BRIEF—FDA imposes partial hold on Epizyme’s lead candidate

The US Food and Drug Administration has put a partial hold on Epizyme’s lead oncology candidate tazemetostat, after a patient in a Phase I pediatric study was found to have developed a secondary lymphoma.

The hold affects US enrollment of new patients. Chief executive Robert Bazemore said: “Patient safety is of the utmost importance to Epizyme. We are working expeditiously with clinical trial investigators and regulatory authorities to initiate the appropriate steps to resume enrollment.”

Tazemetostat was being studied in 11 active studies recruiting patients at the time of the hold.