Ligand Pharmaceuticals’ Post

Last Thursday, July 4, NECA held a VHL Awareness Day in Parliament to raise awareness of the challenges of living with Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) ahead of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) meeting this week. We cling to the hope that approval of the only available treatment of VHL, Belzutifan, will be approved without delay. Currently this medication is a cost prohibitive at $12,000 per month. Should PBAC approve this treatment the cost of this life saving medication will be reduced to $7.70 for VHL Patients with a healthcare card. Belzutifan is the ONLY treatment for VHL, for the first time ever we have disease control. We urge #PBAC to please approve this treatment to give patients and their families hope for a brighter future, and avoid, delay or even eliminate future surgeries. 👉🏽Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gQk6428z #VHL #NETs #LetsTalkAboutNETs

Advance view of ATS abstracts Here we have the first indirect case matched comparison of Dupilumab vs Benralizumab on small airways using oscillometry We case matched pts with T2 high severe asthma who had airway oscillometry AO defined small airways function SAD as either peripheral resistance as R5-20 n=22 or compliance as AX n=28 These were pts who had received either Dupi or Benra in two prospective studies with the same design over 12 weeks There were sig greater improvements in peripheral resistance (44% difference ) and compliance (45% difference) in response to Dupi vs Benra Conclusions Indirect case matched comparison showed greater effects with Dupilumab than Benralizumab on small airways in pts with T2 high severe asthma Prospective H2H direct case matched studies are now required to substantiate these findings

New Drug Application (NDA) for ensifentrine for the maintenance treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Verona is supporting ensifentrine’s application, which was accepted in September 2023, with the Phase III ENHANCE trials, which demonstrated the drug candidate’s significant benefits on lung function and quality of life. According to a December 2022 readout from ENHANCE-1, ensifentrine cut the risk of exacerbations associated with COPD by 36% over 24 weeks versus placebo. Designed for nebulized administration, ensifentrine is a dual inhibitor of the phosphodiesterase 3 and 4 enzymes, allowing the drug candidate to elicit both anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator effects, according to Verona’s website. If approved, ensifentrine could represent the first novel mechanism for COPD treatment in more than a decade, according to Verona’s announcement of the NDA’s acceptance.

🌍 Exciting Progress in COPD Treatment! GSK has announced positive results from their phase III trial of Nucala (mepolizumab) for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The MATINEE trial showed a clinically meaningful reduction in moderate/severe exacerbations when Nucala was added to standard inhaled maintenance therapy. 🌟 COPD affects over 300 million people globally, and around 40% of patients experience type 2 inflammation—driven by IL-5 cytokines—which can lead to severe exacerbations and hospitalizations. By targeting IL-5, Nucala has shown potential to significantly improve outcomes for COPD patients with raised eosinophil counts. This is a promising development for the future of respiratory treatments, and I look forward to seeing the full trial results at an upcoming scientific congress! #Healthcare #Pharma #COPD #ClinicalTrials #Nucala #GSK

The FDA is adding a Boxed Warning for Amgen's Prolia (denosumab) subcutaneous injection regarding the risk of severe hypocalcemia in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. Further information can be found at https://ow.ly/yvOh50QtbYX. #DrugNews #Medication #Pharmacy #ChronicKidneyDisease

Everything we do is for patients wellbeing and to justify our role as a healthcare sector. When it comes to diseases all of them require equal amount of attention from pharmaceutical companies, so today we are sharing few points shed by renowned gastroenterologists on GERD, crucial for different festive perspective! Follow and like the page for full content and consistent approach towards GI and Liver diseases awareness! Nazish Butt Let’s make a healthy pakistan! 👇🏻 https://lnkd.in/dcTMTPzE

Last week, the U.S. FDA approved the first drug to target the underlying cause of a rare, life-threatening cardiovascular condition called pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). PAH is characterized by the overgrowth of cells in the vessels that connect the right side of the heart with the lungs, making it harder to pump blood into the lungs. The condition causes difficulty with breathing, fatigue, and dizziness, and is often fatal. The treatment, Winrevair (sotatercept), is an injectable drug that inhibits a protein called activin, which directly targets the overgrowth of cells in the blood vessels (other treatments for PAH work by relaxing the blood vessels). The approval is based on clinical trial data from over 300 patients with moderate PAH whose symptoms improved while taking Winrevair along with existing medications. Patients were better able to move around and walk for longer periods of time without severe shortness of breath and were less likely to have disease progression. It’s great that there is a new, targeted, effective treatment available to fill an unmet need for patients with PAH. Moreover, the drug is being tested in other types of pulmonary hypertension, potentially broadening the application of this targeted approach. #PAH #Sotatercept #CardiovascularHealth 

While LAMA forms the cornerstone of therapy for COPD, in Asthma it's only reserved for group 5. It's imperative for a pulmonologist to know - When, How and Where to use LAMA. With this in mind, in association with Glenmark Pharmaceuticals we bring for you a 'Nebinar' on the role of nebulised Glycopyronium in OAD. Do tune in and ask your doubts away! Link 🔗 - Will be shared in the comment section.

Fewer asthma exacerbations are observed in patients treated with lebrikizumab, as indicated by recent findings. This underscores the potential effectiveness of this treatment in managing asthma symptoms. The study sheds light on the positive impact of lebrikizumab in reducing the frequency of asthma exacerbations, offering hope for improved asthma management in the future. #AsthmaTreatment #LebrikizumabBenefit

🔥🔬 Unlock the Power of Omega-3 and Inflammation Balance! 🔬🔥 In this episode, I’m revealing the crucial insights you can gain from an Omega-3 and Inflammation blood spot lab test—and why it’s a game-changer for your health. 🧬✨ Balancing your inflammation levels can literally reduce your risk of sudden death from cardiovascular disease by 90%! 💥❤️ The number 1 killer in North American can be addressed with this simple lab test. No pharmaceutical drug can match that, yet this simple lab test can pinpoint where your levels are, so we can craft a personalized protocol to get you where you need to be. 🌱💪 Curious to learn more? Email me at melissa@yourguidedhealthjourney.com or book a call to discuss your lab testing options. #InflammationBalance #Omega3Power #CardiovascularHealth #HealthOptimization #WellnessJourney #NaturalHealing #HolisticHealth