March 18 Quick Takes: Duo of Phase III data for Pfizer; plus Sage, Allergan-AbbVie, Merck, DermTech, Beijing Tide-Insilico

Dermatitis, pneumonia vaccine data for Pfizer
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) reported Phase III data for atopic dermatitis therapy abrocitinib and pneumococcal vaccine 20vPnC Wednesday. The JAK-1 inhibitor met the co-primary efficacy endpoints vs. placebo in the JADE COMPARE trial, the third positive readout for the dermatology therapy. The 20-valent vaccine, which is being evaluated in patients 18 and older, met the primary immunogenicity non-inferiority objectives in 19 of 20 serotypes; Pfizer expects to submit an sBLA by year-end (see “Phase III Readout Could Position Pfizer’s JAK-1 to Compete in Eczema”).

Sage plots path forward for depression therapy
Sage Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:SAGE) plans to start clinical trials this year of zuranolone (SAGE-217) in three new indications: to treat postpartum depression; as an acute rapid response therapy in major depressive disorder (MDD) when co-initiated with a new antidepressant; and as an episodic therapy for MDD. In December, the second-generation positive allosteric modulator of GABA A receptor failed the Phase III MOUNTAIN trial to treat MDD (see “Sage Optimistic About Antidepressant’s Prospects”)...