Fosun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. subsidiary Fosun Pharma Industrial is out-licensing its phase II dipeptidyl peptidase 1 inhibitor, XH-S004, to newco Expedition Therapeutics Inc. in a deal worth up to $645 million. Under terms of the deal, Expedition gains global rights to rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize XH-S004, except in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Novartis AG’s monoclonal antibody, ianalumab, has notched back-to-back wins, one in treating Sjögren’s disease and the other for primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).  In Sjögren’s, which has no U.S. FDA-approved treatment, the phase III Neptunus-1 and Neptunus-2 studies are the first phase III trials to prompt statically significant reductions in adults with the autoimmune disease. In ITP, a disease that has yet to see a cure, top-line data of a phase III study of ianalumab combined with eltrombopag stretched to the time to treatment failure compared to placebo, the primary endpoint showing the maintenance of safe platelet levels.

The largest genome-wide association study to date of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome has identified eight genetic loci that are significantly associated with the chronic debilitating condition. Onset of ME/CFS often is traced back to an infection and four of the loci involve genes that are expressed in response to viral or bacterial infections.

Mabylon AG has raised a total of CHF30 million (US$37 million) to advance its pipeline and support its work using human-derived, multi-specific antibodies for the treatment of allergies. The funding combines equity investment and a convertible loan.

In the tumor microenvironment, cancer cells activate various signaling pathways to promote their growth. This includes the formation of blood vessels. However, the circulatory system is not the only one attracted to the tumor. Researchers at Sanford Research have uncovered a mechanism to circumvent the immune response that would destroy them.

Quantumpharm Inc., known as Xtalpi Inc., announced receiving $51 million up front from a potential $5.99 billion deal with Dovetree LLC on Aug. 6. The collaboration, first inked through a letter of intent between the two parties on June 23, will combine Shenzhen, China-based Xtalpi’s AI-based and robotics-driven discovery platform with Dovetree’s “biological insights.” The goal will be to select and validate potential first-in-class candidates for Dovetree across five areas of oncology, immunology and inflammatory diseases, neurological disorders and metabolic dysregulation.

The Nipah virus (NiV) from the Henipavirus genus is a bat-borne zoonotic pathogen that causes encephalitis and acute respiratory distress syndrome in humans. NiV infections have a very high fatality rate. No approved vaccine or therapeutics against NiV infection exist for use in humans despite its dangerous potential for causing larger epidemics.

Quantumpharm Inc., known as Xtalpi Inc., announced receiving $51 million up front from a potential $5.99 billion deal with Dovetree LLC on Aug. 6. The collaboration, first inked through a letter of intent between the two parties on June 23, will combine Shenzhen, China-based Xtalpi’s AI-based and robotics-driven discovery platform with Dovetree’s “biological insights.” The goal will be to select and validate potential first-in-class candidates for Dovetree across five areas of oncology, immunology and inflammatory diseases, neurological disorders and metabolic dysregulation.

The difference between the origin of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its symptoms is an obstacle to finding effective treatments. Scientists focused on amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and tau aggregates to slow neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Without identifying what causes AD, approved treatments do not provide much benefit. However, new findings suggest that restoring lithium levels in the brain could prevent and treat AD. Not just any lithium would work, just the forms that do not bind to Aβ.