Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. agreed to acquire Point Biopharma Global Inc. for $12.50 per share in cash, or about $1.4 billion, in a deal that would bring the pharma company a pipeline of preclinical and clinical radioligand therapies for cancer. The purchase price is an 87% premium to Point’s closing stock price on Oct. 2, and a 68% premium to the 30-day volume-weighted average price. Shares (NASDAQ:PNT) of Point, also of Indianapolis, rose 84.9%, or $5.67, to close at $12.36 on Oct. 3.
Previous research has shown high expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 1 (ACE1) in the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line MDA-MB-231, suggesting the potential of ACE1 as a novel target for this disease. In the current study, researchers from Peking University Cancer Hospital presented the discovery of [68Ga]DOTA-BPP, a novel peptide nuclide molecular imaging probe targeting ACE1 for the imaging of TNBC.
Researchers from Technische Universität München and Universitätsklinikum Augsburg recently presented the discovery of novel radiohybrid-based minigastrin analogues.
In the daunting shadow of previous years’ numbers, two companies jumped into this year’s relatively tepid IPO market. Rayzebio Inc. priced its upsized $311 million IPO of 17.2 million shares at $18 each. Gross proceeds of about $290.1 million are expected by the radiopharmaceutical cancer therapy developer. On Sept. 15, shares (NASDAQ:RYZB) closed up 33.3% at $24 each. Also, Neumora Therapeutics Inc. priced its IPO of 14.7 million shares at $17 each, looking for gross proceeds of about $250 million. The company, which is developing seven products targeting brain diseases, saw shares (NASDAQ:NMRA) close 4.4% downward at $16.25 on Sept. 15.
The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) has filed its comments for two draft Medicare rules, citing ongoing concerns over how Medicare pays for a variety of aspects of medical imaging procedures.
The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) has filed its comments for two draft Medicare rules, citing ongoing concerns over how Medicare pays for a variety of aspects of medical imaging procedures. MITA’s executive director, Patrick Hope, said the Medicare hospital outpatient program is overdue for an overhaul of its packaging policy for payments for radiopharmaceuticals and that the Medicare physician fee schedule should be insulated from further cuts for the professional component of imaging procedures, changes Hope said are necessary to ensure continued patient access to these services.
On track to move its lead candidate, MC-339, into the clinic for small-cell lung cancer in 2024, Mariana Oncology Inc. raised $175 million through an oversubscribed series B round co-led by Deep Track Capital and Forbion. The radiopharmaceutical company was incubated for 18 months before raising $75 million through a series A in December 2021, and has since built out its R&D division and a phase I/II manufacturing unit. It currently has 50 employees.
The radiopharmaceuticals field is gaining traction as companies realize that by harnessing the power of radioactive atoms, they can create targeted and more effective cancer drugs which cause less damage to healthy tissues. As a result, competition for a place as a leading radiopharma firm is high, and the market is estimated to reach $11.5 billion by 2027.
Nuclidium AG, an early stage radiopharmaceuticals and radiodiagnostics developer, aims to bypass the production constraints that have hampered other firms in the field by employing copper radioisotopes for both therapeutic and imaging purposes.
