or greater, and in the EU for emergency treatment of allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) due to insect stings or bites, foods, medicinal products, and other allergens as well as idiopathic or exercise induced anaphylaxis in adults and children who weigh 30 kg or greater. For more information, visit www.ars-pharma.com. Forward-Looking StatementsStatements in this press release that are not purely historical in nature are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to: the belief that ARS Pharma is well positioned for sustained growth and meaningful value creation; ARS Pharma’s projected cash runway and belief that it is well capitalized and prepared to support the ongoing launch of neffy; the expectation that neffy 1 mg will be available in the U.S. by the end of May 2025; the planned studies of neffy, including for the treatment of urticaria, and the timing thereof; the anticipated timing of regulatory decisions for neffy in the U.K., Canada, China, Japan and; ARS Pharma’s belief that it remains on track to achieve its coverage goals of 60% and 80% by the end of the first quarter and third quarter of 2025, respectively; the expectation and timing for additional states to add neffy to their formularies; the expected timing of commercial launches in Germany and the U.K.; the expected timing of the milestones under the agreement with ALK; the needle-free profile of neffy increasing the likelihood that patients will both carry and administer adrenaline; the potential market and demand for neffy; the potential benefits to urticaria patients if our intranasal epinephrine technology is approved for this indication; financial projections; and other statements that are not historical fact. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “if,” “may,” “potential,” “plan,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon ARS Pharmaceuticals’ current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation: potential safety and other complications from neffy; the ability to maintain regulatory approval for neffy in its currently approved indications; the scope, progress and expansion of developing and commercializing neffy; the scope, progress and expansion of developing our intranasal epinephrine technology; clinical trial results; the potential for governments and payors to delay, limit or deny coverage for neffy; the size and growth of the market for neffy and the rate and degree of market acceptance thereof vis-à-vis intramuscular injectable products; ARS Pharmaceuticals’ ability to protect its intellectual property position; and the impact of government laws and regulations. Additional risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements are included under the caption “Risk Factors” in ARS Pharmaceuticals’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on November 13, 2024, and in ARS Pharmaceuticals’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, being filed with the SEC on March 20, 2025. These documents can also be accessed on ARS Pharmaceuticals’ website at www.ars-pharma.com by clicking on the link “Financials & Filings” under the “Investors & Media” tab. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. ARS Pharmaceuticals assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. For more information, visit www.ars-pharma.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and X. Investor Contact:Justin Chakma, ARS Pharmajustinc@ars-pharma.com Media Contact:Christy Curran, Sam Brown Inc.christycurran@sambrown.com615.414.8668 ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)(In thousands, except share and per share information) Year Ended December 31, 2024 2023 Revenue: Product revenue, net $7,255 $— Revenue under collaboration agreements 81,529 30 Revenue under supply agreements 365 — Total revenue 89,149 30 Operating expenses: Cost of goods sold (including related party amounts of $241 and $0, respectively) 977 — Research and development (including related party amounts of $2,066 and $1,796, respectively) 19,580 20,266 Selling, general and administrative (including related party amounts of $465 and $940, respectively) 71,675 47,284 Total operating expenses 92,232 67,550 Loss from operations (3,083) (67,520)Other income, net 11,369 13,155 Income (loss) before income taxes 8,286 (54,365)Income tax provision 288 — Net income (loss) $7,998 $(54,365)Change in unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities 171 (358)Comprehensive income (loss) $8,169 $(54,723)Net income (loss) per share: Basic $0.08 $(0.57)Diluted $0.08 $(0.57)Weighted-average shares outstanding used in computing net income (loss) per share: Basic 96,936,661 95,215,322 Diluted 102,390,828 95,215,322 ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS(In thousands, except par value and share amounts) December 31, 2024 December 31, 2023 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $50,817 $70,971 Short-term investments 263,205 157,389 Accounts receivable, net 8,175 — Inventories 5,212 — Prepaid expenses and other current assets 6,886 3,366 Total current assets 334,295 231,726 Long-term inventories 5,307 — Right-of-use asset 37 250 Fixed assets, net 1,029 574 Intangible assets, net 7,371 — Other assets 3,114 638 Total assets $351,153 $233,188 Liabilities and stockholders’ equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (including related party amounts of $656 and $178, respectively) $22,841 $2,154 Contract liability, current 557 — Lease liability, current 42 237 Total current liabilities 23,440 2,391 Financing liability 69,383 — Contract liability 1,532 — Lease liability, net of current portion — 37 Total liabilities 94,355 2,428 Commitments and contingencies Stockholders’ equity Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share; 10,000,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2024 and 2023; no shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 2023 — — Common stock, $0.0001 par value per share; 200,000,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2024 and 2023; 97,954,172 and 96,414,963 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively 10 10 Additional paid-in capital 379,873 362,004 Accumulated other comprehensive gain, net 220 49 Accumulated deficit (123,305) (131,303)Total stockholders’ equity 256,798 230,760 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $351,153 $233,188

