Latest news with #sicklecellanemia
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Pfizer's sickle-cell treatment efforts falter as drug fails study
Aug 15 (Reuters) - In the latest setback for Pfizer's (PFE.N), opens new tab sickle cell anemia treatments, experimental drug inclacumab failed to meet the main goal in a late-stage trial for patients aged 16 and older. The trial results showed no significant difference in the number of vaso-occlusive crises — or painful events common in sickle cell disease — among people who took the drug versus those who took the placebo, the drugmaker said on Friday. This makes inclacumab the second drug from Pfizer's 2022 acquisition of Global Blood Therapeutics to yield unfavorable results. Oxbryta - the centerpiece of the $5.4 billion buyout - was withdrawn last September over risks of painful complications and deaths. "Pfizer's acquisition of Global Blood has proven disappointing with inclacumab's failure coming after Oxbryta's 2024 withdrawal from all approved markets" said BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman. The previously estimated $3 billion in revenue contributions from the deal now seems unlikely to materialize, Seigerman said. Pfizer said it was disappointed by inclacumab's results but remains committed to supporting the sickle cell community. The company will keep working on its sickle cell treatments, including Oxbryta and osivelotor, another therapy secured from the Global Blood deal. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder in which red blood cells become sickle- or crescent-shaped and can cause strokes, organ damage and death. Existing FDA-approved therapies for the genetic blood disorder includes Vertex Pharmaceuticals' (VRTX.O), opens new tab and CRISPR Therapeutics' ( opens new tab Casgevy and Bluebird Bio's Lyfgenia.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Health
- Reuters
Pfizer's sickle cell drug fails late-stage trial
Aug 15 (Reuters) - Pfizer's (PFE.N), opens new tab experimental drug to treat sickle cell anemia failed to meet the main goal in a late stage trial, the drugmaker said on Friday. Results showed no significant difference between the number of vaso-occlusive crises — painful events common in sickle cell disease — among people who took the drug, named inclacumab, and those who took placebo. Pfizer said it is disappointed by the results but remains committed to supporting the sickle cell community. Inclacumab was generally well tolerated in the trial that included patients 16 years of age and older, the company said. The most common side effects reported were anemia, joint pain, back pain, headache, malaria, sickle cell crisis and upper respiratory tract infection, it said. The disease is an inherited blood disorder in which red blood cells become sickle- or crescent-shaped and can cause strokes, organ damage and death.
