Privately held Vivacelle Bio Inc. has completed its phase IIa study of VBI-S in treating septic shock patients with severe hypovolemia, a drastic drop in blood pressure that can lead to organ failure and death. In the study, VBI-S, an intravenously injected fluid composed of phospholipid nanoparticles, increased blood pressure and improved organ function. The treatment works by absorbing nitric oxide in septic shock patients. The study met the primary endpoint of raising mean arterial blood pressure in an average of 1.5 hours. The study was funded by the Naval Medical Research Center – Naval Advanced Medical Development program through the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium.

Mineralys prices $192 million US IPO on back of hypertension prospect

Emerging biopharma company Mineralys Therapeutics Inc. priced a $192 million upsized IPO, following the positive top-line phase II trial results it announced for its lead hypertension candidate lorundrostat in November last year. According to its filing with the U.S. SEC, the Philadelphia-based company sold 12 million shares of common stock at $16 per share. The firm’s stock (NASDAQ:MYLS) was up 26% in early trading on Feb. 10. Mineralys also granted underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1.8 million shares of common stock at the initial IPO price. If exercised in full, it would bring the company another $28.8 million in gross proceeds.

Ferroptosis combo approach gets results for Hillstream in NSCLC 

Shares of Hillstream Biopharma Inc. (NASDAQ:HILS) were trading midday at $2.16, up 98 cents, or 83% after the company rolled out findings in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The company said that, in a KRAS G12C-mutated NSCLC cell line, Calu-1, tumors were significantly inhibited by combining HSB-1216, a ferroptosis inducer, with the anti-PD-1 antibody Keytruda (pembrolizumab, Merck & Co. Inc.). Deploying ferroptosis, or iron-mediated cell death, represents an emergent new mechanism against cancer.

South Korea’s GI Innovation to raise up to $34 million in IPO on the Kosdaq exchange

South Korea’s GI Innovation Inc. announced its IPO on the Kosdaq market with plans to raise up to $34 million in March 2023. Funds raised from the IPO will go toward phase I/II clinical trials of immunotherapy agent GI-101 in the U.S. and Korea, and a phase I trial of allergy treatment GI-301 (also known as YH-35324) in Korea. The offering will consist of 2 million shares priced at $13 to $17 per share. NH Investment & Securities, Hana Financial Investment and Samsung Securities will lead the process.

Long-term vision for UK’s drugs manufacturing aims to reverse declining investment

The U.K.’s medicines and vaccines manufacturing environment needs a complete overhaul, with the worrying decline in exports and investment in the country addressed, if the U.K. is to beat global competition, the Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership (MMIP), believes. The MMIP was formed by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and the biopharmaceutical industry in 2014 in a partnership designed to catapult the U.K. to becoming a more attractive investment prospect for industry.

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