A mixed bag of top-line phase II data prompted stellar stock results for Prokidney Corp. and its chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes therapy, rilparencel. The results came from two arms of the study, each with its own treatment regime. The market heartily took to the results as the company’s stock (NASDAQ:PROK) closed 515% upward at $3.73 per share after starting the day under $1 each.
The increased use of GLP-1 receptor agonists has led on to an increase in reports of acute pancreatitis in people taking these weight loss drugs in the U.K. That has prompted the launch of a pharmacogenomics project to investigate if there are any genetic links underlying the occurrence of this adverse event.
Abvance Therapeutics Inc. secured an undisclosed amount of capital in a seed round led by Zubi Capital to support development of an insulin and glucagon combination product that the company has been in the process of developing for approximately 18 months.
Innovent Biologics Inc. announced a HKD$4.3 billion (US$547 million) placement on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to advance its R&D projects and to fund its global expansion.
Far from eliminating the need for weight-loss procedures, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists could drive more people to seek them out. At least that’s what Fractyl Health Inc. and Bariendo Inc. hope, and they have strong evidence to support their case with a recent meta-analysis showing that individuals discontinuing the popular weight loss medications regain all their weight and more within two years.
China’s Pegbio Co. Ltd. launched its IPO on the Hong Kong stock exchange May 19, to raise up to HK$300.82 million (US$38.4 million) to advance visepegenatide (PB-119), its glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist.
In a deal that could top out at about $2.2 billion, Septerna Inc. is getting $200 million up front from Novo Nordisk A/S in a collaboration to develop oral treatments for obesity, type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic indications. There will be four programs for discovering, developing and commercializing small molecules targeting G protein-coupled receptors, which includes GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors, with both companies putting their shoulders to conducting research from discovery to choice of candidate.
Days after Pfizer Inc. pulled the plug on its oral GLP-1 candidate danuglipron, Eli Lilly and Co. aired positive top-line data from the phase III trial called Achieve-1 testing orforglipron vs. placebo in adults with type 2 diabetes and inadequate glycemic control with diet and exercise alone.
Hightide Therapeutics Inc.’s berberine ursodeoxycholate (HTD-1801) met primary and secondary endpoints in the Symphony 1 and Symphony 2 phase III trials in type 2 diabetes in Chinese patients. Based on the data, Shenzhen-based Hightide will submit an NDA to China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) later this year.
Building upon its already impressive obesity drug portfolio, Novo Nordisk A/S has licensed a triple agonist of the receptors for GLP-1, GIP and glucagon from United Biotechnology Co. Ltd. China-based United is getting $200 million up front and the chance to earn up to $1.8 billion in milestone payments. United Biotechnology retains the rights to subcutaneously administered UBT-251, which is in the early stages of development for treating obesity, type 2 diabetes and other diseases, in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan while Bagsværd, Denmark-headquartered Novo get exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize the triple agonist receptor across the rest of the world.
RSS
