Look back at pharma news in the week to February 26, 2021

28 February 2021

By Barbara Obstoj-Cardwell. Editor

US Food and Drug Administration-related stories were a feature of last week’s news. First up, AstraZeneca revealed that, as its supportive clinical trial – aimed at converting an accelerated approval to full approval – had failed, and it was therefore withdrawing the bladder cancer indication for its Imfinzi in the USA. There was positive news for Regeneron and partner Sanofi last Monday, when they gained FDA approval for their Libtayo in the treatment of lung cancer. However, bluebird bio revealed that the FDA has put a clinical hold on its gene therapy LentiGlobin for the treatment of sickle cell disease, due to the emergence of serious adverse events that might be linked to the drug. Meantime, on the M&A front, US pharma giant Merck & Co announced that it was acquiring autoimmune drug developer Pandion Therapeutics.

Despite Imfinzi, US accelerated approvals surge

This article is accessible to registered users, to continue reading please register for free. A free trial will give you access to exclusive features, interviews, round-ups and commentary from the sharpest minds in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space for a week. If you are already a registered user please login. If your trial has come to an end, you can subscribe here.

Try before you buy

Free

7 day trial access

Take a Free Trial

All the news that moves the needle in pharma and biotech
Exclusive features, podcasts, interviews, data analyses and commentary from our global network of life sciences reporters.
Receive The Pharma Letter daily news bulletin, free forever.

Become a subscriber

£820

Or £77 per month

Subscribe Now

Unfettered access to industry-leading news, commentary and analysis in pharma and biotech.
Updates from clinical trials, conferences, M&A, licensing, financing, regulation, patents & legal, executive appointments, commercial strategy and financial results.
Daily roundup of key events in pharma and biotech.
Monthly in-depth briefings on Boardroom appointments and M&A news.
Choose from a cost-effective annual package or a flexible monthly subscription

The Pharma Letter is an extremely useful and valuable Life Sciences service that brings together a daily update on performance people and products. It’s part of the key information for keeping me informed

Chairman, Sanofi Aventis UK