COVID-19’s Damage To Gene Therapy Development May Last Years

US FDA's Peter Marks says the field is robust, but hedges on approval predictions for the coming years because of pandemic’s effect.

Peter Marks at FDLI Regenerative Medicine conference screenshot
CBER Director Peter Marks said the pandemic also exasperated the backlog of pending INTERACT meetings. • Source: Screenshot

Gene therapy development and approval likely was slowed by the coronavirus pandemic, which could endanger projections for the explosion in the sector going forward.

In calendar year 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration received 243 IND applications for gene therapies, which was followed...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Pink Sheet for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required

More from Cell & Gene Therapies

Double Duty At US FDA: Tidmarsh Will Temporarily Lead Both CDER And CBER

 

Just a week and a half into his tenure at the agency, the new CDER Director George Tidmarsh was also tapped to serve as acting head of CBER. Prasad’s swift ouster at CBER may point to a softening in cell and gene therapy regulation but could also portend even more scrutiny on vaccines.

Vinay Prasad Out At US FDA

 

The removal of CBER Director Prasad comes after a wave of right-wing backlash to his appointment over the past few days that was also critical of his decision to ask Sarepta to suspend all sales of the DMD gene therapy Elevidys. FDA reversed its decision the day before Parsad's departure.

Sarepta Will Resume US Elevidys Shipments For Ambulatory DMD Patients After FDA Reverses Course

 
• By 

The FDA recommended removal of a voluntary hold on shipments of the gene therapy to younger patients after finding that the death of an 8-year-old boy in Brazil was unrelated to Elevidys. Discussions on safety of DMD treatment for non-ambulatory patients is ongoing.

Pink Sheet Podcast: FDA’s New Top Drug Regulator, Sarepta’s Options After Elevidys Stand-Off

Pink Sheet reporter and editors discuss the potential impact George Tidmarsh could have as director of the US FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and the issues threatening the future of Sarepta’s gene therapy Elevidys.

More from Advanced Technologies

Vinay Prasad Out At US FDA

 

The removal of CBER Director Prasad comes after a wave of right-wing backlash to his appointment over the past few days that was also critical of his decision to ask Sarepta to suspend all sales of the DMD gene therapy Elevidys. FDA reversed its decision the day before Parsad's departure.

Sarepta Will Resume US Elevidys Shipments For Ambulatory DMD Patients After FDA Reverses Course

 
• By 

The FDA recommended removal of a voluntary hold on shipments of the gene therapy to younger patients after finding that the death of an 8-year-old boy in Brazil was unrelated to Elevidys. Discussions on safety of DMD treatment for non-ambulatory patients is ongoing.

Pink Sheet Podcast: FDA’s New Top Drug Regulator, Sarepta’s Options After Elevidys Stand-Off

Pink Sheet reporter and editors discuss the potential impact George Tidmarsh could have as director of the US FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and the issues threatening the future of Sarepta’s gene therapy Elevidys.