The Seagen and Genmab antibody drug conjugate (ADC), named Tivdak, is approved to treat cases of cervical cancer that have returned or spread following treatment with chemotherapy. Tivdak is Seagen’s third ADC; for Genmab, the drug will become its first commercialized product.
The FDA has approved the first biosimilar that references the blockbuster Roche drug Lucentis. The Biogen and Samsung BioLogics joint venture that developed the biologic product have approval to treat three eye conditions that lead to vision loss.
A lower-dose version of Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine showed safety and efficacy results in children 5 to 11 that were comparable to those in an older age group. With these preliminary data, the companies said they plan to seek emergency use authorization of the shots.
Bioprocessing technologies company Repligen is acquiring Avitide, and its biologics purifying technology, in a $150 million cash and stock deal. Repligen said Avitide will help it meet growing demand for gene therapy solutions.
An FDA advisory panel voted down a proposal for booster shots of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 in the general population, opting instead to support third shots in certain high-risk groups, such as the elderly. Panelists want to see more information supporting the need for a booster, as well as data about a heart safety risk the …
FDA panel backs booster shots in high-risk groups after rejecting broader proposal Read More »
Rune Labs developed software that aggregates brain data, providing insights for clinical care and clinical research. Health systems are starting to adopt the technology, and the startup has now raised $22.8 million to grow that part of the business while also expanding use of the technology in drug development.
Takeda Pharmaceutical drug mobocertinib was approved by the FDA to treat non-small cell lung cancer in patients whose tumors carry a rare genetic signature. With the approval, Takeda can offer an oral alternative to a recently approved Johnson & Johnson drug that targets the same mutation but is given as an infusion.
Dice Therapeutics raised $204 million from its IPO to support development of oral drugs that could compete against biologic drugs that are injected or infused. Also debuting on the public markets were Tyra Biosciences and Procept BioRobotics.
Vanqua Bio aims to treat rare form of Parkinson’s disease by boosting activity of an enzyme that is deficient in patients who have a particular genetic mutation. With $85 million in Series B financing, the biotech startup, which is based on Northwestern University research, aims to reach human testing within two years.
Walking Fish Therapeutics is developing cell therapies from B cells, a type of immune cell that produces prodigious amounts of proteins. Cancer, autoimmune disease, and regenerative medicine are among the targets of the preclinical-stage biotech, which unveiled $50 million in funding.
AbbVie will take the lead on commercializing Regenxbio’s gene therapy in wet AMD and diabetic retinopathy. It’s AbbVie’s second major gene therapy deal this year, coming months after it committed $90 million to preclinical-stage Capsida Biotherapeutics.
Acknowledging the demand for a Covid-19 vaccine for children, the FDA said it expects regulatory review could take weeks, not months, depending on the timing of a submission from vaccine developers. U.S. health officials told Reuters they expect the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will be the first one ready for an FDA submission.
The FDA issued a warning letter to Kaleido Biosciences alleging the company tested its experimental microbiome product in Covid-19 patients without submitting a formal clinical trial application. Kaleido claims the filing was not required because the product is a medical food, but the regulator doesn’t buy that argument.
Biotech startup iECURE is based on work from the University of Pennsylvania scientist, who has been researching ways to use in vivo gene editing as a way to “knock in” healthy versions of a gene to treat rare liver diseases. The company, which will develop therapeutic candidates from Penn, has raised $50 million in Series …
Genetic meds pioneer James Wilson has a new startup, this time in gene editing Read More »
Mammoth Biosciences is applying CRISPR technology to both diagnostics and therapeutics. With the new financing, CEO Trevor Martin said that the company is looking ahead toward clinical trials and perhaps partnerships with larger companies.
A-Alpha Bio’s technology analyzes millions of protein-protein interactions simultaneously, a capability that speeds up drug discovery research. Biotech industry partners are already using the technology and now with $20 million in Series A funding, the startup plans to build machine-learning capabilities to crunch the data produced by all of those protein interactions.
Roche is partnering with Adaptimmune Therapeutics to develop allogeneic cell therapies based on Adaptimmune’s technology. In addition to these “off-the-shelf” products, the partners will also develop a personalized allogeneic cell therapy designed specifically for a patient’s cancer.
A Phase 1/2 study of BioMarin Pharmaceutical’s gene therapy for phenylketonuria has been placed under a clinical hold after interim results from a preclinical study showed that some mice developed liver tumors. Patients did not receive the same high dose that was given to the mice, and no one in the clinical trial has developed …
Cancer concerns lead FDA to place clinical hold on BioMarin gene therapy Read More »
Unleashed from restrictive norms for recruiting and interacting with patients, researchers are finding ways to bring more people into trials by simply making enrollment and participation accessible beyond restraints like geography and availability during “business hours.”
Modulus Therapeutics recently emerged from stealth with technology from various disciplines and seed funding that the startup is using to develop better cell therapies. Natural killer cells directed against breast cancer is Modulus’s initial focus, but the startup says its approach can apply to multiple types of immune cells and multiple types of cancer.
The FDA improved an Impel NeuroPharma migraine treatment, a nasal spray intended to bring pain relief more quickly than drugs administered in other ways. It marks the first approval for the Seattle company, which has developed a proprietary nasal delivery technology.
A Novartis drug intended to prevent organ rejection has failed to beat out the standard of care therapy in a Phase 2 study in kidney transplant patients. Other clinical trial failures announced ahead of the Labor Day weekend include a Forte Biosciences atopic dermatitis drug, as well a cancer therapy from Takeda Pharmaceutical.
Tools like eConsent provides organizations with an efficient and streamlined way to garner consent from study participants. Removing this barrier can help improve engagement and deeper the pool of potential participants.
A Roche drug that failed as a treatment for neurological disorders is now the lead program for Disc Medicines. CEO John Quisel said Roche’s clinical data showed the small molecule’s promise addressing a rare blood disorder and now the biotech startup has $90 million to advance that drug and another one into Phase 2 testing.
Four patients dosed with an experimental Assembly Biosciences hepatitis B treatment developed high levels of liver enzymes, a sign of drug-induced liver toxicity. The biotech has decided to stop further work on that drug and focus instead on developing its other clinical-stage hepatitis B drugs.
The FDA’s review of a post-marketing study for Pfizer blockbuster anti-inflammatory drug Xeljanz found a higher risk of cardiovascular problems and cancer, and the agency is requiring additional warnings flagging those risks. The updated warnings extend to AbbVie and Eli Lilly medicines in the same drug class.
Five months after raising $55 million to back a new technology and a promising lead cancer immunotherapy, Asher Biotherapeutics has reeled in $108 million more. CEO Craig Gibbs said investors were enticed by encouraging new data suggesting Asher Bio’s lead program is superior to a competitor’s.
