In a new licensing deal cut with Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (Sobi), ADC Therapeutics SA is getting a $55 million up-front payment and could receive $50 million more upon regulatory approval of Zynlonta (loncastuximab tesirine) in third-line diffuse large B-cell lymphoma by the European Commission.
Partners Sanofi SA and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (Sobi) said regulatory submissions are expected this year for once-weekly factor VIII therapy efanesoctocog alfa in hemophilia A following top-line success in a pivotal phase III study, which showed a clinically meaningful prevention of bleeds in people with severe disease receiving prophylaxis over 52 weeks. The drug, also known as BIVV-001, has fast track and orphan designations in the U.S., and the companies are banking on its extended half-life to go up against blockbuster bispecific antibody Hemlibra (emicizumab) from Roche Holding AG as well as a potential gene therapy from Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB shares (STO:SOBI) fell 25% Dec. 3 as investors behind Agnafit Bidco AB, previously poised to pay about SEK72.17 billion (US$7.97 billion) for the company, withdrew their bid as shares tendered fell just short of the 90% needed to complete the deal. The bid was seen as likely to succeed after Investor AB, which owns 35% of the capital and votes in the company, commonly called Sobi, supported it. However, with only 87.3% of outstanding shares tendered as of Dec. 3, Agnafit decided to drop the offer, foregoing further extension of the acceptance period, which was earlier extended by ten days to Nov. 26 in hopes of collecting enough support.
The board of rare disease specialist Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB has accepted a takeover bid from the U.S. private equity firm Advent International and Aurora Investment, an affiliate of capital markets group GIC, valuing it at about SEK69.4 billion (US$8 billion).
Where Ilaris (canakinumab) failed, can Kineret (anakinra) succeed? Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB is reporting that an investigator-initiated phase III study of its interleukin-1 (IL-1) blocker, Kineret, in 594 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with moderate or severe pneumonia, who had a poor prognosis, uncovered what appear to be dramatic benefits.
Apellis Pharmaceuticals Inc. could receive up to $1.25 billion from Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi) AB in their collaboration to develop systemic pegcetacoplan, a C3 therapy for treating several rare diseases in hematology, nephrology and neurology.
A phase III failure of Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB's oral thrombopoietin receptor agonist avatrombopag to effectively outperform a placebo in treating chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia, or low platelet counts, sent company shares down 17.9% on Oct. 9.
DUBLIN – Although Europe has moved first to approve Blenrep (belantamab mafodotin), Glaxosmithkline plc’s antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) as a fifth-line therapy in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, U.S. patients may well be first to gain access to the new drug.
Four years after the EMA first approved Novartis AG's Ilaris (canakinumab) for the treatment of adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD), the FDA has followed suit, giving it a green light in the indication following a priority review. The rare rheumatic condition usually affects younger adults and can occur as infrequently as once, but also intermittently or chronically.
The diversification at Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (Sobi) continued Monday with its acquisition of Dova Pharmaceuticals Inc. in a deal worth about $915 million.