Check back to this tracker for regulatory updates on marketed drugs, including expansions into new geographies and indications. Welcome to Fierce Pharma's regulatory tracker for the first half of 2025. On this page, we're recording the regulatory progress of in-market products, including expansions into key geographies and new indications. Be sure to come back regularly for the latest updates.UPDATED: Friday, March 14 at 9:25 a.m. ETChina's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved Innovent's Sycume as a treatment for thyroid eye disease (TED).The drug, also known as teprotumumab N01, becomes the first anti-insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) antibody to score approval in the country.In a press release, Innovent said the drug's approval "has ended a 70-year drought of no new treatment option for TED in China."In the U.S., teprotumumab is marketed by Amgen as Tepezza. In Europe, officials have expanded the label for Bristol Myers Squibb's cell therapy Breyanzi.Specifically, the European Commission approved the drug for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy.The approval is based on results from the global phase 2 study called TRANSCEND FL, which enrolled patients with relapsed or refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), including FL. In the third-line-plus treatment setting, 97.1% of patients responded to the drug, and 94.2% of patients achieved a complete response.Before this approval, Breyanzi had scored EU nods to treat certain patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, high grade B-cell lymphoma and primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma.UPDATED: Thursday, March 13 at 8:30 a.m. ETKelun-Biotech's TROP 2 ADC sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) has scored its second approval in China.The country's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approved the drug to treat certain adults with EGFR-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The nod covers the drug's use in patients who have progressed after treatment with EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy and platinum-based chemotherapy, Kelun said in a press release.With the approval, sac-TMT becomes the first TROP2 ADC approved to treat lung cancer anywhere in the world, according to the company.In a pivotal study, the drug "demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement" in objective response rate, progression-free survival and overall survival compared with docetaxel, Kelun said. The study tested the drugs in patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutant NSCLC who failed after prior treatment with an EGFR-TKI and platinum-based chemo.The approval is sac-TMT's second in the country after the NMPA approved it to treat certain patients with  triple negative breast cancer last year.In 2022, Merck & Co. licensed ex-China rights to the drug.UPDATED: Friday, March 7 at 9:35 a.m. ETThe European Commission (EC) has signed off on Bristol Myers Squibb’s immunotherapy combination of Opdivo and Yervoy to treat first-line patients with advanced or unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).The nod was based on Opdivo and Yervoy showing an overall survival edge in the CheckMate-9DW trial over an investigator's choice of oral treatments.The Opdivo-Yervoy combo also faces an FDA decision date of April 21 to treat unresectable HCC. In 2020, the FDA granted accelerated approval to Opdivo-Yervoy to treat second-line advanced HCC.Opdivo and Yervoy were originally approved to treat melanoma, in 2014 and 2011 respectively. In combination, they have been blessed by the FDA in four other cancer types: renal cell carcinoma (2018), colorectal cancer (2018), mesothelioma (2020) and lung cancer (2020).Approximately 90% of liver cancer diagnoses are of the HCC type, BMS said. Liver cancer is the world’s third leading cause of cancer deaths.The FDA has expanded its approval for ALK’s immunotherapy Odactra for house dust mite (HDM) allergies to children ages 5 through 11. The under-the-tongue tablet was originally approved for adults in 2017 and then for adolescents ages 12 to 17 in 2023.UPDATED: Thursday, March 6 at 9:45 a.m. ETARS Pharmaceuticals needle-free epinephrine option, neffy nasal spray, can now be used to treat type 1 allergic reactions including anaphylaxis in children.To win the pediatric nod from the FDA, ARS ran studies proving that pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic responses from neffy in both children and adults were consistent with that of standard epinephrine injection products. The label expansion comes after the drug’s August approval as the first major innovation in epinephrine delivery in more than 35 years. Needle-free delivery is especially significant in the pediatric population as many children and caregivers fear needle-based auto-injectors, standing to delay lifesaving treatment.Human factor studies also show that children as young as 10 can use the nasal spray effectively and that untrained individuals, such as babysitters or teachers, can also correctly administer the drug. In the U.S., nearly 4 out of every 10 epinephrine prescriptions are for children under the age of 18 and some one in 13 children have severe food allergies, with more than 40% having experienced severe reactions, according to ARS. UPDATED: Wednesday, March 5 at 10:10 a.m. ETRoche's supplemental biologics application for Gazyva to treat lupus nephritis has been accepted for review by the FDA, the company said in a Wednesday press release.The filing leverages results from the phase 3 REGENCY study, which showed that 46.4% of patients with lupus nephritis who received Gazyva plus standard care achieved a complete renal response after 76 weeks. For patients who received standard care alone, the number was 33.1%, according to study results published last month.First approved in 2013, Gazyva is already cleared to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia and follicular lymphoma in certain situations.The FDA is expected to make a decision on the lupus nephritis filing by October, according to Roche.UPDATED: Monday, March 3 at 4:30 p.m. ETDespite a reconsideration after a prior rejection, Australian drug regulators ultimately passed on Eisai's BioArtic-partnered Alzheimer’s disease treatment Leqembi. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of Australia first decided against approval for patients with early Alzheimer’s disease in October. Eisai then requested reconsideration of the decision in December, proposing the same narrow indication given to the drug by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA). Those approvals stipulate that Leqembi can only be used in patients with one or no copies of the ApoE4 gene due to safety concerns linking two copies of the gene to increased risks of brain swelling and bleeding, a side effect known as Amyloid Related Imaging Abnormalities (ARIAs).However, the TGA did not agree with the safety profile of Leqembi in ApoE4 heterozygotes, or those with one copy of the ApoE4 gene. Instead, the regulator offered an alternative narrow indication covering only ApoE4 noncarriers. Eisai floated other indications instead, including one that would keep the ApoE4 noncarrier and heterozygote patient populations but require heterozygotes to receive treatment in specialist centers with expert physician supervision. Still, the TGA rejected those options.BioArtic, Eisai’s long-time research partner that originally developed the antibody that became Leqembi, said it’s “very disappointed” by TGA’s decision, CEO Gunilla Osswald said in a statement. Eisai said it remains committed to ensuring eligible Australians can access the treatment and is “exploring options” to achieve this including a potential review by Australia’s Administrative Review Tribunal. UPDATED: Friday, Feb. 28 at 10:30 a.m. ETThe CDC said it's investigating five hospitalizations