Johnson & Johnson launched its latest pulsed field ablation (PFA) catheter, Varipulse Pro, in Europe following CE mark approval, bringing another option to electrophysiologists looking to adopt PFA technology. The system features a new pulse sequence with a lower temperature profile and enables ablation that is five times faster than the previous sequence, while achieving equivalent lesions. It represents another significant development in the rapidly evolving PFA market which has transformed cardiac ablation treatment.

Sidewinder’s bispecific ADC approach draws $137M series B

Founded in 2023 with a focus on the next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) space, Sidewinder Therapeutics Inc. raised $137 million in an oversubscribed series B round, with aims of advancing a lead program into the clinic in 2027. The company, which announced in January an ADC technology deal with Lonza’s Synaffix BV, is focused on developing bispecific ADCs targeting receptor co-complexes expressed on solid tumors to address oncology indications with limited treatment options such as colorectal cancer and squamous cell carcinomas in lung and head and neck cancers.

UK formalizes zero tariffs deal with US, will pay more for drugs

The U.S. confirmed the agreement in principle made last December to exempt U.K. pharmaceuticals from import tariffs, as the U.K government put its commitment to spend more on patented drugs into effect. From the start of April the price at which the National Institute for health and Care Excellence (NICE) assesses the cost effectiveness of new drugs rose from £20,000-£30,000 per quality adjusted life year (QALY) to £25,000-£35,000. The QALY increase means the net price paid for newly approved drugs will increase by 25%. The U.K. government also said it will double the amount it spends on patented drugs over the next 10 years, and has frozen the controversial rebate that pharma companies pay on sales of patented drugs.

Wnt takes wing; BI, Merck, Surrozen advancing prospects

The Wingless-related integration site (Wnt) pathway remains active and pundits are starting to sort out major players. Among the closely watched developers in Wnt are Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Merck & Co. Inc., and Surrozen Inc. The latter pair seem pitted against each other, with Rahway, N.J.-based Merck in the lead but Surrozen, of South San Francisco, gaining notice by way of its bifunctional approach. Age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema are among the favored Wnt targets.

New China biotech Syneron chases macrocycle frontier

Syneron Bio is emerging as one of the most heavily backed new entrants in the macrocyclic peptide space, raising more than $250 million in venture funding and securing a multibillion-dollar deal with Astrazeneca plc as it builds a platform spanning several of the most competitive frontiers in drug development. The Beijing-founded biotech is targeting three core areas: oral macrocyclic peptides for chronic disease, cell-penetrant peptides for intracellular targets, and peptide-based drug conjugates including radioligands. “Syneron Bio is committed to discovering and developing innovative macrocyclic peptide therapeutics,” CEO Xiao (Frank) Zhang said.

Also in the news

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