It might be difficult to view the past year through anything other than a COVID-shaped hole. But 2020 brought some remarkable and impactful news for the biopharma sector that had little to do with the novel coronavirus. In this end-of-year recap, BioWorld takes a look at some of achievements and trends affecting the industry that were completely unrelated to – or, in some cases, in spite of – the COVID-19 pandemic.
When it comes to guidance on interchangeables, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) has some guidance for the FDA: Be more definite.
I2O Therapeutics Inc., of Allston, Mass., raised $4 million in seed funding to further its work on oral formulations of therapies typically limited to injections, such as biologics, large molecules and peptide-based pharmaceuticals.
BEIJING – Luye Pharma Group Ltd., of Yantai, Shandong Province of China, has proposed to acquire Shandong Boan Biological Technology Co. Ltd. for up to $205.8 million to expand and diversify its pipeline portfolio into biologics. The payment is to be in three parts: an initial amount of $102.9 million, followed by payments linked to China marketing approval for two of Boan’s candidates of $51.45 million each.
Even though November’s full moon had come and gone more than a week previous, Werewolf Therapeutics Inc. came out of the shadows Wednesday with a $56 million series A fundraiser to state its plans to develop immune-stimulatory therapeutics to trigger immune responses to cancer.
BEIJING – Biologics developer Hisun Bioray Bio-pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Chinese state-owned drugmaker Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., received ¥3.8 billion (US$540 million) from Hong Kong investor PAG for a 58% stake in the company.