related to heart and nervous system events following vaccination with Valneva's Ixchiq among people 65 years and older. Ixchiq became the first FDA-approved chikungunya vaccine in November 2023. The CDC currently recommends the live-attenuated shot to be used for adults traveling to a country or territory where there is a chikungunya outbreak. Based on information from the CDC, at least four of the five individuals had also received other vaccines, and most of them had significant underlying medical conditions, a Valneva spokesperson said in a statement to Fierce Pharma."Valneva has not identified any safety signal concerns through post-marketing safety monitoring, including periodic safety reports and routine signal detection activities, and Ixchiq’s safety profile remains consistent with clinical trial data, unchanged and positive," the spokesperson said.The CDC said findings from its investigation will be discussed with experts at an Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting. This year's first ACIP meeting, which was supposed to take place this week, was postponed with no new time provided by the CDC.The U.K. has approved Moderna's respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine mRESVIA to protect patients ages 60 and over against lower respiratory tract disease caused by the virus.In a study conducted in about 37,000 older adults, people who received mRESVIA had a 79% reduction in their risk of getting lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV, compared with those who received placebo, around four months after vaccination.The shot will be manufactured at the Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre in Oxfordshire, which will be fully operational later this year, CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement.As is the case in the U.S., Moderna's mRNA shot will compete with GSK's Arexvy and Pfizer's Abrysvo in the U.K. as well.UPDATED: Thursday, Feb. 27 at 8:32 a.m. ETAfter being turned away by the FDA nearly one year ago, Regeneron this week said that the U.S. agency has accepted for review its biologics license application for bispecific antibody odronextamab.The FDA is expected to act on the application by July 30, Regeneron said in a Wednesday press release.In March of 2024, the agency rejected an accelerated approval filing for the drug based on the timeline of Regeneron's ongoing confirmatory trials. That decision spurred some confusion at Regeneron—and beyond—about a new requirement from the agency that confirmatory trials be "well underway" by the time it awards accelerated approvals.Early this year, the FDA sought to clear up the issue with new guidance on its expectations around accelerated approvals and confirmatory trial timelines.Nevertheless, Regeneron's review for the drug to treat patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy now appears back on track. In its latest press release, Regeneron said the resubmission "follows the achievement of an FDA-mandated enrollment target for the Phase 3 confirmatory trial." As the company notes, the enrollment target was the "sole approvability issue identified by the FDA" in its last submission.In Europe, regulators last year approved the drug for patients with R/R FL and R/R diffuse large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy. The medicine carries the brand name Ordspono in the region.In a phase 2 study, 80% of patients with FL who were treated with odronextamab responded to the therapy, with 74% achieving a complete response.UPDATED: Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 9:30 a.m. ETMerck's Keytruda, already boasting some 40 FDA approvals, has picked up a priority review in a proposed new use.The company's filing for the drug as part of a perioperative regimen for patients with resectable locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma has been accepted for a speedy review, Merck said on Tuesday.The filing seeks approval for Keytruda as a neoadjuvant treatment prior to surgery, followed by its administration as an adjuvant treatment in combination with standard of care radiotherapy—with or without cisplatin—after surgery. Afterward, the company's filing proposes Keytruda being used as a single agent.Merck's application leverages results from the KEYNOTE-689 trial, which showed that the perioperative regimen significantly reduced the risk of disease recurrence, worsening or death in certain patients with resected HNSCC compared with traditional postsurgical radiotherapy alone.The FDA is expected to act on the application by June 23.In Japan, Sanofi's Sarclisa has picked up an approval to treat newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma.Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) approved the drug as part of a combination with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRd) in the patient group based on results from the phase 3 IMROZ trial. The study showed that Sarclisa's addition to VRd significantly improved progression-free survival compared with VRd alone in patients with newly diagnosed, transplant-ineligible multiple myeloma.Sarclisa launched in 2020 in Japan and is approved as a part of four different regimens in the country, Sanofi noted in a press release.UPDATED: Monday, Feb. 24 at 10:52 a.m. ETGilead's application for twice-yearly lenacapavir has been accepted by the European Medicines Agency for accelerated review as an HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option. Simultaneously, the drug will be assessed under EU-Medicines for all, which can be used to facilitate expedited review processes in countries outside the EU, including in low- and lower-middle-income countries. The FDA has put lenacapavir's PrEP application under priority review last week with a target decision date set for June 19, 2025.Several companies have launched their biosimilar products referencing Johnson & Johnson's star inflammatory disease drug Stelara in the U.S., following Amgen's January launch of Wezlana as the first biosimilar referencing the star IL-12/23 inhibitor. Teva and Alvotech just rolled out Selarsdi covering all indications and presentations of the original Stelara. Teva can start to claim interchangeability after an exclusivity period for Wezlana ends on April 30. Sandoz announced the launch of its Samsung Bioepis-partnered Pyzchiva, which the Swiss company views as a key driver in its global growth strategy. Sandoz touts Pyzchiva's extended stability, including the ability to be re-refrigerate, as an advantage over the original Stelara.In addition, Biocon Biologics has also entered the U.S. Stelara biosimilar market with Yesintek. It marks the Biocon subsidiary's "first product launch in the United States since becoming a fully integrated global biosimilars organization," CEO Shreehas Tambe said in a release. The FDA has granted priority review to Bristol Myers Squibb's application for Opdivo and Yervoy in first-line unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer (mCRC). The goal date is June 23, 2025.The filing was based on data from the phase 3 CheckMate-8HW trial. The combo lowered the risk of disease