Monkeypox Vaccine Gains European Approval; Enhertu Shows Promise Treating HER2-Low Breast Cancer
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN's Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
FiercePharma:
Bavarian Nordic Wins Monkeypox Vaccine Approval In Europe
As the monkeypox outbreak rapidly spreads across the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) named the disease a public health emergency and Bavarian Nordic received an extended approval for its vaccine. (Becker, 7/25)
FiercePharma:
AZ, Daiichi's Ambitious Enhertu HER2-Low Bid Gets Fast Review
After winning a standing ovation at the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting, Enhertu’s HER2-low breast cancer data are now getting the VIP treatment at the FDA. And the drug’s developers, AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo, are targeting an ambitiously broad patient population. (Liu, 7/25)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
San Diego Genomics Toolkit Startup Snags $55 Million To Advance 'Big DNA'
The company is developing a series of platform technologies that aim to better write and deliver emerging genomic therapies — including larger payloads of targeted medicines than current delivery methods can handle. (Freeman, 7/25)
FiercePharma:
Seagen's Padcev, Merck's Keytruda Shine As Bladder Cancer Combo
Over the last several weeks as Merck and Seagen have reportedly considered a merger, one of the key factors at play in determining the value of the Seattle biotech was impending data from a trial of its bladder cancer drug, Padcev. (Dunleavy, 7/26))
ScienceDaily:
Alzheimer's Researchers Study Drug Efficacy In Early Stages Of Disease
Most drugs developed to treat Alzheimer's disease have for years been ineffective in clinical trials. Researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine recently evaluated the efficacy of a failed clinical trial drug using their rigorous pipeline. (Indiana University School of Medicine, 7/25)
The Lancet:
Blood Pressure-Lowering Treatment For Prevention Of Major Cardiovascular Diseases In People With And Without Type 2 Diabetes
Controversy exists as to whether the threshold for blood pressure-lowering treatment should differ between people with and without type 2 diabetes. We aimed to investigate the effects of blood pressure-lowering treatment on the risk of major cardiovascular events by type 2 diabetes status, as well as by baseline levels of systolic blood pressure. (Nazarzadeh, MSc, et al, 7/22)
