Scientists at Columbia University have used base editing to make precise changes in the genomes of human embryos, avoiding the damage to chromosomes that occurs following two-stranded DNA cuts with conventional CRISPR/Cas9 editing.

Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s potential $665 million deal for Oscotec Inc.’s cevidoplenib, a phase III-ready oral SYK inhibitor to treat immune thrombocytopenia, marks a new chapter of development focused on cancer therapy resistance for Oscotec, CEO Yoon Tae-young said.

China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) on June 4 granted conditional approvals to two oncology drugs from Lupeng Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Vcare Pharmatech Co. Ltd., as well as one hemophilia drug developed by Staidson Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

Scientists at Columbia University have used base editing to make precise changes in the genomes of human embryos, avoiding the damage to chromosomes that occurs following two-stranded DNA cuts with conventional Crispr-Cas9 editing.

In its largest acquisition to date, Incyte Inc. snagged rights to phase III-stage VGA-039, a monoclonal antibody the firm said could offer a new standard of care in von Willebrand disease (VWD), in a buyout of Vega Therapeutics Inc. that includes a $1.25 billion up-front payment and up to $750 million tied to the achievement of sales milestones. The announcement was followed shortly by news of another buyout, Johnson & Johnson’s deal to acquire Firefly Bio Inc. for $1 billion in cash, both moves continuing this year’s trend of larger, more strategic M&A transactions.

Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s potential $665 million deal for Oscotec Inc.’s cevidoplenib, a phase III-ready oral SYK inhibitor to treat immune thrombocytopenia, marks a new chapter of development focused on cancer therapy resistance for Oscotec, CEO Yoon Tae-young said.

Shares of Fulcrum Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:FULC) fell 54% after the company said it is discontinuing work on sickle cell disease (SCD) candidate pociredir, its only clinical-stage candidate, and reviewing strategic alternatives in the wake of the U.S. FDA’s safety concerns regarding the drug target.

Payoff for the November 2023 buyout of Immunogen Inc. came for Abbvie Inc. in the form of U.S. FDA clearance for the CD123-targeting antibody-drug conjugate Decnupaz (pivekimab sunirine) to treat adults with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), an ultra-rare, aggressive and quick-killing hematologic malignancy.

Bleednfire Therapeutics has launched, having secured nondilutive funding from Innosuisse, Venture Kick, the Gebert Rüf Foundation Innobooster program and Kickfund. It is co-founded by Landmark Bioventures AG and leading KOLs from the University of Bern and Inselspital (Bern University Hospital).

Cereno Scientific AB plans to initiate preclinical disease model studies evaluating CS-585 in antiphospholipid syndrome, a rare autoimmune disease associated with recurrent blood clots and serious cardiovascular complications. The studies will be initiated this year under an ongoing research collaboration with the University of Michigan.