progression or death by 38% versus Opdivo alone in MSI-H/dMMR mCRC, according to an update of the study presented in January.The FDA has updated the label of Indivior's Sublocade for severe opioid use disorder. The new label allows healthcare providers to start treatment with Sublocade after a single dose of transmucosal buprenorphine and a one-hour observation period. This rapid initiation "may lessen some of the practical obstacles to treatment induction," according to Indivior.In addition, the FDA has approved additional injection sites for Sublocade, an extended-release formulation of buprenorphine. The drug can now be administered in the abdomen, thigh, buttock or back of the upper arm.UPDATED: Friday, Feb. 21 at 9:30 a.m. ETGilead's seladelpar has secured a conditional marketing nod in Europe to treat adults with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).The approval covers seladelpar's use in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for those who have an inadequate response to UDCA alone, or as a monotherapy for people who can't tolerate UDCA.In the U.S., seladelpar picked up FDA approval last year and is branded as Livdelzi.A chronic autoimmune disease, PCB affects roughly 22 out of 100,000 people in Europe. The disease is more common in women and causes liver damage that can progress to liver failure if untreated. Symptoms include chronic itch and fatigue, and there is no cure for the disease.The approval is largely based on results from the phase 3 Response study, which showed that roughly three times as many patients on seladelpar achieved a composite biochemical response than those on placebo. The conditional approval will be contingent on positive results from future confirmatory studies.In Japan, authorities have approved CSL's subcutaneous Andembry for the prevention of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE).The drug offers patients the first pre-filled pen presentation for monthly subcutaneous administration for long-term prophylaxis of HAE, CSL said in a press release.The Japanese nod adds to the drug's other approvals in Europe, Australia and the U.K.UPDATED: Thursday, Feb. 20 at 10:00 a.m. ETBristol Myers Squibb's Breyanzi has won reimbursement backing from England's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in second-line large B-cell lymphoma, becoming the first CAR-T therapy to be recommended by the agency for this cancer type. The endorsement comes after NICE had originally rejected Breyanzi in October 2024 during its draft assessment. The drug cost watchdog changed its mind after BMS "offered an improved commercial arrangement" to the NHS based on its 297,000 pound sterling (about $375,000) list price per person, according to a press release.About 600 people in England could benefit from the therapy per year, according to NICE, which called the one-time CAR-T treatment "a significant advance in lymphoma care." In another reversal, NICE has also changed a previous rejection and signed off on UCB's Fintepla as an add-on treatment for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) in people ages 2 years and above. The drug already has coverage under NHS for treating seizures from Dravet syndrome.LGS is a rare but severely debilitating form of epilepsy that begins in early childhood. By NICE's estimate, about 1,400 patients live with the disease in its jurisdiction.NICE changed its mind after UCB offered "an improved discount" to the drug's list price, the agency noted. Using a cost comparison approach, UCB convinced NICE's drug reviewers that Fintepla provides similar or greater health benefits compared to cannabidiol plus clobazam—which is already covered for LGS in the NHS—at a similar or lower cost.  The drug is covered only if the frequency of drop seizures is checked every six months, at which point the frequency is reduced by at least 30% compared with before starting treatment. UPDATED: Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 11:04 a.m. ETMerck’s Welireg snagged its first two approvals in Europe, with the nods covering certain patients with von Hippel-Lidau (VHL) disease and advanced clear renal cell carcinoma (RCC).The European Commission specifically approved the medicine as a treatment for those with VHL disease who have associated, localized RCC, central nervous system hemangioblastomas or pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. The drug is approved in cases when localized procedures are unsuitable, making Welireg the first available treatment for VHL-associated tumors in Europe. The med also won a nod for adult patients with advanced clear cell RCC that has progressed following two or more lines of therapy, including a PD-1/L1 and at least two VEGF-targeted therapies.The European nods, which are conditional authorizations, follow similar approvals in the U.S. Merck will make the drug commercially available individual European countries after the complication of national reimbursement procedures, among other launch timing factors, the company said.Gilead’s twice-yearly pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) candidate lenacapavir is on the FDA’s review table with a decision date of June 19.The drug, which is currently approved as Sunlenca for multi-drug resistant HIV, would be the first twice-yearly PrEP option on the market. The company’s FDA bid is the first step of its detailed global launch and access strategy.Gilead’s lenacapivir application is backed by two phase 3 trials, one of which showed an impressive 100% risk reduction. The company describes the med as a “foundation” for potential future HIV therapies, it said in a release.Sanofi and Regeneron’s immunology powerhouse Dupixent is aiming to secure a new use in chronic skin disease bullous pemphigoid (BP) with an FDA decision expected by June 20.If approved, the med would be the only targeted BP treatment available in the U.S. The disease is hallmarked by intense itch and blisters and impacts a population of around 27,000 adults, typically elderly adults, whose condition is not controlled by systemic corticosteroids.  