Zach Brennan

Zach Brennan

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Sr. Editor, Endpoints; FDA/Capitol Hill/biopharma

FDA Pushes New
SocialApr 16, 2026

FDA Pushes New

First autism, now low T - FDA continues to do its own literature searches and encourage sponsors to apply for new indications (never saw this in prior admins — with the exception of updating old cancer drug labels to include...

By Zach Brennan
Former FDA Chief Urges Term Limits, Merit‑based Appointments
SocialApr 15, 2026

Former FDA Chief Urges Term Limits, Merit‑based Appointments

Former FDA cancer chief/CDER dir. Rick Pazdur told me earlier this week he's concerned w/political appointees injecting themselves into drug reviews - and that this might trickle down past this admin. He's calling for time limits on senior FDA positions...

By Zach Brennan
REPL CEO Skips
SocialApr 14, 2026

REPL CEO Skips

$REPL CEO tells me they’re not going to appeal the 2nd CRL but will try to work with FDA - for now, commercial team/other layoffs, cash runway til Q1 of next year, stock price -75% from Fri https://t.co/FLAiOcAAQB

By Zach Brennan
FDA Zeroes in on Houman Hemmati for CBER Lead
SocialApr 13, 2026

FDA Zeroes in on Houman Hemmati for CBER Lead

FDA narrows in on search for new biologics and vaccines leader - and we’re hearing @houmanhemmati is a top contender for CBER - https://t.co/qMx8wv32fG

By Zach Brennan
FDA Reopens Mifepristone Safety Review Amid Court Pressure
SocialApr 9, 2026

FDA Reopens Mifepristone Safety Review Amid Court Pressure

FDA is working on another safety review of abortion drug mifepristone, after a Louisiana court order/pressure from @HawleyMO - FDA in 2021 said it did not find increases in adverse events after allowing remote prescribing https://t.co/FcznZ41p45

By Zach Brennan
GSK’s Leucovorin
SocialApr 9, 2026

GSK’s Leucovorin

what a timeline - Sept. 1999 - $GSK withdraws Wellcovorin (leucovorin) bc it's not selling Sept. 2025 - GSK is told by FDA to apply for a new indication for leucovorin after an FDA review of lit. March 2026 - FDA approves...

By Zach Brennan
Cash‑pay Market for $950 Humira Doubtful vs Cheap Biosimilars
SocialApr 7, 2026

Cash‑pay Market for $950 Humira Doubtful vs Cheap Biosimilars

Is there really a cash-pay market for a $950/month brand-name Humira? (...especially w/two adalimumab biosimilars priced at less than $300/mo. already on TrumpRx, and many insured folks paying $0-5/month) https://t.co/taeQUY6Rve

By Zach Brennan
FDA Backs Permanent Re‑authorization of Pediatric PRV Program
SocialApr 6, 2026

FDA Backs Permanent Re‑authorization of Pediatric PRV Program

FDA calls to permanently re-authorize the rare pediatric disease PRV program in Friday's 2027 budget plan -- far cry from the FDA that complained to the GAO about PRVs as distracting from their public health priorities https://t.co/i79F7X1ECw

By Zach Brennan
FDA Commissioner Seeks Private Partnerships for Collaboration and Regulation
SocialMar 27, 2026

FDA Commissioner Seeks Private Partnerships for Collaboration and Regulation

Couple interesting meetings for FDA Commissioner Makary: met with Arnold Ventures on Mar. 3 about "collaboration opportunities" https://t.co/vEyhDu5xaW and with $MNPR on "establishing a regulatory mechanism" on Mar. 13 https://t.co/DHaD6IlvCS

By Zach Brennan
Prasad’s CBER Saw Frequent Overrules, Unlike Rest of FDA
SocialMar 20, 2026

Prasad’s CBER Saw Frequent Overrules, Unlike Rest of FDA

caveat here is that it was routine when Prasad ran CBER (at least 4 overrules in Prasad's 10 mo. tenure) but it didn't/doesn't still seem to be happening elsewhere in FDA

By Zach Brennan
CBER Updates SOPs, Enables RMAT for Held Therapies
SocialMar 18, 2026

CBER Updates SOPs, Enables RMAT for Held Therapies

CBER changes its standard operating procedures to open the door to RMAT designations for therapies on clinical hold - https://t.co/bZmhga8xxC

By Zach Brennan
FDA Urges IRB Overhaul to Match China's 60‑day Trials
SocialMar 16, 2026

FDA Urges IRB Overhaul to Match China's 60‑day Trials

FDA commissioner Makary at a CMS conference today in Baltimore calls for “big and different” IRB reforms to catch China's speedy trial starts - pre-IND phase can run 380 days in the US, he said, while China is pushing for...

By Zach Brennan
Linking U.S. Medicare Payments to Global Benchmarks Matters
SocialMar 16, 2026

Linking U.S. Medicare Payments to Global Benchmarks Matters

CMS' CMMI dir. Abe Sutton at quality conf. in Baltimore today: "tying what we pay to what other countries pay across Medicare Part B, Medicare Part D and Medicaid really matters."

By Zach Brennan
Sen. Markey Admits He Doesn
SocialMar 11, 2026

Sen. Markey Admits He Doesn

Sen. Markey (D-Mass.) tells me outside the Capitol he doesn’t know who Vinay Prasad is and would need to be briefed by staff to respond to questions on the FDA

By Zach Brennan