Johnson & Johnson reported results from a mid-stage study in southern Africa showing just 25% efficacy for its HIV vaccine. J&J developed the HIV vaccine with the same technology used in its successful Ebola and Covid-19 vaccines.
Novartis was unsuccessful developing bimagrumab as a treatment for a rare muscle disorder, but additional tests showed encouraging results in fat reduction. Startup Versanis Bio licensed rights to the antibody and plans to use its Series A financing for clinical trials testing the drug in obese patients.
After more than a year’s worth of interviewing external experts, the Pivot podcast is turning its gaze inward to demystify — as much as possible — why we write the stories we write.
One of science’s great puzzles is being solved by artificial intelligence and the answers shared freely on the internet. How can life sciences companies make the most of DeepMind’s discoveries while protecting their own?
Pfizer has preliminary data showing its experimental drug for atopic dermatitis beat a blockbuster drug from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals in a head-to-head clinical trial. But the future of that drug and others might depend more on an FDA review of safety data for medicines in this class of so-called JAK inhibitors.
Full FDA approval of Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine was the biggest news in a busy week for coronavirus vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics. Here’s a look back at some of the major developments.
The European Commission has approved a BioMarin Pharmaceutical drug that treats achondroplasia, a rare genetic disorder that slows bone growth and is the most common cause of dwarfism. The commission also granted conditional approval to a cancer drug from partners Incyte and MorphoSys.
As a result of the partnership, clinicians using Epic will be able to order Foundation Medicine’s genomic profiling tests directly from the EHR and view results in the system, providing them with clinical decision support.
Atavistik Bio is one of several companies discovering and developing drugs that work by allostery, binding to less obvious sites of a target protein. Acting CEO John Josey said the startup aims to stand apart with its focus on understanding metabolic interactions, a path less trodden by others in allosteric drug discovery.
The royalty agreement with HealthCare Royalty Partners will support ADC Therapeutics’ plans to commercialize its newly approved cancer drug and develop the next one in its pipeline. The biotech’s drug Zynlonta is the first of its type approved by the FDA as a treatment for diffuse large cell B-cell lymphoma
Eli Lilly is entering the field of protein-degrading drugs through a partnership with Lycia Therapeutics, a startup whose technology goes further than the first wave of such drugs. Lilly paid $35 million to begin the alliance, which spans up to five drugs.
Each Organ-Chip is a transparent, flexible microenvironment that contains two parallel chambers that can be configured to grow human cells from an organ of interest, such as the liver, kidney proximal tubule, intestine, lung and brain
Chronic kidney disease patients who experience pruritus after dialysis can now get relief from the first FDA-approved treatment for the condition. Cara Therapeutics received the FDA’s nod green light for its injectable drug, Korsuva.
Called Novasenta, the company is focused on the tumor microenvironment and will leverage its machine-learning platform to pinpoint targets for drug development. It aims to launch its first clinical trial by the end of 2023.
The Theravance Biopharma drug is the lead program in an alliance with Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Biotech, which paid $100 million up front to develop the JAK inhibitor for intestinal diseases. Following the Phase 2 failure, Theravance said it will minimize spending on that program.
Though Gilead Sciences leads the group of companies developing immunotherapies that target the cancer protein CD47, Pfizer contends that molecules it is getting through the Trillium Therapeutics acquisition have safety and efficacy advantages that could make them the best in this emerging drug class.
Full FDA approval makes the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine the first to reach that milestone. But the regulatory decision also flagged a potential risk of heart inflammation, particularly in young males, and the agency has asked the companies to conduct additional clinical research.
CG Oncology CEO Arthur Kuan talked about the biotech company’s experimental bladder cancer treatment in Phase 3 development and collaboration with Merck, among the company’s milestones, in response to emailed questions.
Vigil Neuroscience led the way with a $90 million round of funding, one of four biotech companies to close Series B financing rounds in the past week. The fresh capital comes as each of the companies looks ahead to bringing their respective drugs into the clinic.
An AstraZeneca antibody drug for Covid-19 has clinical data showing the drug reduced the risk of infection by 77%. With the results, the pharmaceutical giant pulls ahead of other companies developing injectable versions of antibody drugs for Covid-19 prevention.
Alexion Pharmaceuticals drug Ultomiris is already approved to treat a rare blood disorder, but the company hoped the antibody’s approach could also work in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Despite failing in ALS, Alexion, recently acquired by AstraZeneca, brings additional clinical-stage programs for rare diseases.
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In closing its Grail acquisition before U.S. and European regulators sign off, Illumina is taking a chance the deal will pass regulatory muster. It’s a potentially pricey gambit, as Illumina could face fines for its early action and there are no assurances that regulators will agree that the deal is not anticompetitive.
In announcing plans to offer Covid-19 booster shots, federal health officials cited declining vaccine efficacy shown by real-world studies. But the World Health Organization said the science is less than clear about booster shots, adding that it’s ethically wrong to give third shots when so many around the world are waiting for their first one.
Verily’s recent moves have signaled the company’s interest in supporting decentralized clinical trials and real-world studies. Now the life sciences subsidiary of Alphabet is bolstering its capabilities in this these areas with the acquisition of startup SignalPath.
Gritstone bio is developing Covid-19 vaccines that use self-amplifying messenger RNA, which is intended to further boost the immune response compared to mRNA alone. The company also says its vaccine candidates may be able to protect against variants of the novel coronavirus.
Startup HiberCell has acquired Genuity Science, a marriage that brings together two companies that apply AI and machine learning to drug research. HiberCell says Genuity will help the company identify and validate new pathways in how cancer starts and progresses.
For much of this summer, Sesen Bio said all of the FDA’s communications pointed toward regulatory approval for the biotech’s bladder cancer drug. Though Sesen characterized the regulator’s rejection of the fusion protein as surprising, CEO Tom Cannell also revealed an earlier sign that another clinical trial may be necessary.
FDA approval of the Merck drug, belzutifan, covers treatment of tumors caused by von Hippel-Lindau disease, an inherited disorder associated with several types of cancer. Merck added the small molecule to its pipeline two years ago as part of a $1.2 billion acquisition.
It’s essential for physicians to consider the circumstances of their patient’s life while communicating the treatment plan and engage them with dialogue that addresses any challenges or hesitations that they may have to achieve medication adherence.
Technological innovations have enabled the adoption of decentralized and hybrid clinical trial models (DCTs) at […]
The pandemic made collaboration necessary between stakeholders that otherwise tend to be at odds with each other. But as partnerships grow, providers, payers and pharma companies must ensure they are working toward a clear-cut common goal, according to panelists at HIMSS 21 Digital.
