Look back at pharma news in the week to June 25, 2021

By Barbara Obstoj-Cardwell

UK pharma major GlaxoSmithKline last Wednesday hosted a much-anticipated investor update, where it showcased its sales aims and R&D pipeline, ahead of splitting out its consumer health care business. Dutch gene therapy company uniQure released positive Phase IV data on its hemophilia B candidate etranacogene dezaparvovec. The US Food and Drug Administration issued Breakthrough Therapy designations for two Alzheimer’s disease candidates, first for Biogen and Eisai’s lecanemab and, a day later, Eli Lilly’s donanemab. Meanwhile, US biotech Incyte suffered a setback on Thursday, as an FDA advisory committee voted that further data was required prior to an approval decision on its immuno-oncology drug retifanlimab.

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