Replimune surges day after FDA Commissioner Makary resigns

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* Replimune (REPL [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/REPL]), which has been critical of the FDA over its application for a melanoma treatment, is up ~30% Wednesday, the day after FDA Commissioner Marty Makary tendered his resignation.
* Makary left his position Tuesday amid reported pressure from President Trump who noted [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4591441-fda-commissioner-makary-getting-fired-tuesday] that he had been having "some difficulty" heading the agency. Many in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries were also unhappy with his leadership.
* Replimune is the latest biopharma to have a spat with the agency. In April, the FDA rejected its melanoma therapy, RP1, plummeting shares [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4574288-replimune-shares-extend-losses-tumble-56-after-fda-rejects-melanoma-drug-rp1], even though the company included input in its application from a Type A meeting.
* Makary responded to the attack with an op-ed [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4586041-fda-head-makary-defends-drug-application-rejections-amid-criticism#source=section%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link%7Cfirst_level_url%3Anews] defending the agency's decision in _The Wall Street Journal_. However, the newspaper's editorial board also published an editorial [https://www.wsj.com/opinion/president-trumps-marty-makary-problem-08ebd71a] lamenting some of Makary's actions.
* In a just-published piece, Seeking Alpha investing group Galzus Research [https://seekingalpha.com/author/galzus-research] is maintaining a cautious buy rating and sees [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4903991-replimune-perhaps-the-fda-shakeup-will-get-a-mulligan-for-rp1] a potential for an RP1 resubmission with Makary gone.

MORE ON REPLIMUNE GROUP

* Replimune: Perhaps The FDA Shakeup Will Get A Mulligan For RP1 [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4903991-replimune-perhaps-the-fda-shakeup-will-get-a-mulligan-for-rp1]
* Replimune: Second CRL May Have Sealed RP1's Fate - It's Hard To See Positives [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4889906-replimune-second-crl-may-have-sealed-rp1-fate-its-hard-to-see-positives]
* Replimune: Multiple Shots On Goal But A High Risk Binary Approaches [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4873142-replimune-multiple-shots-on-goal-but-a-high-risk-binary-approaches]
* FDA head Makary defends drug application rejections amid criticism [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4586041-fda-head-makary-defends-drug-application-rejections-amid-criticism]
* RFK Jr. says no hand in rejecting Replimune’s lead asset [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4578091-rfk-jr-says-hand-rebuking-replimune-drug]