The companies’ FDA bid has been granted priority review and is based on a study of 106 adults with moderate-to-severe BP. In the trial, five times more patients who received Dupixent achieved sustained disease remission compared to those on placebo, according to Sanofi. UPDATED: Friday, Feb. 14 at 9:20 a.m. ETCSL's hereditary angioedema (HAE) therapy Andembry has secured approval from the European Commission.The drug is the first once-monthly treatment targeting factor XIIa to prevent HAE attacks in patients 12 and older. In a phase 3 trial, the drug significantly reduced investigator-confirmed HAE attacks per month versus placebo, according to results published in The Lancet in April 2023.Last month, regulators in Australia and the U.K. signed off on the medicine."Andembry, CSL's first approved recombinant monoclonal antibody discovered and developed entirely by CSL, underscores our more than 40-year legacy in HAE research and treatment optimization and our decades-long journey to bring this innovation to patients," Bill Mezzanotte, M.D., CSL's head of R&D, said in a press release.Now, CSL plans to engage in access and reimbursement negotiations with national authorities across Europe as the company progresses with the rollout.Also in Europe, officials signed off on CSL and Arcturus Therapeutics' self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, Kostaive, for use in individuals ages 18 and older.The approval is based on results from an integrated phase 1/2/3 study and late-stage booster trials, the partners said in a press release. Late last year, the European Medicines Agency recommended the vaccine for approval.Besides Europe, the vaccine is approved in Japan.Galderma's efforts to expand the market for Nemluvio are bearing more fruit.In Europe, officials approved the subcutaneous drug for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in patients ages 12 and older. In addition, the drug scored an endorsement to treat prurigo nodularis in adults.In the late-stage Arcadia and Olympia clinical trial programs, the drug "significantly improved itch, skin lesions and sleep disturbance, in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis and adults with prurigo nodularis, respectively," Galderma said in a Friday press release.The drug is also approved in the U.S. and is under review in Canada, Brazil, South Korea and other countries.China has approved its 22nd PD-1/L1 product. The approval went to SinoCellTech's finotonlimab for its use alongside chemo in first-line head and neck cancer. In a China phase 3 trial, the combo reduced the risk of death by 27% versus chemo alone, extending the median overall survival by 3.6 months to 14.1 months, according to results published in Nature Medicine.The go-ahead marks the first for a PD-1/L1 inhibitor that covers all head and neck cancer patients in China. In the country, Merck & Co.'s Keytruda is allowed as a monotherapy only in PD-L1-positive disease, SinoCellTech noted in a securities filing (Chinese). UPDATED: Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 10:20 a.m. ETAcoramidis, the transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) drug developed by BridgeBio and licensed by Bayer in Europe, has been approved by the European Commission. Bayer plans to make the transthyretin stabilizer available in Europe under the brand name Beyonttra in the first half of this year.The approval is based on results from the phase 3 ATTRibute-CM study trial showing that Beyonttra significantly reduced the composite endpoint of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular-related hospitalizations compared with placebo. During the open-label extension phase of the study, Beyonttra demonstrated a relative risk reduction in deaths of 34% after 42 months.Beyonttra's launch is one of Bayer's “must-win battles” as the German company navigates the loss of exclusivity of its top-selling drug, blood thinner Xarelto, Stefan Oelrich, head of Bayer’s pharma division, said at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in January.Travere Therapeutics said it has aligned with the FDA on its plan to submit Filspari for traditional approval in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare kidney disease. The move comes after a Filspari phase 3 trial in that indication failed on its primary endpoint of eGFR slope, a measurement of kidney disease progression. It also comes as findings from a collaborative global project called ARASOL linked a decrease in proteinuria over 24 months to a reduction in the risk of kidney failure in FSGS. Filspari has shown a benefit in lowering proteinuria. Travere plans to file this application around the end of March using existing data from the phase 3 DUPLEX and phase 2 DUET studies. The company will request a priority review, which Leerink Partners analysts believe is likely to be granted as there are no approved therapies for FSGS. Given that the understanding around proteinuria as a potential full approval endpoint is new, Leerink analysts said it would not be surprising if the FDA wanted to discuss the results during an advisory committee meeting.An approval in FSGS would be "transformational" for Filspari and Travere, Leerink said in a Tuesday note, because it could give the drug $1.1 billion in peak sales across the U.S. and EU based on a "relatively conservative peak penetration" of less than 20%. For Filspari sales, the FSGS indication could eventually surpass IgA nephropathy, for which Filspari is currently approved and is starting to face more competition, according to Leerink Partners.UPDATED: Monday, Feb. 10 at 9:45 a.m. ETBristol Myers Squibb’s cancer combo Opdivo plus Yervoy has scored an approval recommendation in the E.U., thanks to an endorsement from the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) as a first-line treatment in adults with unresectable or advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.With the thumbs up from CHMP, the Opvido-Yervoy combo now moves forward to the European Commission (EC) for a final approval decision.The CHMP based its green light on results from the combo’s phase 3 CheckMate -9DW trial, in which patients on Opdivo and Yervoy charted a median overall survival of 23.7 months, compared to 20.6 months in patients who received an alternative regimen of Lenvima (lenvatinib) or sorafenib.BMS’ cancer combo is up for a similar approval in the U.S., with the FDA scheduled to make its decision on a potential first-line unresectable HCC nod by April 21.The drugmaker also won a CHMP endorsement for its CAR-T therapy Breyanzi to treat adults with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) who’ve previously tried two or more systemic therapies.BMS used data from its phase 2 TRANSCEND FL study to support the recommendation. In the trial, Breyanzi charted an overall response rate of 97.1% and a complete response rate of 94.2%, which was sufficient to meet the study’s primary and secondary endpoints, BMS said in a release.Breyanzi already carries multiple oncology approvals in Europe, including in relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and high grade B-cell lymphoma.Late last month, the FDA gave a thumbs up to German drugmaker medac’s alkylating agent Grafapex, also known as treosulfan, alongside the antimetabolite medicine fludarabine, as a preparative regimen for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) in adults and kids ages one and older with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).Alkylating agents cause breakage of DNA strand to help thwart the ability of cancer cells to multiply.Medac’s approval was backed up by a study looking primarily at overall survival in 570 adults ages 18 to 70 years old with AML or MDS who were randomized to receive either Grafapex or busulfan with fludarabine as a preparative regimen for allogeneic transplant. UPDATED: Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 9:05 a.m. ETNovartis' Kisqali has secured a label expansion from the U.K.'s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).The new approval covers Kisqali's use in combination with an aromatase inhibitor (AI) in patients with HR+/HER2- early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence. Previously, the