BioSpace looks at the 10 biggest drug approvals of 2021, headlined by Biogen’s Aduhelm (aducanumab) for Alzheimer’s disease and Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty.
The latest results from SURPASS-4, the longest and largest completed SURPASS trial to date, showed consistent activity in maintaining A1C and weight control in the almost two years the study ran. SURPASS-4 is part of the Phase III trial evaluating tirzepatide as a potential treatment for type 2 diabetes.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Rhythm Pharmaceuticals’ Imcivree (setmelanotide) for chronic weight management in adult and pediatric patients aged 6 years and older with obesity due to proopiomelanocortin, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 1 or leptin receptor deficiency confirmed by genetic testing.
Gelesis announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration cleared the biotechnology company’s lead product candidate Plenity (Gelesis100) as an aid in weight management in adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25–40 kg/m2, when used in conjunction with diet and exercise.