6 May 2019 - The FDA just added an unexpected twist to a simmering controversy over a rare disease drug that earlier this year briefly became a poster child for high-priced medicines.
In a surprise move, the agency approved a medicine from Jacobus Pharmaceuticals, a small, family-run company, for treating a neuromuscular disorder called Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, or LEMS, for children ages 6 to 17.
However, the approval potentially adds unforeseen competition for Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, which only last December won an FDA endorsement to market its own treatment for adults.