Sanofi SA will acquire Principia Biopharma Inc. in a $3.68 billion deal that brings Sanofi three clinical-stage BTK inhibitors and simplifies a partnership that began three years ago. Paris-based Sanofi plans to acquire all outstanding Principia common stock shares for $100 each at a $3.36 billion enterprise value. The transaction was unanimously approved by both boards. Sanofi will get SAR-442168 (PRN-2246), which is at the heart of the deal that now gives Sanofi full control of the program. South San Francisco-based Principia’s stock (NASDAQ:PRNB) jumped 9% in midday trading Monday.

Roche’s Enspryng green-lighted in NMOSD to compete with Soliris, Uplizna

Roche Holding AG’s F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. said Enspryng (satralizumab-mwge) will be available in the U.S. in two weeks as the first and only subcutaneous treatment for adults living with anti-aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. Enspryng’s FDA clearance follows approvals last year of Soliris (eculizumab) from Boston-based Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc., and more recently of Uplizna (inebilizumab-cdon) from Viela Bio Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md. Both are infused therapies.

Biopharmas continue to ramp up their R&D investments, analysis finds

According to an analysis of the second quarter 2020 financial reports filed by 120 public biopharmaceutical companies with market caps greater than $1 billion, and excluding big pharma companies, conducted by BioWorld, the amount that was invested in research and development (R&D) during the period increased by 14% compared to the same six-month period last year. The companies collectively invested a total of $20.6 billion on R&D compared to almost $18 billion invested last year.

Unity shares untied as osteoarthritis of the knee drug fails phase II test

Shares of Unity Biotechnology Inc. (NASDAQ:UBX) fell nearly 60% by midday after its lead candidate, UBX-0101, failed to best a placebo on an established measure of osteoarthritis pain in a phase II study. The South San Francisco-based company, specializing in developing medicines to selectively eliminate senescent cells, will now shift its focus to ongoing eye and neurologic disease programs, it said.

CNBG unveils interim data of inactivated vaccine candidate for COVID-19

Chinese state-backed vaccine developer China National Biotec Group (CNBG), of Beijing, published an interim analysis of the randomized phase I/II trials of its inactivated vaccine candidate for COVID-19 in The Journal of the American Medical Association as it is preparing to produce 220 million doses per year. Developed by CNBG’s subsidiary, Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, the vaccine demonstrated immunogenicity and had a low rate of adverse reactions in the 96-subject phase I trial and 224-subject phase II trial, according to the interim report.

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