drug was approved by the MHRA to treat advanced breast cancer, according to a Feb. 4 press release from Novartis.The latest approval is based on results from the phase 3 NATALEE trial, which showed that the addition of Kisqali to treatment with an AI cut the risk of invasive disease, recurrence, or death compared to AI treatment alone in patients with HR+/HER2- early breast cancer.Last fall, the drug picked up an FDA nod in patients with HR+/HER2- early breast cancer based on the NATALEE study results.Vaccine specialist Valneva has picked up an approval from the MHRA, as well.The agency approved the company's chikungunya vaccine, Ixchiq, for use in people 18 years of age and older. Late-stage trial data show the vaccine "induces a rapid and strong immune response," according to a press release from the company.Valneva manufactures the shot at its facility in Livingston, Scotland.Previously, the vaccine secured approvals in the United States, Canada and Europe. UPDATED: Friday, Jan. 31 at 9:35 a.m. ETVertex's groundbreaking launch of Casgevy keeps racking up more milestones around the globe.Friday, the company said it has reached a reimbursement agreement with NHS England that'll allow eligible patients with sickle cell disease access to the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited therapy. Along with the NHS England agreement, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has signed off on the drug's use, Vertex said in a press release.The reimbursement deal follows a similar agreement, unveiled last summer, for the drug in patients with transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia.“We are pleased to have reached this new agreement that ensures both eligible SCD and TDT patients can now be treated with Casgevy, recognizing the value a one-time treatment can provide to patients, their families and the healthcare system," Vertex International senior vice president Ludovic Fenaux said in a statement.In its approval bid for Fabhalta in C3 glomerulopathy, Novartis will no longer face an FDA advisory committee meeting, CEO Vas Narasimhan said on Friday.The advisory committee meeting had been scheduled for next month but will no longer take place.Speaking with members of the media on Friday, Narasimhan said the "FDA no longer deemed it necessary to hold an advisory committee meeting.""We think it's based on, you know, the overall data package we've been able to generate, and the additional follow on data that we've provided the agency," the CEO continued. So we look forward to now bringing forward that medicine as a third indication approval for Fabhalta."Amid Europe's ongoing regulatory review of Eisai and Biogen's Alzheimer's disease medicine Leqembi, the European Commission (EC) has flagged new safety information for review.In November, Europe's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended market approval of the drug. Since then, EC has asked the committee to "consider information on the safety of lecanemab that became available after the adoption of the CHMP opinion," the partners said in a Friday press release. The companies didn't reveal the nature of the new safety information flagged by the EC. CHMP will dig into the new info during a meeting next month, according to the release."We believe that the EC’s requests can be addressed with existing information and will be evaluated by the CHMP because of the clear and sufficient information available," the partners said in the release. "We will continue to work closely with the authorities toward approval in the EU."UPDATED: Monday, Jan. 27 at 10:43 a.m. ETMerck’s Welireg is up for a potential FDA label expansion by May 26. The agency granted a priority review to the company's bid to expand the drug's label into advanced, unresectable, or metastatic pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL), which would add to currently approved indications in advanced renal cell carcinoma and von Hippel-Lindau disease.Welireg generated $139 million in sales during 2024’s third quarter and is the only approved HIF-2α inhibitor in the U.S.Merck’s application in PPGL is based on objective response rate and duration of response rate data from the phase 2 LITESPARK-015 trial, which enrolled 322 patients and will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting, according to the company. Up to 2,000 new cases of the tumors are diagnosed yearly in the U.S.Merck is evaluating Welireg across other rare oncologic diseases both on its own and in combination with other therapies. The FDA is evaluating Alvotech and Teva’s proposed biosimilar to Johnson & Johnson’s Simponi and Simponi Aria.Alvotech, which is responsible for development and manufacturing under its longstanding collaboration with Teva, announced positive top line results from its confirmatory trial of the Simponi copycat back in April. The partners expect the FDA to complete its review process in the fourth quarter of 2025. Simponi was first approved in 2009 and treats a variety of inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, among others. Simponi is an injected drug, while Simponi Aria is the infused version. The franchise picked up $2.19 billion for J&J in 2023 sales.Alvotech and Teva's product is the first biosimilar to the blockbuster arthritis med to be accepted for review.UPDATED: Thursday, Jan. 23 at 10:00 a.m. ETBiogen said its applications for a high-dose version of the spinal muscular atrophy med Spinraza have been accepted for review by the FDA and the European Medicines Agency. The new regimen comprises a more rapid loading regimen of two 50 mg doses given two weeks apart and a maintenance regimen given at 28 mg every four months. Currently, the drug's FDA-approved loading regimen features three doses given 14 days apart, plus a fourth dose 30 days after the third. The drug is currently approved in 12 mg doses.The high-dose applications are based on results from the phase 2/3 Devote trial, which favored the high-dose version versus an external sham control and the currently available dose on the measure of patients' reduction in plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL), a marker for neurodegeneration.The higher dose regimen also reduced the risk of death or permanent ventilation by 68% relative to sham and 30% compared with the 12 mg regimen.The high-dose Spinraza is Biogen's answer to competitors such as Novartis' gene therapy Zolgensma.Amneal has won FDA approvals for generics referencing AbbVie's Alzheimer's combo drug Namzaric and Novartis' cancer therapy Afinitor Disperz. Amneal has launched the Namzaric generic with 180-day market exclusivity.Separately, Amneal said it has won tentative approval from the FDA for a generic to Bausch Health's star irritable bowel syndrome med Xifaxan. Bausch Health has previously reached settlement agreements with Teva, Sun Pharma and Sandoz, pushing their generic entry dates into 2028 or upon an earlier launch of a rival generic product. Xifaxan is one of 15 drugs up for the second cycle of Medicare price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act. UPDATED: Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 