The FDA has cleared AD-NP1, a drug developed by University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for heart tissue regeneration, to enter clinical trials. The monoclonal antibody blocks the production of ENPP1 protein, which was found to interfere with healing after a heart attack.
A top-line readout of the 26-week phase IIa Cbeyond trial showed nimacimab, Skye Bioscience Inc.’s peripherally restricted CB1 inhibitor antibody for weight loss, fell short of statistical significance as a monotherapy vs. placebo on the primary endpoint of weight loss, sending the company’s shares down 60%. Skye executives, however, offered a more optimistic outlook for the findings, which they said provide clear direction for moving forward.
Recent evidence in atopic dermatitis (AD) points to the involvement of additional pro-inflammatory pathways besides core Th2 responses. Current therapeutic approaches that work target mostly the IL-4/IL-13 pathway, but the duration of response and depth could be improved.
Climb Bio Inc. has announced results from a completed nonhuman primate (NHP) study of CLYM-116, an anti-APRIL monoclonal antibody (mAb) in development for IgA nephropathy.
Researchers from Novartis AG reported preclinical efficacy data on VHB-937, an agonist human monoclonal antibody targeting TREM2 in models of neuroinflammation.
A failed July inspection of manufacturer Catalent Indiana LLC has delayed another U.S. FDA approval, the latest being that of Scholar Rock Inc.’s selective anti-latent myostatin antibody, apitegromab, which was expected to become the first therapy to enhance skeletal muscle in patients with spinal muscular atrophy.
“People have some inability to focus on [Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s] pipeline,” which stands as “the most prolific in the industry, I would dare to say,” CEO Leonard Schleifer remarked during the Morgan Stanley health care conference Sept. 8. Most recently, Regeneron bragged on two prospects. The ultra-rare disease fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) took center stage Sept. 17 with news that the phase III Optima trial testing fully human monoclonal antibody garetosmab met its primary endpoint. Separately, Regeneron provided updated analyses of the phase II Courage trial that tested new pairings of GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide plus the anti-GDF8/anti-myostatin compound trevogrumab, with or without garetosmab, in obesity.
As Avidity Biosciences Inc. brought the second-largest follow-on offering of the year to the market, the company also released positive early and midstage stage results of del-zota, an antibody-oligonucleotide conjugate, in treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Phase I/II results showed a reversal of disease progression in patients who have been continuously treated for a year, plus improvements in several functional measures.
“New explosions in biotechnology are allowing us to interrogate cancers at a very sophisticated level compared to before,” Dennis Slamon told audience members at the Global Bio Conference in Seoul, South Korea Sept. 3.
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