Shares of Forte Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ:FBRX) touched a 52-week low, diving 82.3% to close at $5.06 on Sept. 3 after its sole candidate, FB-401, failed to make a statistically significant difference in improving the severity of atopic dermatitis. The result, contrasting starkly with a smaller positive trial, led CEO Paul Wagner to announce the company would quit development of the FDA fast-tracked asset, licensed from the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

After seeing elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) levels consistent with drug-induced hepatotoxicity in its phase II study of ABI-H2158, Assembly Biosciences Inc. decided to discontinue development of the chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection therapy.

“Now it’s all about time to market,” Bavarian Nordic A/S CEO Paul Chaplin said as the company disclosed positive results from the phase IIa study with its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, MVA-BN RSV. “We’re looking at designs [for phase III] that give us the fastest approval possible” in the competitive space, he said, adding that the previously envisioned two-season setup “has gone out the window” with the latest findings.

LONDON – One in seven children and young people who have COVID-19 go on to develop symptoms of Long COVID, according to the first cut of data from a large national study involving 6,804 participants ages 11 to 17 who had PCR tests between January and March this year.