Cycle Group Holdings Ltd. is buying Applied Therapeutics Inc. for a small fraction of the company’s value when it went public in 2019. Cycle is paying $0.088, nearly 9 cents, in cash per share plus a contingent value right (CVR).
Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Hansoh Biomedical Co. Ltd. have described compounds acting as gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor (GIPR), glucagon receptor (GCGR) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, NAFLD), diabetes and obesity.
The quest for metabolic disease assets continues with another player promising top dollar for novel therapeutics that deliver. Copenhagen, Denmark-based Zealand Pharma A/S entered a collaboration and license agreement with newly formed OTR Therapeutics to pursue next-generation small-molecule therapeutics, beyond the Danish firm’s current peptide pipeline candidates focused on the GLP-1, GLP-2, GIP, amylin and glucagon mechanisms.
Rezolute Inc.’s phase III Sunrize study of its only candidate, ersodetug, a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds to allosteric site on insulin receptors, missed its primary and secondary endpoints in treating the ultra-rare disease congenital hyperinsulinism.
Eli Lilly and Co.’s latest phase III results for the obesity and overweight populations suggest its triple agonist, retatrutide, can deliver significant weight loss that, in turn, leads to reduced osteoarthritis knee pain.
Meta Pharmaceutical (HK) Ltd. and Shenzhen Moyuan Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. have synthesized lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria.
Zealand Pharma A/S and OTR Therapeutics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. have signed a multi-program strategic collaboration and license agreement to discover and develop novel therapeutics for metabolic diseases.
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive disorder that results in decreased metabolism of the amino acid phenylalanine. Untreated PKU can lead to intellectual disability, seizures, behavioral problems and mental disorders. This metabolic disease is caused by mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene, resulting in patients’ inability to convert phenylalanine.
A month after besting rival Novo Nordisk A/S in a bidding war for obesity drug developer Metsera Inc., Pfizer Inc. is again adding to its GLP-1 arsenal, this time via a $2 billion licensing and collaboration agreement with Yaopharma, a subsidiary of China’s Fosun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.
With new results from Wave Life Sciences Ltd., Structure Therapeutics Inc. and Ascletis Pharma Inc., obesity management drugs continue to move forward in producing weight loss and move the market.
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