A study of women’s participation in cardiovascular clinical trials revealed that only 38% of participants were women. But if women comprise 50 percent of the population, that should be reflected in clinical trials too.
When is a skinny label skinny enough to protect a generic drug from claims of patent infringement? The answer remains up to interpretation after an important, controversial decision from the Federal Circuit.
An increasingly compelling benefit of digital transformation, across numerous industries, is the ability to construct a digital twin—that is, a full in silico replica of a real-life structure, instrument or process.
As commercial outsourcing becomes more sophisticated, it allows for greater innovation as small and ambitious biotech companies are given the strategic power to bring to market needed healthcare solutions.
The short answer is that cancer vaccines represent no silver bullet but, in combination with other immunotherapy and drug cocktails, can prove potent.
U.S. government support can advance health breakthroughs and make a significant difference. I encourage you to support the creation of ARPA-H and to take specific actions to let your legislator know its importance.
The artificial intelligence-based technology of Iterative Scopes brings computer vision analysis to endoscopic images. The startup’s technology was initially developed to assist gastroenterologists in finding pre-cancerous polyps but CEO and founder Jonathan Ng said it’s also finding additional use helping pharmaceutical companies identify patients for clinical trials.
An AstraZeneca lupus drug has been awarded FDA approval for treating the most common form of the autoimmune disorder. The regulatory decision gives AstraZeneca a product that can compete head-to-head with GlaxoSmithKline’s lupus drug, Benlysta.
Ipsen is shoring up its neuroscience pipeline via a deal that gives it the option to license drugs that Exicure is developing for Huntington’s disease and Angelman syndrome. The programs are based on Exicure’s proprietary technology that produces nucleic acid therapies capable of delivery deep into the brain.
Of the 20 companies that went public in the last week of July, 11 of them represent some aspect of the life sciences. The tally of newly public companies made the week the biggest for IPO activity in more than 20 years.
Icosavax’s research developing a vaccine for a virus that can lead to deadly respiratory infections in the very young and the very old has found an additional application in the pursuit of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. The biotech’s $182 million IPO gives it the capital to move forward with clinical research on multiple …
Icosavax’s $182M IPO haul is key for RSV, but eyes are on its Covid vaccine too Read More »
Patients taking new Alzheimer’s disease drug Aduhelm will be evaluated in a real-world study lasting up to five years. Biogen announced plans for the observational study, which is one of three post-marketing clinical programs planned to generate more data about the drug
Sarah Boyce knows she is a rare breed – a female biotech CEO. In this episode, Boyce talks about the novel therapy she is trying to develop to tackle a rare genetic muscle condition, while also building a company that is committed to diversity and inclusion.
Eli Lilly is beginning a research alliance discovering and developing small molecules that stimulate immune responses against cancer. If drugs from the partnership reach the market, Kumquat could earn up to $2 billion in milestone payments.
The engineered viruses used to deliver gene therapies can spark complications and they can’t be re-dosed. Ring Therapeutics says viruses that evolved with humans can be better viral vectors and the startup has raised $117 million in new financing to continue its research.
Amgen is paying $900 million up front to acquire Teneobio, a biotech with technology for discovering and developing antibody drugs. Though Amgen already has its own antibody platform, the company says Teneobio’s technology and drug assets will complement its own.
The hedge fund SS&C Technologies Holdings will be the majority stakeholder, while the two payers will each hold a minority interest in the PBM, dubbed DomaniRx. The joint venture will develop a claims adjudication platform to support its operations.
AC Immune is bolstering the Parkinson’s disease portion of its drug pipeline with a deal to acquire a therapeutic vaccine that Affiris is developing for the disorder. Switzerland-based AC Immune plans to advance its new asset to Phase 2 testing.
Blending computational biology and AI-based methods, the goal is to identify new targets, pair these with effective chemistry, and define biomarkers to optimally position novel therapies.
Bristol Myers Squibb blockbuster drug Opdivo is being pulled from the market after failing to meet the main goal of a confirmatory study. The voluntary withdrawal comes amid broader FDA scrutiny of cancer drugs that were given accelerated approval.
An Incyte drug developed as a treatment for a rare type of anal cancer has fallen short of FDA approval. The regulator said it needs to see more clinical data that demonstrating clinical benefit for the antibody drug.
Adverum Biotechnologies still doesn’t know if its experimental gene therapy caused eye problems reported in April in one patient in its diabetic macular edema study. But four others have since developed similar problems, and the company will no longer continue to develop the therapy for that indication.
Caribou Biosciences’ CRISPR approach to cell therapy sparked strong investor interest, enabling the clinical-stage biotech to upsize its IPO and raise $304 million in the biggest life sciences IPO this week. Absci, Sophia Genetics, and Cytek Biosciences also priced IPOs.
Arvinas’ early clinical data for its targeted protein degradation drug for breast cancer drew partnering interest from several companies. Pfizer beat them all with a deal that pays the biotech $1 billion to share in the development and commercialization of this therapy.
Legislators threaten to ban settlements where branded companies “pay” generics makers to “delay” market entry, while drugmakers say the current framework balances competition and innovation. Who will prevail?
Seres Therapeutics’ ambitions to treat ulcerative colitis with a microbiome drug were dealt a setback as its experimental therapy failed in Phase 2 testing. The company plans a “rigorous scientific analysis” to assess what happened and to determine the next steps for the program.
DNA sequencing company Pacific Biosciences has reached a $600 million agreement to acquire Omniome, a startup with complementary sequencing technology. The cash and stock deal comes about 18 months after antitrust concerns led PacBio and sequencing giant Illumina to terminate their tie-up.
Many believe that the biosimilar industry can address the issue of spiraling drug costs, but first it has to make it through a thicket of challenges.
Opportunities exist in many areas of the industry, and patients are hungrier than ever for more engaging and humane experiences. For D2C brands that are ready to capitalize on the changing market, the sky’s the limit.
DTx helps reduce mental health stigma that is a barrier for underrepresented populations to receiving mental health care and if developed with intention and within a culturally-responsive framework, DTx won’t judge or discriminate.
An amyotrophic lateral sclerosis drug from Amylyx Pharmaceuticals is being prepared for Phase 3 clinical testing on track to begin later this quarter. To support that research, the biotech has raised $135 million in financing.
Cancer drug developer Frontier Medicines already has a research partnership with AbbVie. Now the preclinical-stage biotech has raised $88.5 million for its own pipeline, including a drug that could offer advantages over a recently approved Amgen cancer therapy.
An efficient way to create patient-focused educational materials is putting together a strategic group focused on consumers, which includes a medical expert, allied health professionals and a primary care physician to develop the strategy as well as the specific assets to support that strategy.
