Second patient death reported with gene therapy for muscular dystrophy

Shares of Sarepta Therapeutics plunged Monday after the biotech drugmaker reported a second death in connection with its gene therapy for muscular dystrophy.

Sarepta reported the death over the weekend and provided additional details about its response, which includes pausing shipments of the therapy, Elevidys, for older patients who are no longer able to walk. The one-time treatment is approved for children with a genetic variant of Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, which causes weakness, loss of mobility and early death in males.

Elevidys is the first gene therapy approved in the U.S. for the rare muscle-wasting condition, but it has faced scrutiny since its accelerated approval in 2023.

Salmonella poisoning linked to pistachio cream

Four people have been sickened in two states by salmonella poisoning linked to pistachio cream, a nut butter spread used in desserts and other dishes, federal health officials said Monday.

Three people in Minnesota and one in New Jersey fell ill between March 10 and May 19, including one person who was hospitalized. The outbreak is tied to Emek brand pistachio cream with a use-by date of Oct. 19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The spread, which may be packaged in 11-pound (5 kilogram) tubs, was imported from Turkey and sold online to wholesale distributors, restaurants and food service locations nationwide. It has a production code of 241019. The product should not be sold, distributed or served, the CDC said.

— The Associated Press