FDA, Sarepta Therapeutics
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Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. announced that the company plans to temporarily pause all shipments of its gene therapy to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Elevidys, in a reversal of its prior stance.
Shipments will halt by close of business Tuesday evening, the company said. Sarepta had initially rejected the agency’s request, which was issued Friday.
Sarepta Therapeutics faces serious FDA action after news broke of a third patient death, the FDA gets a new top drug regulator in George Tidmarsh, a handful of new drugs get turned away from the market and pharma companies continue to commit billions to reshoring manufacturing.
Roche is following its partner Sarepta and halting shipments of the Duchenne gene therapy Elevidys in some countries, amid safety concerns.
Shares of Cambridge, Mass.-based Sarepta have fallen by more than 90% in the last year amid safety concerns about its Elevidys, a gene therapy that treats Duchenne muscular dystrophy, following reports of sudden patient deaths. Sarepta recently halted sales of the treatment.
After initially refusing to suspend Elevidys distribution after two deaths, Sarepta has now given in to the FDA’s request, noting the need to maintain a good working relationship with the regulator.
Sarepta Therapeutics' licensing partner Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals said on Wednesday it expects to receive near-term milestone payments from the drugmaker despite recent setbacks, including the death of a trial patient reported last week.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles paused the use of Sarepta Therapeutics Inc.’s gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in the wake of rising safety concerns about liver toxicity, adding to mounting challenges for the drugmaker.
The FDA has placed multiple investigational gene therapy clinical trials on hold, signaling broader platform concerns.