The clinically proven promise of an alopecia drug, without the risks of black box-bearing JAK inhibitors yet with powerful efficacy, led shares of Q32 Bio Inc. (NASDAQ:QTTB) to close July 13 at $21.38, up $10.17, or 90.7%.

Tvardi Therapeutics Inc. rebounded from a phase II blowup last fall in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) with oral STAT3 inhibitor TTI-101 by showing that a next-gen phosphate prodrug dubbed TTI-109 kept its potency in phase I without gastrointestinal (GI) troubles.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s oral TYK2 inhibitor zasocitinib (TAK-279) demonstrated statistical superiority over Bristol Myers Squibb Co.’s first-in-class Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) in a top-line phase III Latitude Atlas readout of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

Dermasensor Inc. received CE mark approval for its handheld skin cancer detection device using spectroscopy and AI to test suspicious skin lesions for cancer in real time at the point of care. The device is designed to help qualified healthcare professionals decide whether suspicious skin lesions need further investigation. With skin cancer rates rising, the Dermasensor joins several other AI-based tools entering the European market to help with the analysis of suspicious lesions.

Turn Therapeutics Inc. made public strongly positive findings from an interim analysis that involves the first 50 subjects in the ongoing phase II atopic dermatitis (AD) trial with IL-36 inhibitor GX-03.

Apogee Therapeutics Inc. loaded up on what could total as much as $1.3 billion in financial fuel from Blackstone Life Sciences funds that will be used to propel zumilokibart (zumi), which yielded positive phase II results in atopic dermatitis (AD). A phase III experiment with the anti-IL-13 antibody is planned for the second half of this year, pending talks with regulators.

Scientists at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology have identified and characterized human antibodies that neutralize the measles virus by blocking its entry into the cell. This is the first time that antibodies have been shown to bind effectively to two essential viral proteins, creating a dual blockade that prevents infection. Unlike the current vaccine, which is based on an attenuated virus and is not recommended for immunocompromised individuals, these monoclonal antibodies could be used both as a new vaccine approach and as a treatment for the entire population.

Avalo Therapeutics Inc. may have designed in lead asset abdakibart, a drug for hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) that offers a novel mechanism of action, wide dosing interval, and more-than-satisfying outcomes on the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response 75 endpoint, just what the doctor – and Wall Street – ordered.

Dermatology specialist Leo Pharma A/S is moving into gene therapy with the $50 million acquisition of Replay Holdings LLC, a seed-stage company that is developing high capacity herpes simplex virus vectors to treat rare inherited diseases.

In its largest acquisition to date, Chiesi Group is buying Kalvista Pharmaceuticals Inc. for $27 per share, a roughly 40% premium to the previous day’s closing price, putting the total deal value at about $1.9 billion. In return, the Italian pharma firm adds to its rare disease franchise Kalvista’s recently approved hereditary angioedema (HAE) drug, plasma kallikrein inhibitor Ekterly (sebetralstat), which has gotten off to a strong commercial launch as the only orally available, on-demand treatment for HAE.