News round-up for 30 October – 3 November by DDW Editor Reece Armstrong
My news highlights this week feature a variety of exciting clinical trial results and launches that are examining therapies for much-needed disease areas, new drug approvals and even a space mission with a pharma twist.
New UK therapy option for hard-to-treat lymphoma
The MHRA has granted conditional marketing authorisation for Abbvie’s Tepkinly (epcoritamab) as a bispecific treatment for adults with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy.
First spaceflight mission for drug development lab
Redwire will launch its in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing platform, PIL-BOX, onboard SpaceX’s 29th cargo resupply services mission (SpaceX-29) for NASA to the International Space Station (ISS).
Psychedelic depression drug trial shows rapid and robust response
Phase II interim data for psilocybin analogue CYB003 in major depressive disorder (MDD) showed rapid, robust, and clinically significant reduction of depression symptoms.
Chinese regulator approves complete HIV-1 injectable
The National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China has approved ViiV Healthcare’s Vocabria (cabotegravir injection) in combination with Janssen’s Rekambys (rilpivirine long-acting injection) for the treatment of HIV-1 infection.
First gene therapy trial for Hunter syndrome opens in Manchester, UK
UK regulatory authorities have approved the first trial of a gene therapy for young children with Hunter syndrome.
