Despite a strongly critical complete response letter - which the FDA sent in August but did not make public until Tuesday - the drugmaker successfully appealed and won approval for the drug, Vyondys 53, in December, to the surprise of many.
Several FDA approvals - including ones going against AdCom votes - have attracted controversy and a perception of lowered standards at the agency. However, some see a long-standing institutional tension between patient protection and speedy approval, with the latter having a net positive effect.
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In a note to investors, SVB Leerink analyst Joseph Schwartz suggested that the 'questionable' approval of Sarepta's Exondys 51 may have played a role in the FDA's decision to turn down golodirsen.
Although the agency goes against about one-fifth of AdCom recommendations, a study published Sunday only found one reliable variable predicting when that would happen.