Eight years after Novartis AG gained U.S. FDA approval of the first CAR T therapy, Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel), for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, developers are advancing prospects that could significantly impact another disease space outside of cancer – autoimmunity. The efforts are getting a swirl of attention, with Bristol Myers Squibb Co. (BMS) announcing Oct. 10 that it would offer $1.5 billion in cash to buy three-year-old privately held Orbital Therapeutics Inc., including its lead, next-generation CAR T-cell therapy OTX-201, which is designed to reprogram cells in vivo for autoimmune diseases.

ARC (Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate), the innovation arm of Israel’s Sheba Medical Center is looking to use the principles of gaming and simulation to create smarter, more scalable solutions that will benefit both patients and providers.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. is exiting all work in cell therapies and will seek an external partner to advance the company’s research and clinic-ready cell therapy programs, the company said, noting that it is not currently running any clinical trials using cell therapy technology.

Among severe insulin-deficient diabetes patients, 12 weeks of 100-mg, once-daily dosing of Biomea Fusion Inc.’s icovamenib lowered hemoglobin A1c by 1.8% from placebo at the 52-week timepoint, an increased benefit over and above what was seen at 26 weeks.

The brain-computer interface (BCI) system being developed by Precision Neuroscience Corp. is capable of capturing high-resolution brain signals and stimulating areas without damaging the cortical surface, according to a study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

A top-line readout of the 26-week phase IIa Cbeyond trial showed nimacimab, Skye Bioscience Inc.’s peripherally restricted CB1 inhibitor antibody for weight loss, fell short of statistical significance as a monotherapy vs. placebo on the primary endpoint of weight loss, sending the company’s shares down 60%. Skye executives, however, offered a more optimistic outlook for the findings, which they said provide clear direction for moving forward.

Medtronic plc’s Brainsense adaptive deep brain stimulation system has been shown to be tolerable, effective and safe for long-term use at home in people with Parkinson’s disease. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Neurology found that the majority of participants who received aDBS with the Percept neurostimulator achieved good ‘on-time’ without troublesome dyskinesia compared to standard continuous DBS therapy.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. is exiting all work in cell therapies and will seek an external partner to advance the company’s research and clinic-ready cell therapy programs, the company said, noting that it is not currently running any clinical trials using cell therapy technology.

Synendos Therapeutics AG has delivered initial clinical data demonstrating the potential of its lead compound to selectively modulate the endocannabinoid system in the brain and to relieve anxiety symptoms without triggering a psychoactive response.

Phase IIb data of Metsera Inc.’s lead GLP-1 receptor agonist, MET-097i, showed significant weight loss and good tolerability, supporting a phase III start later this year, and validating Pfizer Inc.’s decision a week ago to buy the obesity-focused company for $7.3 billion.