San Diego's biotech industry is experiencing a downturn with job losses and increased lab vacancy rates, partly due to the FDA's rejection of Replimune's melanoma drug, which was influenced by FDA cancer chief Richard Pazdur's intervention, not Vinay Prasad.
The FDA's top cancer drug regulator, Richard Pazdur, played a key role in the rejection of Replimune's skin cancer therapy, RP1, amid internal agency dysfunction and leadership changes, despite support from other officials. The decision was influenced by internal debates and procedural issues within the FDA.
Replimune's stock plummeted 77.2% after the FDA unexpectedly rejected its experimental melanoma drug, citing insufficient data from midstage studies, which surprised investors and analysts who had anticipated approval based on positive preliminary results.
The FDA rejected Replimune's skin cancer therapy RP1 due to insufficient evidence of effectiveness and issues with clinical trial data, reflecting a tougher regulatory stance on new drug approvals.