FDA approves Reblozyl, first therapy to treat patients with rare blood disorder

On Friday the US Food and Drug Administration granted approval to Reblozyl (luspatercept–aamt) for the treatment of anemia (lack of red blood cells) in adult patients with beta thalassemia who require regular red blood cell (RBC) transfusions.

USA-based Celgene (Nasdaq: CELG) and Acceleron Pharma (Nasdaq: XLRN) are jointly developing Reblozyl as part of a 2011 global collaboration. Reblozyl is the first and only FDA-approved erythroid maturation agent, representing a new class of therapy which works by regulating late-stage red blood cell maturation to help patients reduce their RBC transfusion burden. The drug is not indicated for use as a substitute for RBC transfusions in patients who require immediate correction of anemia

Shares of Acceleron shot up 6.6% to $43.28 by close of Friday’s trading, while those of Celgene, which is currently the subject of a $74 billion takeover deal from Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY), edged 0.5% higher to $109.54.