A Cytokinetics drug in development for treating a rare heart disorder has promising Phase 2 data suggesting it could compete against a Bristol Myers Squibb drug currently under FDA review. Cytokinetics plans to advance its small molecule to Phase 3 testing by the end of this year.
Research organizations can participate in ethical data sharing today by considering participants’ privacy and security and balancing the need to protect their commercial interests with the need to share enough data to benefit medical research.
Vaxneuvance, a Merck pneumococcal vaccine, is now approved by the FDA. The intramuscular shot protects against 15 pneumococcal strains—five fewer than the 20 covered by a Pfizer pneumococcal vaccine that the FDA approved in June.
Cancer drug developer Erasca, whose mission is to “erase cancer,” has raised $300 million from its IPO. The clinical-stage biotech addresses a single elusive cancer target; it has multiple programs taking multiple approaches, two of them in human testing and the rest on track to join them.
The FDA has yet to approve a therapy for memory loss. Nia Therapeutics is developing a medical device that stimulates the brain to bring it back to a “good memory state,” and it was judged the winner in the life sciences track of the INVEST Precision Medicine Pitch Perfect Competition.
Wugen, a biotech developing “off-the-shelf” natural killer and CAR T cell therapies, has raised $172 million in Series B financing. The company’s lead program has already reached human testing and the new capital will be used to continue that research and advance other pipeline programs to the clinic.
Startup PAQ Therapeutics is developing drugs work like Pac Man, gobbling up components of a cell associated with disease. The biotech has closed $30 million in financing to continue its research, with a neurodegenerative disorder as its lead disease target.
By paying $125 million up front for rights to multiple sclerosis drug candidate orelabrutinib, Biogen secures a place among those companies trying to treat the disease by targeting a particular enzyme highly expressed in the central nervous system. But Biogen still has some catching up to do.
The FDA is cautioning that the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine may cause a rare immune response affecting the nerves. A causal link has not been established and the side effect, when observed, is rare, but the vaccine information has been updated to reflect the potential risk.
ProfoundBio is developing a type of targeted cancer therapy called antibody drug conjugates. As the biotech looks ahead to clinical trials, it has raised more than $55 million in Series A funding.
Novo Nordisk is paying $100 million up front to acquire an experimental Prothena drug being developed to treat heart problems stemming from a misfolded protein. The deal is part of a broader strategy to expand into drugs for cardiovascular disease.
The FDA has approved Bayer’s Kerendia to treat chronic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes. The drug is the first in its class, giving the pharma giant an alternative way to compete against medicines already marketed by AstraZeneca and Bayer.
A hemophilia A patient in a Sigilon Therapeutics clinical trial developed a well-known complication to treatments for the blood disorder. The potential problem for Sigilon is that its cell therapy is designed to avoid triggering such immune responses.
Xilis is developing technology that creates a living model of a patient’s tumor, then applies artificial intelligence to determine the best drug or drug combinations to treat the cancer. Clinical trials are planned to test this precision medicine approach and the biotech startup has raised $70 million to fund its research.
The drug label for Biogen Alzheimer’s disease drug Aduhelm has been revised to clarify that its use is for patients with mild forms of the neurodegenerative disorder. The change aligns the prescribing information with the patient population studied in clinical trials.
Eli Lilly is partnering with startup Verge Genomics in a move intended to add ALS drugs to its neuroscience pipeline. To date, Verge’s artificial intelligence technology has produced programs internal programs in ALS, Parkinson’s, and frontotemporal dementia.
A NeRRE Therapeutics drug that failed a clinical trial for refractory or unexplained chronic cough is getting a second shot as a potential treatment for chronic cough in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a rare lung disorder. The biotech raised £20M to proceed with Phase 2 testing.
Where chatbots really excel is in rapidly delivering reliable content in response to the recipient’s actual needs, questions, or concerns. That allows AI tools to serve as a bridge between vaccine manufacturers, regulators, public health officials, healthcare providers on the one hand and patients on the other.
Two months after Eli Lilly began an alliance with MiNA Therapeutics, a startup developing a new type of RNA therapy, the pharmaceutical giant is making a $15 million equity investment in its partner. MiNA is developing a new class of medicines called small activating RNA therapies.
Biden has proposed a $9 billion increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), of which $6.5 billion will be earmarked for a new funding institute to be called ARPA-H (Advanced Research Projects Agency – Health).
Intellihealth has developed software puts patients on a personalized program to lose weight. The startup was named by judges as the winner in the health IT track during the recent MedCity News INVEST Precision Medicine conference.
Four years after a private equity acquisition took Parexel private, the contract research organization is being acquired by two private equity firms for $8.5 billion. It’s the latest in a series of acquisitions to hit the CRO sector this year.
Acumen Pharmaceuticals’ IPO raised $160 million to fund clinical development of its Alzheimer’s disease drug candidate. Though that drug goes after the same target as Biogen’s recently approved Aduhelm, Acumen says its antibody has potential dosing and safety advantages.
Despite mounting court and legislative scrutiny of pharmacy and prescription benefit manager practices, Amazon has chosen to throw its hat into the discount pharmacy ring. Could Amazon “disrupt” prescription drug delivery?
We need to embrace principles from the tech industry and incorporate lessons learned from the pandemic to address the challenges of R&D productivity in pharma.
Fresh off its first FDA approval, Apellis Pharmaceuticals is teaming up with Beam Therapeutics, a partnership that will use Beam’s base-editing technology to develop new therapies for complement system disorders. Apellis has committed to pay Beam $75 million to kick off the alliance.
It’s imperative that we remember that humans are animals. By ignoring this key association, we’re limiting the advancement of science, including the identification of breakthrough treatments for life threatening diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancer and more.
Pardes Biosciences advanced from concept to drug candidate in less than nine months. The preclinical biotech is developing an oral antiviral for Covid-19 and other coronavirus infections and it is going public in a SPAC merger that will infuse it with $276 million.
Sanofi, already a global leader in vaccine production, has formed a new division that will focus exclusively on developing messenger RNA vaccines. The pharmaceutical giant is committing to spend €400 million annually on this new center’s mRNA R&D.
Orphazyme’s corporate restructuring comes less than two weeks after the FDA rejected arimoclomal, a drug developed to treat the rare Niemann-Pick disease type C. The company said it is now focused on securing regulatory approval in Europe and finding a path forward for the small molecule with the FDA.
Intellia Therapeutics has early clinical trial data showing that its CRISPR-based therapy for a rare disease can edit genes inside the body safely and effectively. The trial is ongoing, but the preliminary results suggest that Intellia’s approach could offer a cure.
