There was more juice to be extracted from the grape that was the very successful Chinook Therapeutics Inc., so two investors have decided to make the most of it. Novartis AG and Versant Ventures have launched Borealis Biosciences Inc. from Chinook’s remnants to develop RNA therapies for treating kidney disease.
The U.S. FDA has granted accelerated approval to Novartis AG’s Fabhalta (iptacopan) for reducing proteinuria in adults with primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) at risk of rapid disease progression. The approval strengthens the company’s renal disease presence as it puts two other IgAN treatments through clinical trials.
An antibody that binds to the latent form of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) prevented its release into the extracellular matrix and reduced the progression of fibrosis in the kidney. TGF-β is synthesized and secreted into the extracellular matrix in a latent inactive form associated with the latency peptide.
Applaud Medical Inc. continues to file for protection for aspects of its BRIO Enhanced Lithotripsy System, an acoustic enhancer technology which aims to eliminate ureteral stones quickly, affordably, and without the need for general anesthesia or a fluoroscopy procedure that may be conducted in a physician’s office and other non-hospital setting.
Dysfunction of the complement system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of renal diseases. Complement inhibitors, such as C5 inhibitors, have shown efficacy in clinical trials, but may not be sufficient to block disease progression as monotherapy.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. is acquiring Alpine Immune Sciences Inc. for $4.9 billion in cash to gain Alpine’s lead product, phase III-ready povetacicept, which demonstrates best-in-class potential in patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). Povetacicept (ALPN-303), or “pove,” holds potential “as a pipeline in a product in a number of other serious renal diseases and cytopenias,” Vertex CEO Reshma Kewalramani said during an April 10 conference call, noting that the deal was “just the right fit with just the right assets at just the right phase of development where Vertex can add value.”
Dimerix Ltd. announced a AU$20 million ($US13.22 million) capital raise following the news that its lead candidate, DMX-200, was successful in a prespecified interim analysis of the efficacy endpoint in its pivotal phase III trial in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a rare kidney disease.
Jiangxi Jemincare Group Co. Ltd. has reported that its wholly owned subsidiary company, Shanghai Jemincare Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., recently received approvals for clinical trials of five of its drugs in the fields of cancer, kidney and infectious diseases.
Awak Technologies Pte Ltd. gained the U.S. FDA’s breakthrough designation for an artificial intelligence (AI)-based kidney disease progression prediction (KDDP) model on Nov. 27, following its $20 million fundraising that marked one of Singapore’s largest med-tech financings in 2023.
Researchers from Wake Forest University, Charles University and affiliated organizations have found a link between mutations in the APOA4 gene and inherited kidney disease.
