Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New MRSA Drug Heads To Next Phase Of Testing; Evidence That Ibuprofen And RSA Together Damage Kidneys
Biotechnology startup Cellics Therapeutics announced yesterday that the Food and Drug Administration has allowed the investigational new drug (IND) application for CTI-005, an experimental blood cell membrane drug that targets methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA). (5/5)
Anyone who is taking a diuretic and a renin-angiotensin system (RSA) inhibitor for high blood pressure should be cautious about also taking ibuprofen, according to new research. (University of Waterloo, 5/5)
The ZF2001 vaccine, which contains a dimeric form of the receptor-binding domain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant, was shown to be safe, with an acceptable side-effect profile, and immunogenic in adults in phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. (Dai, Ph.D., et al, 5/4)
New research published in JAMA recommends daily steroid doses for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), marking a significant change in how the disease is treated. University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) neurologist Robert Griggs, M.D., and Michela Guglieri, M.D., with Newcastle University in the U.K., led the study, which was conducted by a global team of researchers dedicated to improving care for this fatal disease. (University of Rochester Medical Center, 5/4)
Due to manufacturing issues, Novartis has voluntarily suspended production of two therapies that use nuclear medicine to target and treat cancer cells, and also halted clinical trials for one of the treatments, which was approved in the U.S. only two months ago. The company hit the pause button on Lutathera, which is used to treat neuroendocrine tumors and has been available since 2018. The other medication is Pluvicto, a prostate cancer drug that was recently endorsed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating a form of advanced cancer, although Novartis has high hopes it can eventually be used for combating earlier stages of the disease. (Silverman, 5/5)
A study of three hospitals in New York City found that antimicrobial use in COVID-19 patients during the first year of the pandemic far exceeded the incidence of coinfections, researchers reported today in Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology. (5/10)
Also —
Pfizer is starting to put its COVID-19 cash influx to use by spending $11.6 billion to venture deeper into a new treatment area. The New York vaccine and cancer drug maker said Tuesday it will use cash on hand to buy the remaining portion of migraine treatment developer Biohaven Pharmaceutical it does not already own. Pfizer will pay $148.50 in cash for each share of Biohaven, which makes Nurtec ODT for treating and preventing migraines and has a nasal spray under development. (Murphy, 5/10)
EDSA, a collaboration of health systems and supply chain and pharmaceutical industry experts, aims to end drug shortages by boosting transparency, communication, quality, redundancy, and production. The project was spearheaded by healthcare services company Vizient. RDSP is part of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, publisher of CIDRAP News. (Van Beusekom 5/6)
