Rare Disease Day 2024

This year, Rare Disease Day is on February 29, 2024. Rare Disease Day is observed on the last day of February, which is the “rarest of calendar dates1 to underscore the nature of these diseases” and serves to raise awareness of rare diseases and those individuals affected by them. FDA is holding a virtual meeting2…

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Landmark Approval: First CRISPR Therapy Approved by FDA

Today, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved exagamglogene autotemcel (exa‑cel), the first CRISPR-based gene therapy for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD). Exa‑cel was co-developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics. This is a landmark approval that paves the way not only for better outcomes for patients with SCD, but for many…

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Quick Snips: CRISPR

CRISPR is a powerful gene-editing tool that enables targeted therapeutic gene editing, with clinical applications for improving treatment of inherited and/or rare genetic diseases, viral infections, and arresting the progression of cancer. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of rare genetic disorders, with the first product poised for FDA approval in…

Introduction to the Accelerated Approval Pathway

The FDA has developed several mechanisms to speed drugs to market when a compelling medical need exists including Accelerated Approval (AA), Priority Review, Fast Track, and Breakthrough Therapy Designation. Accelerated Approval is an important regulatory pathway that provides patients with earlier access to treatments for serious medical conditions when there is an unmet medical need….