The U.S. FDA on Sept. 6 granted fast track designation to MM-II – a novel, non-opioid injectable candidate for knee osteoarthritis (OA) co-developed by Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Moebius Medical Ltd. Mumbai, India-based Sun and Tel Aviv, Israel-based Moebius agreed, under undisclosed terms, to co-develop the novel liposomal non-opioid pain therapy in an exclusive global licensing deal in 2016.
Femasys Inc. checked off a box on the way to launch of its Fembloc non-surgical birth control method with U.S. FDA clearance of Femchec. An enhanced version of the Femvue product used to diagnose fallopian tube abnormalities, Femchec enables confirmation of successful blockage of the fallopian tubes to prevent pregnancy without use of radiation.
Germitec SA received U.S. FDA de novo clearance for Chronos, its chemical-free, ultraviolet-C-based disinfection device for endocavitary and external ultrasound probes. The technology will help to protect patients and aid health care professionals in tackling cross-contaminations in U.S. hospitals, Vincent Gardès, CEO of Germitec, told BioWorld.
A Delaware chancery court decreed that Johnson & Johnson Inc. owes investors in Auris Health Inc. more than $1 billion over allegations that J&J had undercut Auris products after the 2019 acquisition of Auris. The outcome highlights the hazards of acquisitions of companies that are competitive in a particular product space, but a shift in FDA policy regarding robotic surgical systems may have also played a role in this outcome.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services posted a Sept. 6 statement regarding a cyber incident involving nearly 950,000 patient records held by a Medicare administrative contractor.
Vor Biopharma Inc.’s trem-cel, a stem cell transplant designed to block the toxicity from cancer treatments, has produced some positive early stage results, including delayed relapse in patients. Phase I/IIa study data showed participants with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia benefited from trem-cel followed by treatment with Pfizer Inc.’s antibody-drug conjugate cancer fighter Mylotarg (gemtuzumab ozogamicin).
With full approval from the U.S. FDA in hand for Travere Therapeutics Inc.’s Filspari (sparsentan) to slow kidney function decline in adults with primary IgA nephropathy (IgAN) who are at risk of disease progression, eyes turned to future prospects as well as how a revised risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS) program might shake out. During a conference call hosted by Travere, Leerink analyst Joseph Schwartz wanted to know what changes might be made, and if the regulator’s decision might “actually be an entire removal” of the REMS.
In a deal that brings $60 million in cash and equity up front, plus up to $575 million in milestone payments, Shanghai-based Epimab Biotherapeutics Inc. and San Diego-based Vignette Bio Inc. entered a licensing agreement for Epimab’s BCMA-targeting T-cell engager, EMB-06, for autoimmune disease.
The FDA reported several class I recalls in the first week of September 2024, a list that includes products such as Medtronic plc’s McGrath line of laryngoscopes, some of which should be jettisoned.
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc. USA agreed Sept. 4 to pay $25 million, based on its ability to pay, to resolve the Department of Justice’s civil allegations that it conspired to fix the U.S. price of pravastatin, a generic drug used to treat high cholesterol.