Category Archives: Other

Intercept to Discontinue OCA NASH Development Following Second CRL

Intercept Pharmaceuticals announced it received a CRL from FDA regarding the obeticholic acid (OCA) NDA for the treatment of pre-cirrhotic liver fibrosis due to NASH. According to the press release, FDA indicated in the CRL that any resubmission of an NDA for OCA in NASH would require, at minimum, successful completion of the long-term outcomes phase of the REGENERATE study (view CT.gov record). As a result of the CRL, Intercept has decided to discontinue all NASH-related investment and restructure the company’s operations to strengthen its focus on rare and serious liver diseases. Below, FENIX provides brief thoughts on the CRL and Intercept’s decision.

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Lilly Partners with Verve Therapeutics for Lp(a) Gene Editing Program; Zucara Receives Funding from JDRF

Two cardiometabolic-related news items have been observed: Verve Therapeutics announced a partnership with Lilly to advance Verve’s gene editing program targeting Lp(a) for the treatment of ASCVD, ischemic stroke, thrombosis, and aortic stenosis (view press release); and Zucara Therapeutics announced it received $2M in funding from JDRF for its ZONE study, a Ph2 trial evaluating ZT-01 to reduce nocturnal hypoglycemia events in T1DM patients (view press release). Below, FENIX provides context and insight on the respective news items, including brief thoughts on the Verve partnership.

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Wegovy Advertising Paused Due to High Demand; Inventiva Ph2 Lanifibranor T2DM and NAFLD Results; FDA Accepts Gan & Lee’s Bs-Aspart BLA

Three cardiometabolic-related news items have been observed: Ro has reportedly paused its Wegovy advertising due to the ongoing supply shortage (view article); Inventiva announced positive topline results from its Ph2 trial evaluating lanifibranor in patients with T2DM and NAFLD (view press release); and Gan & Lee announced FDA accepted the BLA for its biosimilar insulin aspart (view press release). Below, FENIX provides highlights and insights into the respective news items, including thoughts on the ongoing Wegovy supply issues.

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Novartis to Acquire Chinook; Novo Nordisk Expands Danish Facility

Two cardiometabolic-related news items have been observed: Novartis and Chinook Therapeutics announced they have entered into an agreement where Novartis will acquire Chinook for $3.2B; and Novo Nordisk announced plans to invest ~$2.3B (15.9B DKK) in expanding the company’s existing API production facility in Denmark (view press release). Below, FENIX provides highlights and insights into the respective news items, including brief thoughts on the Chinook acquisition.

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AstraZeneca Partners for T1DM Cell Therapy; New Lilly Care Trial

Two cardiometabolic-related news items have been observed: AstraZeneca and Quell Therapeutics announced a collaboration to develop, manufacture, and commercialize autologous, engineered Treg cell therapies for T1DM and IBD; and Lilly initiated a trial evaluating adherence and glucose control of its connected Tempo pen system in conjunction with Dexcom and Glooko (view CT.gov record). Below, FENIX provides highlights and insights for the respective news items, including thoughts on how AZ’s collaboration fits with another one of its recent partnerships.

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Lilly Initiates Ph3 Retatrutide Obesity Program; UnitedHealthcare Expands Coverage to Eversense E3 CGM

Two cardiometabolic-related news items have been observed: Lilly initiated the first trial in the Ph3 retatrutide obesity program (TRIUMPH-3; view CT.gov record); and Senseonics announced UnitedHealthcare will cover the Eversense E3 CGM starting July 1, 2023, for T1DM and insulin-requiring T2DM patients. Below, FENIX provides highlights of the respective news items, including insight into the potential retatrutide Ph3 TRIUMPH program and Lilly’s strategy for an obesity CVOT.  

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Novo Partners with Life Edit Therapeutics; Biocon FY Q4 ’23 Earnings; Lilly initiates second trial in orforglipron obesity pivotal program; Mannkind appoints Burkhard Blank as EVP of R&D and CMO

A series of cardiometabolic-related news items have been observed: Novo Nordisk announced a partnership with Life Edit Therapeutics to develop gene-editing therapies for rare disorders and cardiometabolic disease (view press release); Biocon hosted its FY Q4 ‘23 (CY Q1 ‘23) earnings call (view press release); Lilly has initiated ATTAIN-2, the second trial in the company’s orforglipron pivotal obesity program (view CT.gov record); and Mannkind announced the appointment of Burkhard Blank as EVP of R&D and CMO (view press release). Below FENIX provides highlights and insights into the respective news items.

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FDA Adcom Strongly Votes Against OCA NASH Approval (2-12-2)

Today, FDA held a Gastrointestinal Drugs Advisory Committee (GIDAC) meeting to discuss the use of Intercept’s obeticholic acid (OCA) for the treatment of pre-cirrhotic liver fibrosis due to NASH, and panelists voted overwhelmingly against (2-12) the OCA benefit/risk profile with two abstentions. The second voting question was consistent whereby the panel voted (15-1) to defer an approval decision until the full REGENERATE (view CT.gov record) data are available. For context, in January 2023, FDA accepted the NDA resubmission for OCA seeking accelerated approval as a Class 2 resubmission and assigned a PDUFA date of June 22, 2023 (previous FENIX insight). Of note, Intercept has halted stock trading today due to the adcom (view press release). Below, FENIX provides key commentary from the adcom panel as well as insight on the future of the asset.

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