Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) has decided to halt various studies related to its cancer drug Zydelig due to increased risk of serious side effects and deaths over the last few months. According to reports, Gilead Sciences informed The Associated Press that while conducting review of late-stage testing in patients suffering from relapsed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, it spotted a few ‘adverse events.’
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Reporters tried to get in touch with the senior management team of Gilead Sciences to get detailed information about the number of deaths due to side effects of Zydelig. Company’s spokesperson Nathan Kaiser came ahead answered most of the question; however, he didn’t disclose how many patients died after taking Zydelig.
In an email, Kaiser stated that the company is comprehensively reviewing all the ongoing studies. The team responsible for conducting these research studies is in constant touch with regulatory authorities to figure out an optimal solution.
Zydelig is carries FDA approval to be used for patients suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia and follicular B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Those patients who haven’t received any positive result from other treatments can opt for Zydelig.
Meanwhile, Gilead Sciences participated in the Barclays Global Healthcare Conference. During a fireside chat at the event, company’s CEO & President, John F. Milligan, Ph.D. talked about various milestones that Gilead Sciences has achieved lately. The audio portion of the chat session is available on company’s official site to ensure that all the stake holders can hear what Milligan shared at the conference.
The senior management team of Gilead Sciences is delighted to announce these two updates. While the first one isn’t a positive one, Gilead Sciences believes that patients come before anything else, and it will continue to take many more such initiatives in the coming months as well. Updates regarding the resumption of the studies will be shared after authorities take their last decision after having a detailed analysis of the situation.
