Peptidream Inc. announced a new multi-target collaboration and license agreement with Merck & Co. Inc., known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada, as well as research collaboration and license agreement with Eli Lilly & Co (Lilly). Both agreements are focused on the discovery and development of novel peptide drug conjugates (PDCs). Under the agreement with MSD, Peptidream will provide peptide candidates identified from its proprietary Peptide Discovery Platform System (PDPS) technology for use as PDCs against targets of interest to MSD.
Two deals for antibody-drug conjugates inked since May between Merck & Co. Inc. and Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. have blossomed eight months later into the year’s biggest agreement, one that could bring Kelun-Biotech up to $9.3 billion in development, regulatory and sales milestones. The exclusive license and collaboration deal has Merck paying an up-front $175 million to Kelun-Biotech plus promising to make an equity investment in the Sichuan, China-based company.
Two deals for antibody-drug conjugates inked since May between Merck & Co. Inc. and Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. have blossomed eight months later into the year’s biggest agreement, one that could bring Kelun-Biotech up to $9.3 billion in development, regulatory and sales milestones.
Gossamer Bio Inc. shares (NASDAQ:GOSS) fell 74.6% to $2.36 Dec. 6 after the disclosure of phase II results that, while meeting the study's primary endpoint of reducing pulmonary vascular resistance vs. placebo, failed to show the company's pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) candidate, seralutinib, holding its own against the performance of Merck & Co. Inc.'s PAH candidate, sotatercept, in separate PAH studies.
Merck & Co. Inc. is adding to its hematology assets in the takeover of Imago Biosciences Inc. for $36 per share, an arrangement with an equity value of about $1.35 billion. Shares of Imago (NASDAQ:IMGO) took flight as Wall Street learned of the deal, ending the day at $35.59, up $18.19, or 104%. Imago is working on new drugs for myeloproliferative neoplasms and other bone marrow diseases. Lead candidate bomedemstat (IMG-7289), an orally available inhibitor of the epigenetic enzyme lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), is undergoing phase II trials for the treatment of essential thrombocythemia, myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera, along with other indications.
Britain’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), a key gatekeeper on the path to the U.K. market, is backing away from five COVID-19 treatments. No longer recommended in a draft guidance were Ronapreve (casirivimab + imdevimab) from Roche Holding AG, Xevudy (sotrovimab) from GSK plc, and Evusheld (tixagevimab + cilgavimab) from Astrazeneca plc. NICE also recommended discontinuing use of Lagevrio (molnupiravir) from Merck and Co. Inc. and Veklury (remdesivir) from Gilead Sciences Inc.
Immutep Ltd.’s lead immunotherapy candidate eftilagimod (IMP-321, efti) met the primary endpoint in its phase II trial evaluating the combination of efti and Merck & Co. Inc.’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as first-line treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), reporting final data that show an overall response rate of 40.4%.
Therapy delivery and the physicians who administer them are keys in CG Oncology Inc.’s drive to develop bladder cancer treatments. The company, which just closed an oversubscribed $120 million series E financing to continue on the development path, has its lead oncolytic immunotherapy, CG-0070, intravesically delivered via a catheter, in the clinic.
Immutep Ltd.’s lead immunotherapy candidate eftilagimod (IMP-321, efti) met the primary endpoint in its phase II trial evaluating the combination of efti and Merck & Co. Inc.’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as first-line treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), reporting final data that show an overall response rate of 40.4%.