Look back at pharma news in the week to May 14, 2021

Last week’s regulatory news included a US Food and Drug advisory committee vote equally for and against approval of ChemoCentryx’ vasculitis treatment candidate avacopan. Also, US vaccine developer Novavax last Monday announced that it is delaying the regulatory filing for its COVID-19 candidate NVX-CoV2373. Research news saw US biotech Curis presenting early-stage data for its CA-4948 for myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome, which clearly pleased investors. On the negative side, Biogen released Phase II/III results for its cotoretigene toliparvovec (BIIB112) in a retinal disease that failed to meet its primary endpoint.

ChemoCentryx’ future in doubt as avacopan foundation crumbles

After Friday’s split adcom vote on ChemoCentryx’ avacopan in ANCA-associated vasculitis, even the sell-side seems to have given up on the project’s prospects of approval, commented Madeleine Armstrong writing on Evaluate Vantage. And a glance at the group’s pipeline shows little else to get excited about.