The FDA has granted emergency use authorization to a Roche antibody as a treatment for hyperinflammation in patients hospitalized with severe Covid-19. The drug, Actemra, is an anti-inflammatory medication already approved for treating rheumatoid arthritis.
This pandemic has shown that collaboration, biosimulation and decentralized trials, and active preparedness programs lead to fast, effective drug development when we really need it.
Systems Oncology has used its its artificial intelligence to discover small molecules in development under partnerships with large pharma companies. The R&D of the company, the biopharma startup winner in the Pitch Perfect contest at the recent MedCity News INVEST Conference, includes a new type of RNA drug.
Lyell Immunopharma and Verve Therapeutics are still preclinical, but they’re bring novel genetic approaches to the treatment of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Now the two companies can claim two of the biggest biotech IPOs of 2021 so far.
A Covid-19 vaccine candidate based on messenger RNA technology from CureVac is showing 47% efficacy according to an interim analysis of a pivotal study. The German company blames the poor showing to new viral variants circulating in the study population.
The pharmaceutical industry should be leading the development and implementation of decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) given their expertise in clinical research.
A Sage Therapeutics depression drug that failed a pivotal study in 2019 has positive preliminary results from a new Phase 3 clinical trial, but the data also showed the therapy’s effects waned over time. Questions about zuranolone’s durability are relevant to Biogen, which committed $1.5 billion to Sage in large part due to the drug’s …
While Sage Therapeutics sees a window for depression drug, market is skeptical Read More »
there is an urgent need to support the development of diverse and differentiated, multi-mechanistic and potentially complementary therapies, that are effective against Covid-19, are unaffected by the threat of viral mutation and, more critically than ever, are easy to make, distribute and take by the patient.
As an industry, we should be proud of all that we have accomplished in making precision medicine a reality, whether it has been through advances in screening, drug development, diagnostics, or delivery. However, our work has just begun.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology’ annual meeting featured news highlights from the Merck, Novartis, and other drug giants. Meanwhile, some small biotechs rode the coattails of their larger counterparts and others forged their own paths with promising early results for new cancer drug targets.
New technologies that enable precision medicine approaches to treating disease are reaching more patients. But panelists speaking at MedCity News’ INVEST Precision Medicine Conference added that advances in technology are happening faster than the ability of hospitals and health systems to keep pace.
Senda Biosciences is developing drugs based on an understanding of intersystems biology—the way that humans interact with bacteria and plants. The startup, founded by Flagship Pioneering, has added $55 million to advance its three lead programs to clinical testing next year.
Six years after initially filing suit against CVS, insured customers of the pharmacy giant who charge that it misrepresented the “usual and customary” prices of drugs are finally getting their day in court.
Valo Health is going public in a SPAC merger. Less than nine months removed from its formal launch, Valo is now revealing more about its artificial intelligence platform technology, which it plans to use to make the firm the first “digitally native” pharmaceutical company.
A Biogen Alzheimer’s drug that clears amyloid plaque from the brain has been granted accelerated approved by the FDA. The drug, which will be marketed as Aduhelm, is the first new FDA-approved Alzheimer’s treatment since 2003.
Cancer drug developer Merus has encouraging early results indicating its drug can address several different types of tumors characterized by NRG1, a rare gene fusion. The company believes the data could support a regulatory filing for the bispecific antibody drug.
Stablix Therapeutics is developing technology that uses small molecules to stabilize a protein, keeping it from going to a cell’s built-in disposal system. The startup now has $63 million in funding to further invest in the technology and advance its first molecules toward the clinic.
Emergency authorization of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals’ Covid-19 antibody drug now includes an injectable version, which is a more convenient option for patients. The drug developer plans to seek full FDA approval of its antibody cocktail later this summer.
Novartis reported Phase 3 study results for a targeted radiation therapy showing that treatment helped patients with advanced prostate cancer live longer. The company will present data from this pivotal study during the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Auris Medical has acquired Trasir Therapeutics, a startup developing technology that expands the delivery of RNA medicines to tissues beyond the liver. Going forward, Auris will sell or spin off its programs in hearing disorders and allergies and focus exclusively on RNA therapies.
The FDA has approved Brexafemme, a Scynexis antifungal drug, for treating vaginal yeast infections. The drug is the biotech’s first FDA-approved product and it also represents the first new antifungal drug class in 20 years.
Amgen is paying Kyowa Kirin $400 million to share in the development of a drug that could offer a new approach to treating atopic dermatitis, a form of eczema. The deal comes months after Japan-based Kyowa Kirin reported positive preliminary Phase 2 data for its antibody.
Digital health startups and pharma industry players sometimes don’t speak the same language, and the culture gap has led to failures in the past. A new accelerator focused on helping digital health companies engage better with pharma hopes to flip the script.
In response to emailed questions, Castor CEO Derk Arts talks about how he formed the clinical trial tech startup to improve the drug development process.
Three life science companies went public in the last full week of May. The biggest IPO belonged to Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a company that raised $330 million to support its unconventional but not unprecedented approach to drug R&D.
FDA approval of Amgen drug sotorasib (Lumakras) makes the small molecule the first compound authorized by the regulator for treating cancers characterized by a KRAS G12C mutation. Mutated KRAS proteins had long been regarded “undruggable” targets.
Data captured in EHR systems provide near real-time information about the nationwide vaccine rollout, help monitor potential safety issues, and foster understanding of the Covid-19 virus, treatments and associated outcomes in real-world care settings.
FDA authorization of the Covid-19 antibody drug from Vir Biotechnology and GlaxoSmithKline adds a third antibody drug for treating early cases of the disease that are at risk of progressing to hospitalization. The companies say they plan to launch the drug, named sotrovimab, “in coming weeks.”
We urge Congress to quickly pass the NOPAIN Act and help fight the opioid epidemic with the same fervor we’ve battled Covid-19.
Can an industry coalition help craft policy to support the use of Real-World Evidence? Five prominent real-world data and analytics companies are betting on it, launching the RWE Alliance.
Engine Biosciences closed a $43 million Series A financing that the startup will apply to its artificial intelligence-based technology for drug discovery. The company analyzes genetic interactions, “deciphering biology” to find new cancer drugs.
IQVIA is paying nearly $200 million to purchase a Myriad Genetics subsidiary that provides pharmaceutical contract services , a deal that will put the new acquisition in the company’s Q2 Solutions unit, The deal follows IQVIA’s April announcement that it had secured full ownership of Q2, which had been a joint venture with Quest Diagnostics.
Moderna released preliminary clinical data showing its Covid-19 vaccine produced efficacy in adolescents that was comparable to what was seen in adults. The company plans to submit applications to regulators in early June seeking expansion of emergency authorization of the vaccine to include this younger age group.
