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Genentech secures FDA approval for extended use of Vabysmo in retinal vein occlusion. Key Takeaways * The FDA approved an expanded label for Vabysmo, allowing treatment of macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) beyond 6 months. * The update aims to enables greater treatment continuity, helping reduce the need for therapy switches * The revised dosing guidance offers more flexibility to tailor care and align treatment with real-world practice, potentially improving long-term patient outcomes Genentech announced that the FDA has approved an updated label for Vabysmo (faricimab-svoa), allowing its use in the treatment of macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) beyond 6 months. The newly approved label expansion enables longer-term treatment continuity for patients who are already using Vabysmo. "This label update reinforces our commitment to delivering consistent, long-term solutions for patients with vision impairment," said Levi Garraway, MD, PhD, chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development at Genentech. "With Vabysmo's well-established efficacy, this label update should help minimize disruptive treatment switches in patients with RVO who are benefitting from Vabysmo." Vabysmo is the first bispecific antibody approved for ophthalmic use. It works by targeting and inhibiting two key signaling pathways associated with vision-threatening retinal conditions: angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A).

Lupus Foundation of America announces Genentech as national presenting sponsor of Walk to End Lupus Now(R). Mar 25, 2026, 10:00 ET This national partnership strengthens efforts to fund lupus research, education, and support programs nationwide. WASHINGTON, March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - The Lupus Foundation of America proudly announced that Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, will serve as this year's presenting sponsor of the Walk to End Lupus Now(R), the nation's largest lupus awareness and fundraising program taking place in 30 communities across the United States. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects millions of people worldwide, including 1.5 million in the U.S. Symptoms can range from severe fatigue and brain fog to life-threatening complications and organ damage. While lupus can affect anyone, nine out of ten people with lupus are women, and it disproportionately impacts Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and Asian/Pacific Islander populations. Walk to End Lupus Now(R) brings people living with lupus and their caregivers, families, and supporters together to raise critical funds for lupus research, education, advocacy, and support programs. Through this partnership, Genentech will help the Lupus Foundation of America further drive progress in lupus care, expand essential resources, and bring us closer to a world without lupus. "We are incredibly grateful to Genentech for stepping forward as the presenting sponsor of the 2026 Walk to End Lupus Now initiative," said Louise Vetter, President and CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America. "Genentech's commitment to the lupus community reflects a shared dedication to improving the lives of the millions of people affected by this complex and unpredictable disease. Together, we are advancing the quality of care for lupus families and ensuring that future generations have access to safe and effective treatments for this debilitating, chronic disease." "Genentech has spent the last three decades pursuing scientific breakthroughs for patients living with lupus," said Girish Mulye, Vice President and Head of Genentech Immunology. "Serving as presenting sponsor for the Lupus Foundation of America's Walk to End Lupus Now affirms our commitment to partnering with the lupus community in the fight for improved care. We walk for awareness and to turn scientific potential into impact for every person affected by this disease." Everyone can join the Walk to End Lupus Now program by rallying friends and family, organizing a team, engaging their social networks, raising critical funds, and fostering awareness to advance the Lupus Foundation of America's mission to end lupus. About the Lupus Foundation of America The Lupus Foundation of America is the premier patient advocacy organization devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, a devastating autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks organs throughout the body, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Learn more about the Lupus Foundation of America at lupus.org. About Lupus Lupus is an unpredictable and complex autoimmune disease that can affect multiple parts of the body. It is difficult to diagnose, challenging to treat, and often misunderstood. Lupus can cause symptoms ranging from skin rashes to organ damage and can be life-threatening. Despite its devastating impact, research on lupus remains underfunded relative to the disease's scope. SOURCE Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.

Genentech shreds RIPK1 inhibitor from pipeline after early ph. 2 failure. Genentech has elected to stop a phase 2 trial of a RIPK1 inhibitor early and dump the asset after an analysis revealed the candidate was unlikely to meet the study's primary endpoint. Flizasertib, also known as GDC-8264, was removed from Genentech's pipeline in the first quarter of this year, a company spokesperson confirmed to Fierce Biotech, after interim data "indicated that the study was unlikely to demonstrate a significant clinical benefit." The Roche subsidiary was testing flizasertib's ability to treat acute kidney injury after heart surgery, a common complication that can follow procedures like coronary artery bypass, valve replacements and aortic surgeries due to reduced blood flow to the filtering organs. The terminated study was a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial that began in January 2025 and enrolled 67 patients, according to the federal clinical trials database. The primary efficacy endpoint, which flizasertib was not set to deliver on, was the percentage of patients who develop persistent complications in the 90 days following a surgery-induced kidney injury. Genentech announced the discovery of GDC-8264 last fall in a paper (PDF) published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. At the time, the biotech's scientists described the small molecule as having "excellent target selectivity and druglike attributes for once-daily oral dosing." Flizasertib's descent is another blow for the RIPK1 inhibitor field, which has struggled to produce an approved medicine despite numerous biotechs and Big Pharmas pursuing the target. RIPK stands for receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase, with RIPK1 part of a family of enzymes that help regulate inflammation and cell death. GSK had the first-ever RIPK1 inhibitor okayed for clinical research back in 2014, but later kicked it back to the research stage; that asset, GSK2982772, is no longer listed in GSK's pipeline. The British pharma also dropped a different candidate in the class for the development of prostate cancer in 2019. French drugmaker Sanofi bought into the modality in 2018 through a pact with Denali Therapeutics, but has steadily pulled back due to a string of phase 2 failures. Sanofi scrapped its last remaining Denali RIPK1 inhibitor at the end of January. Eli Lilly, too, has had a rethink of RIPK1. After signing a deal worth as much as $960 million with Rigel Pharmaceuticals back in 2021, Lilly reneged on the central nervous system-focused portion of the partnership. The star of that deal, though, Rigel's ocadusertib (now coded LY3871801), is still being tested in a phase 2 trial for rheumatoid arthritis. Meanwhile, there may be potential for an already approved drug to be repurposed as a RIPK1 inhibitor. Last summer, a team of Korean scientists discovered that phensuximide, which was once used to treat epilepsy, can restrain RIPK1's inflammatory activity. Let Google know we are your trusted source. Add our editorial as a preferred source in your search results.