Persica Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has delivered positive 12-month follow-up data from its phase Ib study of PP-353, an injectable antibiotic for treating chronic lower back pain, and is now looking for a partner and further financing to take the product into phase III development.
Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc is buying Chimerix Inc. for $8.55 a share in cash, bringing the deal in at about $935 million. Jazz expands its cancer pipeline with the new acquisition’s lead candidate, dordaviprone, a small molecule for treating a rare, aggressive glioma that’s often found in children and young adults.
Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has out-licensed its preclinical candidate, KRP-M223, and its back-up compounds to Novartis Pharma AG in a deal worth up to $777.5 million. Under the terms, Novartis gains an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize Kyorin-discovered KRP-M223.
Biocity Biopharmaceutics Co. Ltd.’s selective endothelin receptor type A antagonist, SC-0062, met the primary endpoint of reducing proteinuria in a phase II diabetic kidney disease cohort. Conducted at 40 sites across China, the 2-Succeed phase II trial is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SC-0062 in patients with chronic kidney disease with proteinuria.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has once again decided against approving Eisai Australia Pty Ltd.’s amyloid beta binder, Leqembi (lecanemab), for treating patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease and mild Alzheimer's dementia.
Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has out-licensed its preclinical candidate, KRP-M223, and its back-up compounds to Novartis Pharma AG in a deal worth up to $777.5 million. Under the terms, Novartis gains an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize Kyorin-discovered KRP-M223.
Laekna Inc. has obtained FDA clearance of its IND application for LAE-120, an allosteric and highly potent USP1 inhibitor, for the treatment of advanced solid tumors.
For executives of Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., the missed primary endpoint in the phase IIb Progress study testing pilavapadin, its non-opioid candidate, in adults with moderate to severe diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain seemed merely a footnote for what CEO Mike Exton called an “exciting and long-awaited day for the Lexicon team, collaborators and patients.”
After Study 1’s independent data monitoring committee said the experiment will likely fall short of its primary endpoint with ulixacaltamide in essential tremor, Praxis Precision Medicines Inc. plans to wait for full data from Study 1 as well as Study 2 in the Essential 3 phase III program before deciding on regulatory moves.
About 17 months after emerging from stealth with its Trueglue discovery platform, Magnet Biomedicine Inc. has joined with Eli Lilly and Co. to discover, develop and commercialize molecular glue therapeutics for oncology. “It’s a really important deal, especially given the discovery of Trueglues is something Magnet is pioneering,” CEO Brian Safina told BioWorld. The deal includes $40 million in up-front and near-term payments, including an equity investment, as well as potential milestone payments, bringing the deal total to more than $1.25 billion, plus tiered royalties.