Researchers have identified a link between amyloid plaques and dysfunctional neuronal conduction in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Their study, which was published in the Dec. 1, 2022, issue of Nature, suggests new ways to think about AD, as well as badly needed potential alternatives to plaque removal to fight the disease.

Horizon sees interest from trio of big pharma suitors

Horizon Therapeutics plc shares (NASDAQ:HZNP) jumped 26.9% by midday after the company disclosed being in "highly preliminary" discussions about takeover interests expressed by Amgen Inc., Janssen Global Services LLC and Sanofi SA.

Inhibrx phase I data highlight challenge of bone cancer chondrosarcoma

Chrondrosarcoma, the rare but also most common form of primary bone cancer in adults, took center stage recently when Inhibrx Inc. rolled out phase I data with its death receptor 5 agonist INBRX-109. The results seemed favorable, though Wall Street clipped shares of the firm, apparently in reaction to a patient fatality and high bilirubin levels in another subject. Developers large and small have been pursuing chondrosarcoma, but so far have only been able to achieve a median progression-free survival of about three months in phase II efforts.

Ryvu small-molecule smarts pull in $41M down payment from Biontech

Ryvu Therapeutics SA is banking €40 million (US$41.3 million) as an initial payment from a two-pronged alliance with Biontech SE, which involves a multi-target small-molecule research collaboration in immunotherapy and a license agreement for Ryvu’s portfolio of Sting agonists. Ryvu is getting €20 million of the total as an up-front payment, while Biontech is investing another €20 million in its equity. Ryvu is also in line to receive research funding, up to €876 million in potential development, regulatory, and commercial milestones, as well as low-single-digit-percent royalties on any future product sales.

PIE Act reintroduced in US House of Representatives

The U.S. House of Representatives has resurrected the Pre-approval Information Exchange (PIE) Act, a bill that would bolster the prospects for drugs and devices by improving communications with payers prior to U.S. FDA clearance or approval of the product. The supporters of the legislation, a bipartisan group of members of the House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee, see the legislation as essential as a means of overcoming some of the ambiguities in a 2018 FDA guidance pertaining to communications between manufacturers and payers, and thus a replay of one of the more interesting methods of critiquing an FDA guidance.

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