Factbox: Coronavirus hits drugmakers as clinical trials delayed

Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA

03/04/2020 19:45

April 3 (Reuters) - Drugmakers have started to delay or pause trials testing their treatments and therapies as the
new coronavirus puts a strain on hospitals, and doctors follow social-distancing protocol. 
    The delays could mean that some patients would get limited access to experimental drugs being studied. For
companies, it could lengthen the time it takes for a drug to reach the market and start generating sales. Contract
researchers, who conduct clinical trials on behalf of drugmakers, are also expected to take a hit.
    Following is a list of major global companies with their plans to either delay the start of new trials or halt
ongoing studies:
   
 Pfizer Inc  PFE.N                        Delaying patient recruitment in new and ongoing trials.         urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2BI4LX
 Eli Lilly and Co  LLY.N                  Delaying the start of all new clinical trials, likely to also   urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2BG3E8
                                          impact ongoing late-stage studies of its experimental          
                                          gastrointestinal disease treatment mirikizumab.                
 Bristol Myers Squibb  BMY.N              Has said it will not initiate new clinical studies until        urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2BG144
                                          April 13, but that time-frame could extend further.            
 Amgen Inc  AMGN.O                        Has paused enrollment in trials where there is uncertainty to  (https://bit.ly/39y6o9B)
                                          ensure subject safety.                                         
 Provention Bio  PRVB.O                   Paused a late-stage study of its diabetes-prevention therapy.   urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nNRAb9lo2u
 bluebird bio Inc  BLUE.O                 The company warned that the pandemic may shift the timing of    urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nBw3Ds1Yba
                                          enrollment and completion by at least three months.            
 Moderna Inc  MRNA.O                      Has paused enrollment of early-stage rare disease treatment     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nBw3hkyjwa
                                          trials, which do not include studies of its COVID-19 vaccine.  
 Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc  RETA.O        Has stopped two studies, one in kidney disease patients, and    urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nGNX6GTRLT
                                          another in high blood pressure patients. An initial review     
                                          showed that the second study was unlikely to meet one of its   
                                          main goals.                                                    
 Genfit SA  GNFT.PA                       Put all early-stage trials on hold, including one study that    urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nGNX3cdKkb
                                          is necessary to support U.S. approval for its NASH treatment.  
 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc  VRTX.O       The drugmaker, which makes treatments for life-threatening      urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nBw5jygHra
                                          disorder cystic fibrosis, said it will pause enrollment in     
                                          certain studies.                                               
 Mereo BioPharma Group  MPHM.L            Paused recruitment in a mid-stage trial of its experimental     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nGNX7FKHYX
                                          therapy for an inherited lung disorder.                        
 Oramed Pharmaceuticals  ORMP.O           Delayed patient enrollment in an exploratory trial of its       urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nPnVrYHXa
                                          oral diabetes treatment.                                       
 Cidara Therapeutics Inc  CDTX.O          Delayed the site activation for a planned late-stage trial of   urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nFWN2BP0ZM
                                          its antifungal drug in blood and bone marrow transplant        
                                          recipients.                                                    
 resTORbio Inc  TORC.O                    Enrollment delayed in an early-stage trial for its              urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nGNX2YD4wb
                                          Parkinson's disease treatment, because of instructions in New  
                                          Zealand to close non-essential services.                       
 Voyager Therapeutics Inc  VYGR.O         Has paused screening of new patients in a trial testing its     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nGNX2bNGYV
                                          gene therapy for Parkinson's disease patients.                 
 Newron Pharmaceutical  NWRN.S            Expects a delay of planned studies with its experimental drug   urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nFWN2BO1EW
                                          evenamide in schizophrenia patients, due to hospital staff     
                                          being shifted to coronavirus cases and away from research.     
  

 (Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
 ((Manas.Mishra@thomsonreuters.com; www.twitter.com/Manasmishra24; within U.S. +1 646 223 8780, outside U.S. +91 806749
2709;))