8:57 a.m. ETThe European Commission has approved Johnson & Johnson's combination of Lazcluze and Rybrevant for the first-line treatment of certain adults with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the company said in a press release.Specifically, the combo is approved in Europe for patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions (ex19del) or exon 21 L858R (L858R) substitution mutations.In approving the use, EU regulators reviewed results from the phase 3 MARIPOSA study. The trial showed that the combination reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 30% compared with AstraZeneca's Tagrisso in patients with newly diagnosed, EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. The results yielded a U.S. approval for the J&J combination last summer. Earlier this month, J&J touted an overall survival win from the study. At the time, a company executive heralded the regimen as "a new standard of care for patients with EGFR non-small cell lung cancer."Also in Europe, officials have endorsed GSK's Jemperli to treat all adult patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, including those with mismatch repair proficient (MMRp)/microsatellite stable (MSS) tumors. MMRp and MSS cases represent approximately 75% of patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer, GSK said in a press release.The approval covers Jemperli's use in combination with chemotherapy.Late last year, Europe's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended the label expansion.In England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended AstraZeneca's Tagrisso for treating people with EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after surgery.The recommendation means that hundreds of patients will benefit from routine access to the drug, which is taken daily alongside chemotherapy, according to a notice from the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.Previously, EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC patients relied on chemotherapy to prevent cancer recurrence after surgery, according to the foundation.“I am pleased we have been able to recommend that this targeted treatment for a specific gene mutation of lung cancer will be routinely available on the NHS," NICE's director of medicines evaluation, Helen Knight, said in a statement.UPDATED: Thursday, Jan. 16 at 10:25 a.m. ETEli Lilly's Omvoh has picked up its second major FDA nod. After the IL-23 inhibitor's approval in 2023 to treat ulcerative colitis, the agency has now signed off on Omvoh to treat Crohn's disease. Specifically, the FDA approved Omvoh to treat moderately to severely active Crohn's disease in adults.In a phase 3 study, 53% of patients treated with Omvoh achieved clinical remission after a year of treatment. That number compared with 36% for those on placebo.In addition, 46% of patients treated with Omvoh had visible healing of the intestinal lining after a year. In the placebo group, the number was 23%.The trial enrolled patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease who had experienced an inadequate response, loss of response or who could not tolerate corticosteroids, immunomodulators and/or biologics.With the FDA nod, Lilly's drug will go up against some heavy hitters in the Crohn's space, including Johnson & Johnson's Stelara and AbbVie's duo of Skyrizi and Rinvoq.UPDATED: Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 8:12 a.m. ETSanofi's Sarclisa has gained approval from China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to treat adults with multiple myeloma who've received at least one prior line of therapy, including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor.The approval covers Sarclisa's use in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (Pd).Regulators in China endorsed the drug based on results from the phase 3 ICARIA-MM study, as well as bridging data from a China-based study, Sanofi said in a press release. In ICARIA-MM, the addition of Sarclisa to Pd resulted in a 40% reduction in patients' risk of disease progression or death. "We look forward to continuing to build strong partnerships with the medical community, local companies, and authorities in China as we work to bring more innovative treatments to patients," Sanofi's head of oncology, Olivier Nataf, said in a statement.As Biogen and Eisai work to grow Leqembi in Alzheimer's disease, the FDA has accepted a biologics license application for the drug's subcutaneous maintenance dosing option. With a potential approval, Leqembi would become the first anti-amyloid therapy to offer at-home maintenance dosing.The FDA is set to make a decision on the filing by August 31, according to a Biogen press release.UPDATED: Thursday, Jan. 9 at 11:15 a.m. ETEngland’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended AstraZeneca’s Lynparza for use in the region’s National Health Service, clearing the way for around 1,200 eligible patients to reap the benefits of the treatment.The recommendation covers Lynparza’s use in patients with HER2-negative, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations and have had chemotherapy. NICE based its decision in part on results from the company’s OlympiAD phase 3 study, which proved that the drug could cut the risk of disease worsening or death by 42%.NICE had originally begun its assessment of the treatment in that indication in 2018, but ended it citing a lack of evidence submitted by the company. This time around, NICE assessed the med using a faster cost comparison process that compared Lynparza to Pfizer’s Talzenna in benefits and cost. Stallergenes Greer’s peanut allergy treatment Palforzia scored a label expansion in Europe, extending the drug’s use to toddlers aged 1 through 3 years old.Palforzia is now cleared for use in those aged 1 to 17 years old and is the only approved oral immunotherapy in the U.S. and Europe for toddlers with a confirmed peanut allergy diagnosis. The drug is meant to gradually increase the body’s ability to tolerate small amounts of peanuts through carefully controlled initial dose escalation and up-dosing.The European Commission based its nod on the company’s POSEIDON phase 3 study, which was a double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge after six months of treatment. Agios Pharmaceuticals’ Pyrukynd is up for an FDA decision in non-transfusion-dependent and transfusion-dependent alpha- or beta-thalassemia on Sept. 7.The company filed its bid for approval last month after finding success in two phase 3 trials assessing the drug in the non-transfusion-dependent and transfusion-dependent populations. Thalassemia is a rare, inherited blood disorder with limited treatment options. The disease is hallmarked by the abnormal production of hemoglobin, which causes chronic anemia and can lead to other complications.Pyruknd won its first approval in 2022 for pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency, marking the first drug approved to treat the disease. Merck’s Gardasil HPV vaccine won approval from the National Medical Products Administration of China for males aged 9 to 26 