Edgewise Therapeutics Inc. is pulling in $1.55 billion up front by selling its muscular dystrophy business, including its fast skeletal myosin inhibitor, sevasemten (EDG-5506), to Servier SA. The deal is potentially worth up to $2.65 billion when including a potential $1.1 billion in milestone payments.
Recent findings are reshaping current understanding of the post-infection landscape of SARS-CoV-2. Although previous studies had already suggested that autoimmunity might underlie the persistent neurological symptoms seen in long COVID, researchers at Yale University and Mount Sinai now reinforce this hypothesis. SARS-CoV-2 infection appears to trigger an autoimmune mechanism that drives chronic pain, fatigue and cognitive impairment in some patients.
The “deep dive” April 8 by Ovid Therapeutics Inc. into potassium-chloride co-transporter 2 (KCC2) research included company officials and independent experts in the space, where a handful of drug developers are known to be working. New York-based Ovid owns a portfolio of potential first-in-class direct activators of KCC2, and the firm detailed pharmacodynamic results along with the translational and clinical development strategy.
Medtronic plc is strengthening its pain management portfolio with its $650 million move to buy SPR Therapeutics Inc. and bring the company’s peripheral nerve stimulation system for sustained pain relief into its neuromodulation offering. The deal marks Medtronic’s third tuck-in deal so far this year, following its $585 million purchase of Cathworks Ltd. and $550 million acquisition of Scientia Vascular Inc., and is also a sign of the momentum in M&A activity in the medtech sector with other players making strategic acquisitions.
Researchers at UCLA have shown that divergent neuronal signaling in fragile X mice converges on EPAC2, a druggable target whose inhibition restores circuit activity and alleviates core behavioral impairments.
A new strategy aims to improve gene therapy for Pompe disease by optimizing both the genetic component that restores the function of a deficient lysosomal enzyme and the vector that delivers it to the target tissue while avoiding the liver. The findings suggest that combining an optimized transgene with a targeted capsid could significantly enhance the effectiveness of gene therapy for Pompe disease.
Sonomind SAS raised €20 million (US$23 million) in a series A funding round for its ultrasound-based neuromodulation technology for depression. The funds will be used for clinical trials of the non-invasive device, which uses a custom-made acoustic lens to precisely target deep regions within the brain to bring relief to patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression.
Biogen Inc. has decided to advance diranersen (BIIB-080) into registrational trials for early Alzheimer’s disease, even though the antisense oligonucleotide therapy, originally discovered by Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., missed its phase II primary endpoint.
Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co. Ltd. is paying $60 million up front for an option to secure exclusive rights to Aribio Co. Ltd.’s oral phase III-stage Alzheimer’s disease (AD) therapy, AR-1001. The option fee plus license agreement has potential to tally $4.7 billion for Aribio, marking the largest deal for an AD asset inked by a Korean biotech company.
Metis Techbio Co. Ltd. is seeking a potential HK$2.11 billion (US$270 million) raise through a stock sale May 13, marking the largest biotech raise on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange this year to date. Hangzhou, China-based Metis is an AI-based nanoparticle drug formulation and delivery-focused company. Synthetic lethality-based cancer drugmaker Impact Therapeutics Inc., of Shanghai, plans to debut on the same day with a US$117 million IPO.
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