An NGM Biopharmaceuticals drug candidate for the fatty liver disease NASH failed a Phase 2b study less than a year after the company reported positive results from an earlier mid-stage study. The biotech will now focus on programs in eye diseases and cancer that are partnered with Merck.
Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen was awarded approval for Rybrevant, the latest in a string of decisions for targeted therapies for non-small cell lung cancer. Rybrevant is the first approved targeted therapy addressing a subset of patients whose disease is characterized by a particular mutation to cancer protein EGFR.
CVS has launched a new clinical trials services business that will help drug companies and contract research organizations recruit clinical trial volunteers. The new business unit builds on work the pharmacy giant did last year, identifying and recruiting recruit people for clinical trials testing Covid-vaccines and medicines.
Biogen is reaching across the Charles River, striking up a gene therapy manufacturing alliance with synthetic biology firm Ginkgo Bioworks. Ginkgo will use its technology to accelerate and make more efficient the process of manufacturing the AAV viral vectors used in gene therapies.
Eli Lilly diabetes drug tirzepatide beat long-acting insulin in the last of a series of global studies designed to support regulatory submissions for the type 2 diabetes drug, a potential successor to blockbuster drug Trulicity. The Indianapolis-based drug giant said it expects to file for approval by the end of 2021.
Bristol Myers Squibb reported Phase 3 data that show its experimental cancer immunotherapy relatlimab, combined with the company’s blockbuster drug Opdivo, was better at stopping melanoma from progressing. BMS will present the data at the upcoming annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
BlueRock Therapeutics, a Bayer subsidiary, is teaming up with Opsis Therapeutics and Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics in an R&D pact focused on developing stem cell therapies for eye diseases. BlueRock is paying its new partners $30 million up front to kick off the alliance.
New investment company eureKARE aims to find promising microbiome and synthetic biology research in Europe and create new companies around that science. EureKARE has three startups in its portfolio, and it now has $60 million in Series A financing to build more.
Bristol Myers Squibb already has a cancer program targeting the TIGIT protein, but in acquiring rights to Agenus’s drug, the pharma giant adds a bispecific antibody that preclinical research suggests has the potential to be the best in this drug class. BMS agreed to pay $200 million up front for global rights.
The FDA approved Apellis Pharmaceuticals drug pegcetacoplan (Empaveli) as a treatment for a rare blood disorder that is currently treated with medicines sold by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, a biotech being acquired by AstraZeneca. But Apellis’s drug beat Alexion drug Soliris in a head-to-head test, and the smaller company aims to steal market share from its larger …
With FDA approval, Apellis can challenge AstraZeneca in rare blood disorder Read More »
Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline reported positive preliminary Phase 2 data for their Covid-19 vaccine. Though several vaccines have been authorized, the companies say that their vaccine’s foundation in existing influenza vaccines offers advantages, and potentially gives their candidate a place in the market as a booster shot.
A Biogen gene therapy for a rare, inherited eye disorder that leads to blindness has failed a key clinical trial. The preliminary results are the latest blow to the company’s efforts to expand its scope to gene therapies.
Interline Therapeutics has technology that shows how proteins interact as communities, paving the way for the discovery of new drugs. CEO Zachary Sweeney, a Denali Therapeutics veteran, said the startup will use the $92 million in funding to advance programs in cancer and inflammatory diseases.
Heron Therapeutics is positioning its drug, Zynrelef, as a way to help patients avoid addictive opioid painkillers following surgery. The extended-release formulation offers analgesic effects over 72 hours—when postsurgical pain is most severe and more likely to require pain management medication.
Biogen paid $18 million to acquire a drug that TMS Co. of Japan tested in patients with acute ischemic stroke. The acquisition follows the report of preliminary mid-stage data showing the drug led to no cases of a potentially fatal complication associated with currently available stroke therapies.
Perceptive Advisors has $515 million for its second fund investing in biotech startups. Portfolio Manager Chris Garabedian says Perceptive Xontogeny Ventures Fund II is looking to make Series A investments in early-stage companies with assets that can show a path to clinical testing.
The coronavirus pandemic is highlighting the potential of public-private partnerships (P3s) to bring together diverse groups to address issues of population growth, rising healthcare costs and enhanced expectations for health service delivery.
The FDA has expanded emergency use of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to include children 12 to 15 years of age. Meanwhile, the regulator is planning an advisory committee meeting to discuss use of Covid vaccines in pediatric patients broadly.
The messenger RNA vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech has been formally submitted for FDA approval. The application comes amid calls for all vaccine companies to waive patent protections on these products so that others will be able to manufacture them.
Three biotechs IPOs priced this week while one gene therapy developer postponed its plans. The biggest IPO belongs to Talaris Therapeutics, a company developing a cell therapy for organ transplant patients that could mean the end of lifelong immunosuppressive drugs that prevent rejection.
Patient-generated healthcare data will catalyze a fundamental shift in the way we measure success in medicine – from looking at a series of clinical outcomes viewed through the lens of the healthcare team to considering the entire care experience in partnership with the patient.
Read about news from life science companies Emulate, Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals and Bone Health Technologies.
Becton Dickinson is known worldwide for its diabetes products. Now the medical technologies giant plans to spin off its diabetes care business as a separate, publicly traded company, leaving BD to focus on its other core segments.
Dyno Therapeutics’ technology for designing viral vectors that deliver gene therapies has led to partnerships with Novartis, Sarepta Therapeutics, and Roche. With the Series A financing, the startup plans to expand its technology to address more tissue types, and potentially add more partners.
Eikon Therapeutics joins a growing number of startups researching how proteins move in cells as a basis for drug discovery. Roger Perlmutter joins Eikon as its CEO just four months after he retired as Merck’s top research executive.
Cell therapy manufacturing is currently a manual, multi-step process that takes weeks. Startup Cellares, which is developing a system that automates the process and makes manufacturing scalable, will use the Series B financing to accelerate its work.
Neuroelectrics is planning a pivotal test of its wearable medical device, which delivers brain electrical stimulation to treat epilepsy. The startup’s Series A round of funding was led by Morningside Ventures.
Founded by former hedge fund manager Vivek Ramawamy, Roivant Sciences set out to redefine drug development by acquiring overlooked drugs and advancing their development. The merger deal that will take it public reveals how much new technology changed the company’s vision and its strategy.
Affinia Therapeutics, which has technology that could deliver gene therapies to more tissue types in the body, raised the Series B financing as it looks ahead to clinical testing. The biotech is the latest company to close a substantial round of funding for gene therapy technology.
Capsida Biotherapeutics’ technology can engineer viral vectors that deliver gene therapies to central nervous system cells. With that capability gave the startup was able to raise $50 million in Series A financing and a multi-drug research alliance AbbVie.
