Alexion's cash cow Soliris just got fatter as FDA greenlights another blockbuster indication
Alexion has scored an additional FDA OK for its keystone rare therapy Soliris, unlocking what a key analyst calls a significant part of its C5 franchise and elevating that portfolio further up the blockbuster ranks.
The drug is now approved to treat neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, a rare autoimmune condition characterized by sudden attacks on the central nervous system. The disease often strikes women in their 30s and 40s, and could be confused with multiple sclerosis. While off-label Rituxan helps most patients — approximately 70% — keep the disease at bay, relapses still threaten to do irreversible harm and cause severe disability to those for whom the standard of care doesn’t work.
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