MARAC Statement: Response to Oxbryta® Update
August 6, 2026 – The Medical Research and Advisory Committee (MARAC) of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc., (SCDAA) is saddened to hear the news that Oxbryta® (voxelotor) will not be made available for the treatment of sickle cell disease.
Based on recent engagement with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Pfizer was informed that there is not a viable path to make Oxbryta available again in the U.S. We understand that this news is disappointing, especially given the significant unmet needs for people living with sickle cell.
In their statement, Pfizer confirmed its continued commitment to the sickle cell community and stated that they will be concentrating their ongoing research efforts on osivelotor, a sickle hemoglobin (HbS) polymerization inhibitor being investigated as a potential treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD). Pfizer will also continue to share Oxbryta data as it is published and has agreed to engage with MARAC in the near future to discuss these developments. MARAC’s sickle cell healthcare providers and researchers will continue to represent the sickle cell community in conversations with Pfizer and other industry groups and will help keep the sickle cell community informed of developments.
Although progress has been made in the treatment of sickle cell disease, there is still a limited number of therapies available for individuals suffering from the disease. MARAC encourages the pharmaceutical industry and the FDA to work with the sickle cell community to continue to look for therapies that not only address the clinical outcomes that are often evaluated in sickle cell studies but to also explore outcome measures and endpoints that address patient-reported outcomes that impact quality of life.
MARAC looks forward to continuing to partner with the pharmaceutical industry, government and the sickle cell community to find treatments for the sickle cell population.