Clinical Hold Halts Larimar’s Friedrich’s Ataxia Candidate And Financing

Looking to develop the first drug therapy for FA, Larimar gets US FDA hold due to deaths in non-human primate study. This alters clinical development timelines and fundraising plans for the firm.

Stop barrier
Larimar faces clinical hold for its Friedrich's ataxia candidate

What looked like increasing momentum for Larimar Therapeutics, Inc.’s program to develop the first drug therapy for Friedrich’s ataxia was dashed at least temporarily on 25 May, as the company announced a US Food and Drug Administration clinical hold due to deaths in a non-human primate toxicology study. The news came two weeks after the release of Phase I clinical data the company said showed proof-of-concept and days after it announced a $95m follow-on financing – which is now on hold as well.

More from Clinical Trials

Cerevance To Focus On Parkinson’s Adjunctive Therapy After Phase II Miss

 
• By 

After failing a Phase II monotherapy study in early Parkinson’s, Cerevance will focus on adjunctive therapy without abandoning the monotherapy concept.

Baxdrostat, AstraZeneca’s Next Big CVRM Bet

 
• By 

The firm has lofty ambitions for the aldosterone synthase inhibitor to treat hypertension and kidney disease.

Merck’s Winrevair Slashes Morbidity-Mortality Risk For PAH Patients

 

The ZENITH study is a landmark for Merck’s first-in-class activin signalling inhibitor and pulmonary arterial hypertension treatment.

Vertex Ends One Type 1 Diabetes Cell Therapy, Shifts Focus To Another

 
• By 

Seeking cell therapy approaches to cure type 1 diabetes, Vertex abandons a candidate encapsulated to avoid immune system detection but hopes to file another candidate for approval in 2026.

More from R&D

Corcept’s Relacorilant Shows Benefit In Ovarian Cancer, Expanding Pipeline Opportunity

 

A Phase III trial testing the cortisol modulator showed a benefit on PFS and OS in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

AstraZeneca Oral PCSK9 Prospects Pumped After Phase IIb Win

 
• By 

The UK giant is forecasting peak sales of $5bn plus

Novo Scores Cardio Wins But Lilly Still Tipped To Take GLP-1 Crown

 

Novo’s semaglutide has shown its benefits as an injectable in patients with peripheral arterial disease and as an oral agent in cardiovascular outcomes, but stronger results are expected soon from Lilly’s tirzepatide.