In another deal between the two companies that could be worth more than $1 billion, Abbvie Inc. is buying Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s lead candidate bretisilocin for up to $1.2 billion, including an undisclosed up-front payment and development milestones. Privately held Gilgamesh has the psychedelic compound for treating moderate to severe major depressive disorder in a phase II study. In May 2024, Gilgamesh received $65 million up front in an early stage deal with Abbvie to discover neuroplastogens targeting psychiatric disorders, with the chance to receive up to $1.95 billion in option fees and milestones, plus tiered royalties in the mid-single to low-double digits from any products emerging from the collaboration.

First pig-to-human lung transplant functions for nine days

The frontiers of xenotransplantation have been further extended with a pig-to-human lung transplant, the first time an organ that is directly exposed to the external environment – with the associated risk of respiratory pathogens – has been transplanted. The genetically modified pig lung remained viable and functional for nine days, after it was transplanted into a 39-year-old man who was declared brain dead following a hemorrhagic stroke. There was no hyperacute rejection, but there was severe edema that resembled primary graft dysfunction at 24 hours, and which was attributed to ischemia reperfusion injury. There also were signs of antibody-mediated rejection of the lung at days three and six after transplantation.

FDA suspends Valneva’s license for chikungunya vaccine

Valneva SE said the U.S. FDA has suspended the license for its chikungunya virus vaccine Ixchiq. Regulators pointed to four new reports of serious adverse events consistent with chikungunya-like illness. The move is effective immediately and requires Valneva, of Saint Herblain, France, to stop U.S. shipping and sales of the product. Shares (NASDAQ:VALN) were trading at $9.16, down $2.48, or 21%.

Ribomic’s RBM-007 ready for phase III in achondroplasia

Ribomic’s umedaptanib pegol (RBM-007) looks to have some advantages compared to competitors in the achondroplasia (ACH) space, and the company plans to progress the oligonucleotide-based aptamer that targets anti fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) to phase III trials, Ribomic’s business development head, Kihei Yamashita, told BioWorld. RBM-007 is in phase IIa trials in pediatric patients aged 5 to 14 years with achondroplasia, and Ribomic expects to report top-line date in October 2025. RBM-007 inhibits FGF2 and promotes chondrocyte preparation and bone growth, directly targeting the pathogenic mechanism of achondroplasia, a disease in which a genetic mutation of the fibroblast growth factor receptor type 3 (FGFR3) causes FGFR3 to be activated, resulting in an excessive influx of FGF signals that inhibit normal growth of cartilage, causing short stature with limb shortening.

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