Category: Cambridge Massachusetts
Aktis Oncology is developing cancer radiation treatments intended to more precise and potent compared to other radiotherapies. The startup is now out of stealth with $72 million in Series A financing.
Bluebird bio said independent analyses found that the gene therapy inserted its payload at a site not known to cause cancer. Based on the results, the company has asked the FDA for permission to resume all of the clinical trials that were placed on hold in February during the inquiry.
Base-editing biotech Beam Therapeutics engineered an all-stock buyout of Guide Therapeutics, a startup that finds, in vivo, the lipid nanoparticles that can deliver genetic medicines. Beam said GuideTx’s tech helps it address tissue types throughout the body, not just the liver.
Cancer is a known risk of lentiviral-based gene therapies. Though bluebird says its gene therapy is engineered to avoid that risk, the company is suspending two clinical trials pending the outcome of its inquiry.
One year after losing Merck as a partner, KalVista reports mid-stage clinical data for a pill that could offer an alternative to injectable drugs for a rare, potentially life-threatening disease. KalVista plans to meet with the FDA about proceeding to a Phase 3 study.
Massachusetts-based Be Biopharma will use the proceeds to build a team as it seeks to develop B-cell therapies for a variety of diseases.
The company is developing biosensors, initially for NASH, that could be used in place of liver biopsy and have applicability in development of drugs for the disease.