Protalix Seeks Gaucher Drug Approval

Protalix Biotherapeutics, the Israel-based developer of a treatment for Gaucher’s disease that aims to compete with Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme, said today it has filed an application for FDA approval of its drug candidate. Protalix is seeking clearance to sell taliglucerase alfa. The company, which earlier this month formed a partnership with Pfizer to co-market the new Gaucher’s product, is seeking to fill the void created by supply shortages of Genzyme’s imiglucerase (Cerezyme), after a viral contamination struck its Allston Landing factory in June.

Author: Luke Timmerman

Luke is an award-winning journalist specializing in life sciences. He has served as national biotechnology editor for Xconomy and national biotechnology reporter for Bloomberg News. Luke got started covering life sciences at The Seattle Times, where he was the lead reporter on an investigation of doctors who leaked confidential information about clinical trials to investors. The story won the Scripps Howard National Journalism Award and several other national prizes. Luke holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and during the 2005-2006 academic year, he was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT.