Oxford BioMedica Hails U.S. Regulatory Boost for Leukemia Treatment

By Philip Waller

LONDON--Gene and cell therapy company Oxford BioMedica Plc (OXB.LN) Thursday reported a regulatory boost linked to a product that it supplies to Swiss drug company Novartis.

Oxford highlighted that Novartis had secured a fast-track review in the U.S. for a treatment for leukemia in children and young adults.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration, or FDA, has granted priority review for Novartis's CTL019 investigational chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, in relapsed and refractory pediatric and young adult patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The designation is expected to shorten the anticipated review time by the FDA.

Oxford BioMedica is the only maker of the lentiviral vector expressing CTL019 for Novartis.

Oxford's Chief Executive John Dawson said: "We continue to work closely with Novartis in delivering the lentiviral vector expressing CTL019, a product described earlier this year by Novartis as having 'blockbuster' potential."

Shares in Oxford BioMedica were up 0.16 pence, or 3.2%, at 5.2 pence.

Write to Philip Waller at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 30, 2017 05:06 ET (09:06 GMT)

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