Novartis’ gene therapy for spinal muscular dystrophy, Zolgensma has a $2.1 Million price tag. That has not stopped it from having an impressive growth interns of revenue. With more regulatory approvals in the pipeline, this trend only appears to continue upward.

I know I only choose to write about Immunology and Oncology on this blog, but I made an exception for this bit of news because of the wider implications it has. Approval and subsequent success of one gene therapy opens the doors for the approval of several others, including CAR-T cell immunotherapy for cancers. I think we are just getting started in this space.

As the coronavirus spreads in China and across the globe, J&J is a leading player in trying to develop a vaccine for the virus. Of importance is the fact that if they are successful in developing a vaccine, J&J has the resources to bring production up to scale pretty quickly, making it easier to control this and any future outbreaks

In a landmark move, an immunotherapy for peanut allergy has been approved by the FDA. Palfozia (Aimmune Therapeutics) is an oral immunotherapy treatment that involves administering patients with increasing doses of peanut flour. Given the high risk of allergic reactions in potential patients, the first dose of Palforzia at  the very least, will need to be administered in a hospital setting under medical supervision.

The FDA approval of this drug is great news for children and teens who have accidental exposure to peanuts. However, acmes and availability of this drug does not mean that people with peanut allergies can include peanuts in their diet. People with peanut allergies still need to avoid peanuts as far as possible.