years old, making the first option of its kind available for the country's male population.The vaccine was previously approved for use in females who are 9 to 45 years of age and has helped protect over 50 million women in China from certain HPV-related cancers and diseases since its first approval, Merck’s president of Human Health International, Joseph Romanelli, said in a release.Gardasil has recently seen slumping sales in China, where it's being marketed by Merck’s regional commercial partner Zhifei Biological Products. Rob David previously called the expansion to the male population a “significant opportunity.” UPDATED: Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 3:57 p.m. ETThe FDA tacked on additional warning information to the prescribing information for Agios’ pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency drug Pyrukynd, flagging instances of liver deficiency in certain situations.The label update follows liver injury observations in patients who received Pyrukynd at a dose higher than is recommended for PK deficiency, according to an SEC filing from the company.The drug was approved by the FDA in 2022 as the first medicine to treat hemolytic anemia in adults with PK deficiency. Besides this use, the company is exploring expansions into beta thalassemia and sickle cell disease.The updated "Warnings and Precautions" section urges prescribers to run liver tests on patients before initiating treatment and monthly for the first six months of treatment. Patients should stop treatment if hepatic injury is suspected.Bayer is vying for a third indication for its Nubeqa (darolutamide) in China, this time for its use in combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.The company filed an application for the label expansion with China’s National Medical Products Administration, leveraging data from its phase 3 ARANOTE trial. In the study, Nubeqa and ADT significantly reduced the risk of radiological progression or death by 46% compared with placebo plus ADT.The nod would add to the drug’s two existing approvals in China, which cover other prostate cancer patient populations. It is estimated that the prevalence of prostate cancer in China will exceed 161,000 cases annually by 2026, according to Bayer. Dizal’s non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) candidate sunvozertinib will get a speedy FDA review after the agency granted priority review to the company’s new drug application.The company is specifically going after an approval to treat locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations whose disease has progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Sunvozertinib won its world-first approval in China in 2023. UPDATED: Monday, Jan. 6 at 10:25 a.m. ETAmgen's DLL3-targeted bispecific antibody Imdylltra, known as Imdelltra in the U.S., has won a conditional marketing authorization from the U.K.'s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency as a third-line therapy for small cell lung cancer.The conditional nod is based on results from the phase 2 DeLLphi-301 trial, which showed that the T-cell engager triggered a tumor response rate of 41%, with the median response lasting 9.7 months. It follows an FDA approval in May 2024.China has approved Astellas' first-in-class Claudin 18.2 drug Vyloy, following similar moves by drug regulators in Japan and the U.S.The drug's Chinese indication is in first-line, CLDN18.2-positive, HER2-negative advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. The CLDN18.2 biomarker is expressed by about 35% of Chinese stomach cancer patients, according to Astellas.The approval was backed by two global phase 3 trials, dubbed Glow and Spotlight, which evaluated Vyloy in combination with the chemotherapy regimens CAPOX and mFOLFOX6, respectively. Both trials linked the drug's chemo combo to longer life expectancy and progression-free survival time compared with chemo alone.UPDATED: Friday, Jan. 3 at 2:45 p.m. ETGSK’s IL-5 inhibitor Nucala scored a nod in China to treat people with inadequately controlled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), a condition that impacts nearly 30 million people in China.The drug was approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration for use as an add-on therapy along with intranasal corticosteroids for patients with CRSwNP who don’t achieve adequate disease control with systemic corticosteroids or surgery. The indication is Nucala’s third in China and comes after prior approvals in eosinophilic asthma and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis.An FDA advisory committee panel is scheduled to discuss the merits of Novartis’ oral factor B inhibitor Fabhalta in the rare kidney disease C3 glomerulopathy (C3G).The Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee will meet on February 24, according to an FDA document (PDF). The drug was approved by the agency in 2023 as a treatment for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, winning the title of the first oral monotherapy approved for the rare blood disorder. Fabhalta received a second nod for immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) in August.In studies, Fabhalta proved that it could reduce proteinuria for C3G patients, a marker for delaying progression to kidney failure. So far, there are no approved treatments for the ultra-rare disease, which causes about 50% of patients to progress to kidney failure within ten years of diagnosis. UPDATED: Thursday, Jan. 2 at 1:45 p.m. ETShortly before the new year, Merck & Co. scored an approval for its potential blockbuster Winrevair in the U.K. The pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) drug, which also goes by the name sotatercept, was originally picked up via Merck’s $11.5 billion acquisition of Acceleron back in 2021.The U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved Winrevair in combination with other PAH therapies to improve exercise capacity in adult patients who live with moderate or marked limitations of physical activity.Patients with PAH suffer from high blood pressure in the blood vessels that supply the lungs, which can ultimately damage the right side of the heart. Winrevair, for its part, targets the causes of PAH responsible for the narrowing of the arteries in the lungs, in turn making it easier for the heart to pump blood to the pair of organs, according to the U.K. government’s release.The MHRA based its approval on a study of 323 PAH patients that saw Winrevair best placebo at improving exercise ability. The main measure of effectiveness in the trial was the difference in distance patients could walk in six minutes before and after treatment.At the trial’s 24-week treatment mark, patients on Winrevair plus other PAH medicines improved their walking distance by around 34 meters, versus one meter in patients who received placebo.Merck’s U.K. nod for Winrevair follows green lights from the U.S. FDA last March and the European Commission in August.At the time of the drug’s U.S. approval last year, J.P. Morgan’s Chris Schott estimated Winrevair could eventually reel in peak sales between $3 billion and $4 billion.