In what it says is the biggest obesity deal to date, Zealand Pharma A/S has signed up Roche AG to a potential $5.3 billion global collaboration and license agreement to develop petrelintide, an amylin analog that is currently in phase IIb development. The two companies will co-develop and co-commercialize petrelintide and combination products, including a fixed-dose combination of petrelintide and CT-388, Roche’s dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist.

Positive top-line data from phase II and III studies of lorundrostat for treating uncontrolled or resistant hypertension propelled Mineralys Therapeutics Inc.’s stock sharply upward on March 10. The phase III Launch-HTN study hit its primary endpoint in reducing systolic blood pressure and the phase II Advance-HTN study also met its primary endpoint of a clinically meaningful reduction in blood pressure. Oral lorundrostat targets dysregulated mineralcorticoid aldosterone as a selective aldosterone synthase inhibitor. Mineralys estimated there to be about 15- to 20-million patients with uncontrolled hypertension in the U.S. On March 10, the Radnor, Pa.-based company’s shares (NASDAQ:MLYS) closed 42% upward at $14.96 each.

Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH terminated its second metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) alliance on March 6, ending an $870 million license agreement inked with Yuhan Corp. for dual GLP-1/FGF21 agonist, BI-3006337 (YH-25724). Yuhan said March 7 that Boehringer, of Ingelheim, Germany, returned rights to YH-25724, a dual-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 and fibroblast growth factor 21 receptor agonist, based on the counterparty’s “strategic judgement” on developing MASH therapeutics.

Rusfertide could become a blockbuster therapy for polycythemia vera, H.C. Wainwright analyst Douglas Tsao wrote March 4 after the injectable hepcidin mimetic peptide hit its primary endpoint and all four key secondary endpoints in the ongoing phase III Verify study.

Sofinnova Partners raised a whopping €1.2 billion (US$1.26 billion) over the past year to invest in life sciences companies ranging from incubation to later-stage growth, and spanning biotech, med tech, industrial biotech and digital medicine.

Regenerative medicine company Mesoblast Ltd. is preparing to launch its allogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy, Ryoncil, (remestemcel-L), in March in the U.S. and has priced the treatment at roughly $1.55 million for a full course.

The map of cystic fibrosis (CF) research is being redrawn in the U.K. as improvements in treatment, and in particular the introduction of CF modulator drugs, mean people with the rare inherited disease are living much longer.

As Wall Street looks ahead to phase III data due soon with Mineralys Therapeutics Inc.’s lorundrostat for uncontrolled or resistant hypertension, analysts are also weighing the odds of the firm in phase II with the same compound for obstructive sleep apnea.

Several Asia biotechs this week – including Innocare Pharma Ltd., Akeso Pharmaceuticals Inc., Sanbio Co. Ltd. and Ascletis Pharma Inc. – unveiled the start of new late-stage clinical trials or interim findings from early stage studies.

The lung and thrombosis may play a key role in cancer and metastasis progression, according to a collaborative study led by Cornell University scientists.