Global Blood Therapeutics Goes Head to Head With Novartis On Sickle Cell
On Nov. 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Adakveo (crizanlizumab) to treat painful episodes called vaso-occlusive crises in patients with sickle cell disease. Will this approval give Adakveo's manufacturer Novartis (NYSE: NVS) a big enough head start against Global Blood Therapeutics (NASDAQ: GBT), which is awaiting FDA approval for its sickle cell disease drug voxelotor?
About 100,000 people in the U.S. have sickle cell disease, the majority of whom are of African descent, according to Novartis. The genetic disease causes red blood cells, which carry vital oxygen throughout the body, to become irregularly shaped and clump together. A vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) causes acute pain and is the primary cause of hospitalization of sickle cell patients. In fact, Novartis claims that VOC leads to nearly 200,000 emergency room visits annually.
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Source Fool.com
