Neurodegenerative pathologies, once primarily associated with protein alterations, should be revisited in the context of lipidopathies, researchers argued at the 2025 International Conference of Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s Disease and Related Neurological Disorders (AD/PD 2025).
Sangamo Therapeutics Inc. is adding a much-needed $18 million up-front payment in a neurology-focused deal with Eli Lilly and Co. that could bring up to an additional $1.4 billion. In return, Lilly gets access to Sangamo’s neurotropic adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid, STAC-BBB, which has shown early promise in penetrating the blood-brain barrier penetration, for one initial target with the right to add up to four more.
Sumitomo Pharma Co. Ltd. announced that it will sell off two more of its subsidiaries, Sumitomo Pharma (China) Co. Ltd. and Sumitomo Pharma Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (and their subsidiaries), to Marubeni Global Pharma Corp. April 1, as the Japanese pharma continues restructuring efforts from last year.
At the recently launched Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s Diseases Conference held in Vienna, Lotte Bjerre Knudsen from Novo Nordisk A/S, who has extensive experience in glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) research, delivered a plenary lecture focused on the role of GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide, in attenuating neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.
Despite missing the primary endpoint in a phase III study of solriamfetol in major depressive disorder, Axsome Therapeutics Inc. still sees a path to another phase III study. It’s a path some analysts and investors are concerned about, though its precision-medicine approach got plenty of nods of approval.
The EMA has rejected the Alzheimer’s disease therapy Kisunla (donanemab) from Eli Lilly and Co., saying the benefits of the anti-amyloid antibody do not outweigh the risks of edema and hemorrhage in the brain, known as amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA).
The first disease modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s may have limited utility in some senses, but they will be a force for change, providing momentum and altering the way governments as payers, and health systems as carers, think about the disease.
Eight months after announcing the $18.5 million first tranche of its series A, Augustine Therapeutics has closed the oversubscribed round at $85 million and is now ready to begin clinical development of its novel histone deacetylase-6 (HDAC6) inhibitors.
Roivant Sciences Ltd. CEO Matt Cline said the firm’s unit Immunovant Inc. with FcRn blocker batoclimab has established “frankly a new bar” in myasthenia gravis (MG) as the New York-based firm reported top-line results from its phase III study and first data from period 1 of the phase IIb study with the same drug in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. The data look promising, and Immunovant intends to use the findings to help advance second-generation FcRn prospect IMVT-1402 in both indications. Potentially registrational trials are planned. The U.S. FDA has granted IND clearance.
Wall Street was weighing the gravity of the death from acute liver failure of a patient who was treated for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) with Sarepta Therapeutics Inc.’s gene therapy, Elevidys (delandistrogene moxeparvovec). Liver injury is a known possible side effect of the product, first approved by the U.S. FDA in June 2023 for DMD, as well as other AAV-mediated gene therapies, and the potential problem is highlighted in Elevidys’ prescribing information.
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