Vital Signs #33: The Most Important New Drug Of 2012
Published by
Scott Jordan
on
The Food and Drug Administration looks set for a great 2012; with a few days left to go, it has approved 40 new drugs and vaccines, one of the most impressive totals ever, according to data from Pharmaceutical Approvals Monthly and FDA press releases. In this haul, one medicine stands out for its scientific and medical importance.
Kalydeco, for cystic fibrosis, is a triumph of genetics and drug development, the first medicine to directly affect the genetic defect that causes the disease. It will only help 4% of the 70,000 people who suffer from declining lung function, damaged pancreases, and shortened lives due to CF worldwide, but in those few it has a dramatic effect. It makes medical history for three reasons:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2012/12/27/the-most-important-new-drug-of-2012/