Vaccitech and Werewolf Therapeutics joined the public markets, raising a combined $230 million. The vaccine developer and the cancer immunotherapy biotech will apply the IPO proceeds toward clinical development of their respective pipelines.
The science of using sensor data to define, measure, and create mathematical models of disease can lead to better outcomes—and huge benefits—for everyone in healthcare and life sciences.
Adverum Biotechnologies reported that a diabetic macular edema patient treated with the biotech’s experimental gene therapy developed complications, including blindness, in the treated eye. The company has unmasked the study and is trying to identify potential risks to other patients.
Boundless Bio’s research has uncovered a previously unknown driver of cancer growth and drug resistance. With $105 million in Series B financing, the biotech is on a path to bring to the clinic small molecules that address this target, called extrachromosomal DNA.
Seasonal allergy sufferers have a plethora of choices for treating the itching and redness affecting their eyes. An experimental Aldeyra Therapeutics drug that takes a new approach to blocking inflammation triggered by allergens has met the goals of a pivotal study and the biotech now plans to discuss the data with the FDA.
Several companies are developing immunotherapies targeting the “don’t eat me” cancer protein CD47. Arch Oncology, which is developing drugs with features that could set them apart from the field, now has $105 million for multiple clinical trials.
Too many cold chain suppliers are still monitoring deliveries and storage compliance with paper-based documentation by individuals scanning thermometers every two hours. Such systems fall short of 21st-Century requirements for biologic medicine.
Plant-based drug discovery may be tens of thousands of years old, but in 2021, it feels exciting, rich, and full of potential. Companies are rapidly building scalable databases with hundreds of thousands of unique chemicals and their links to biological signatures.
A uniQure gene therapy for hemophilia B that has been under a clinical hold for four months can now resume testing. The hold was lifted after uniQure answered the FDA’s questions about whether the gene therapy caused the liver cancer diagnosed in one patient who received the therapy.
With FDA approval of Zynlonta, ADC Therapeutics can offer patients who have diffuse large B-cell lymphoma an option if CAR-T therapy doesn’t work. Additional clinical trials are underway that could expand use of the antibody drug conjugate to more cancer patients.
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has filed for FDA approval of vutrisiran, which could become the biotech’s fourth drug that works by RNA interference. Meanwhile the company is responding to a federal subpoena seeking documents related to the company’s marketing and promotion of its first RNAi drug, Onpattro.
As researchers and clinicians understand and embrace the advanced insights genetic and genomic testing can deliver, the industry is poised to dramatically reduce the incidence and mortality associated with cancers.
Covid-19 showed how technology can upend the old ways of clinical trials. Panelists at MedCity’s INVEST conference said it’s highlighting the importance of improving clinical trial diversity so that tests of new therapies and vaccines reflect the population of patients that they will treat in the real world.
The five life sciences IPOs this week continues the steady march companies are making to the public markets this year. This week’s activity follows a first quarter that Renaissance Capital calculates was the busiest for newly public companies since 2000. Healthcare IPOs continued to dominate the stock offerings.
The FDA approved GlaxoSmithKlie drug dostarlimab (Jemperli) for endometrial cancer that carries a particular genetic signature. The immunotherapy now joins Merck’s Keytruda as the checkpoint inhibitors approved for treating endometrial cancer.
Value-based contracts covering the reimbursement of drugs and medical devices are slowly gaining acceptance. A panel at the MedCity News INVEST conference discussed the challenges and opportunities for these contracts, which aim to improve patient outcomes and control the cost of care.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is collaborating with Obsidian Therapeutics to develop up to five new gene editing therapies. Obsidian’s technology precisely controls protein expression, a capability the partners plan to apply to several undisclosed serious diseases.
The FDA placed a clinical hold on a KalVista Pharmaceuticals drug being readied for mid-stage studies in a rare, inherited disorder. Meanwhile, the FDA has some questions about the historical data Y-mAbs used as the control in a clinical trial for its antibody cancer drug.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is amending its collaboration with CRISPR Therapeutics, paying $900 million now for chance to grab a bigger share of a gene-editing therapy’s profits later—if the treatment is approved. Clinical trials evaluating the CRISPR-based therapy are underway in sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.
Antibody therapies are seen as one way to overcome the variants that continue to fuel the pandemic. With its Series C financing, Adagio Therapeutics, led by CEO Tillman Gerngross, will proceed with a pivotal clinical trial of an antibody that has neutralized SARS-CoV-2 variants in lab and animal tests.
Incubated by OribMed and led by Ariad Pharmaceuticals veterans, Theseus Pharmaceuticals unveiled $100 million in Series B financing to develop the next generation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, a type of cancer drug. The company expects to enter the clinic by the end of 2021.
Relay Therapeutics has its own technology that applies artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to drug discovery. Its $85 million acquisition of ZebiAI gives it another technology that applies ML to DNA-encoded libraries and predicts the small molecules with the potential to drug proteins.
Merck is discontinuing work on one Covid-19 drug for treating hospitalized patients after the FDA said it needs more clinical data. Another Merck drug candidate is moving forward only in outpatient testing after independent clinical trial observers concluded the antiviral was unlikely to help those in the hospital.
Thermo Fisher Scientific sells laboratory equipment used in drug research and it also offers manufacturing services for experimental and commercialized drugs. By acquiring PPD, Thermo Fisher says it will gain capabilities in the growing global market of clinical trial services.
Amylyx’s ALS drug met the goals of a mid-stage study, paving the way for regulatory submissions in Europe and Canada. But the FDA is requiring data from a larger Phase 3 clinical trial and that study is slated to begin later this year.
Tango Therapeutics’ SPAC merger will infuse the biotech with $353 million to fund clinical trials for its cancer drugs based on synthetic lethality. Tango’s lead program is on track to reach the clinic next year.
Blood clots found in six people given Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine have led federal health officials to recommend a pause on dosing with that shot. A CDC advisory committee on vaccine practices is meeting Wednesday to review the cases, which so appear similar cases observed in Europe with AstraZeneca’s vaccine.
Cellino Biotech CEO and Co-founder Dr. Nabiha Saklayen talked about the formation of the company and its goal to make stem cell therapies accessible for patients.
No matter if Democrats or Republicans are running the show in Washington, here are three solid bets for pharma companies to plan for in the changing drug-pricing landscape
With two cancer programs already making progress, Repertoire Immune Medicines will use the Series B financing to expand its immune synapse research to autoimmune disorders and infectious disease. CEO John Cox said his startup’s approach could advance immune medicines beyond the scope of currently available therapies.
Peter Meath, Co-Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences for Middle Market Commercial Banking at J.P. Morgan, is bullish that the momentum will continue, particularly with investment trends focused on pain points amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic, from diagnostics development to supply chain management.
