AveXis’s top scientists lost their jobs after Zolgensma data scandal

Yesterday, Novartis disclosed that it had replaced the top two scientists at AveXis, its gene therapy subsidiary, and a person with knowledge of the situation said their departure was tied to the data falsification scandal that became public last week.

The news only complicates the known timeline.

What we knew before was that AveXis became aware of data manipulation in March; Novartis executives learned in May; and the FDA found out in late June. What we just learned is that Novartis dismissed AveXis’s top scientists in May, meaning it knew enough then to make a personnel decision but, apparently, not enough to inform regulators about it.

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