A Regeneron Pharmaceuticals antibody cocktail currently authorized for treating Covid-19 now has additional clinical data showing it reduces the risk of infection spread. The drug developer, along with partner Roche, plan to ask regulators to expand the drug’s authorization to include disease prevention.
Sanofi, which already has messenger RNA R&D alliances with other companies, paid $160 million up front to acquire preclinical startup Tidal Therapeutics. The pharma giant said Tidal’s mRNA approach could lead to an off-the-shelf CAR-T therapy.
The public markets welcomed VectivBio and Reneo Pharmaceuticals, which priced their IPOs late Thursday. Both clinical-stage companies are developing drugs that address rare diseases.
Creating the simplest process for informed consent benefits the potential participant by allowing them the time and resources to understand fully what they are consenting to. Through eConsent processes, research also opens the door to a more diverse population to engage in trials.
RA Capital led Ventus Therapeutics’ Series B financing, which the startup will use to develop its pipeline of medicines for “undruggable” disease targets. CEO Marcelo Bigal said the cash also gives Ventus the flexibility to consider an IPO.
Mobidiag offers multiplex testing, which is the ability to test for multiple pathogens from a single test sample. Hologic said the acquisition will enable the company to enter the acute care test market, which is projected to grow in a post-pandemic world.
A European Medicines Agency review concluded AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine may be linked to cases of blood clots. The regulator directed the company to conduct more studies to learn more but stopped short of recommending other vaccines as alternatives.
RA Capital led the $100 million Series B round of funding for Icosavax, a startup developing vaccines based on virus-like particles. The biotech is preparing for clinical tests of vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, and SARS-CoV-2.
Volastra Therapeutics is developing drugs for cancer metastasis, the cause of the vast majority of cancer deaths. The startup has $44 million in funding and an R&D partnership with Microsoft to develop new digital tools to detect and predict metastasis.
FDA approval of Supernus Pharmaceuticals drug Qelbree gives attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder patients another treatment option that is not classified as a Schedule II substance. It’s a different formulation of a drug that was first approved in Europe decades ago.
The FDA’s rejection of Nuplazid cited clinical trial results in subgroups of patients. Acadia Pharmaceuticals said the FDA’s decision goes against all feedback the company previously received and amounts to an incorrect way of evaluating dementia patients.
A Helius Medical Technologies medical device that stimulates the brain by sending electrical stimulation to the tongue has received FDA clearance for multiple sclerosis patients. The company says its approach could also have applications in other disorders.
The FDA increased the maximum number of doses permitted for each vial of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine, a change intended to make more doses available. The regulator also authorized storage changes for the vaccines at vaccination sites.
IQVIA has acquired Quest Diagnostics’ minority stake in Q2 Solutions, a central laboratory services joint venture the two companies formed in 2015. But Quest will remain a preferred provider of lab testing services under an agreement with Q2.
Peter Meath, J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking’s Co-Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences, applies lessons from 2020’s remarkable second half and shares insights on what to expect in 2021.
The FDA decision for Tyvaso as a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients who have interstitial lung disease is the second approval for the United Therapeutics drug. The additional indication gives the company another way to grow revenue for the drug, which faces generic competition.
The Achilles Therapeutics IPO comes as several other biotechs make progress developing a type of cancer immunotherapy called a tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte. Clinical-stage Achilles contends its approach could best them all.
Based on the efficacy and safety data for their Covid-19 vaccine in younger teens, Pfizer and BioNTech plan to ask regulators to expand emergency authorization to include this younger group. The expansion could make the mRNA vaccine available to this age group in time for the coming school year.
With the emergence of smart and connected devices and technologies, CROs and life sciences organizations are able to more easily perform decentralized, virtual clinical trials. Now, industry leaders are on a mission to make the practice of administering decentralized clinical trials the norm.
Merck agreed to pay $215 million up front to acquire Alydia Health, a startup that has commercialized a medical device that controls bleeding during childbirth. That product will join the portfolio of Merck spinout company Organon.
Now that trials can happen nearly anywhere, privacy teams and lawyers need to understand how data is collected, stored, managed, disseminated, and ultimately, archived or deleted.
Omega Therapeutics has raised more than $210 million in the past eight months for R&D of medicines that regulate genes. The company’s lead therapeutic candidate addresses a validated but elusive cancer target.
UniQure is making a case for lifting a clinical hold on its hemophilia B gene therapy, reporting Monday results of an independent investigation that appear to clear the experimental treatment as the cause of a patient’s cancer.
The FDA has approved a Bristol Myers Squibb cell therapy made by engineering a patient’s immune cells to target a cancer protein called BCMA. The regulatory decision for Abecma in multiple myeloma gives BMS its second approved CAR-T therapy.
Regenerative medicine might someday provide replacement organs for transplant patients. But Anthony Atala, director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, explained how the technology is already helping in the discovery and testing of drugs.
Design Therapeutics raised $240 million in the biggest biotech IPO this week. One other rare disease drug developer went public along with two oncology biotechs as the IPO momentum continues.
With the increased reliance on digital technologies, pharma companies’ outreach to healthcare providers needs to be thoughtful, efficient, and respectful. An AI-driven, omnichannel strategy makes this possible by giving every member of customer-facing teams visibility across communications.
Founded by scientists behind the technology used in Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine, Leyden Laboratories is developing intranasal medicines intended to stop viruses before they infect the lungs. SARs-CoV-2 is one target, but the startup plans to address many respiratory pathogens.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra may have won a narrow confirmation to be the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, but if his past is any indication, his agenda will be bold when it comes to reining in pharma companies, boosting the Affordable Care Act and scrutinizing hospital consolidation.
AstraZeneca’s latest efficacy data for its Covid-19 vaccine are down slightly from the 79% it previously reported. The most recent data will form the basis of an application for emergency use authorization, which the company still expects to file with the FDA in coming weeks.
Ho Sung Cho, senior vice president of Biodiscovery Therapeutics at Bristol Myers Squibb, talks about lessons learned from drug discovery, recent success tied to Covid-19, and how the company is leveraging its expertise in protein degradation to develop novel therapies for blood cancers, solid tumors and other important therapeutic areas.
ProQR Therapeutics has encouraging data from an early-stage study evaluating its treatment for vision loss in the rare, inherited disorder Usher syndrome. The biotech now plans to advance its RNA therapy to two pivotal studies later this year.
Federal health authorities say safety observers are concerned AstraZeneca did not release complete information about the efficacy of its Covid-18 vaccine. The company responded by saying its data were from a pre-specified analysis and it will provide the most up to date efficacy data within 48 hours.
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