Top-line phase III results showing Hutchmed Ltd.’s targeted therapy fruquintinib reduced the risks of death and disease progression by 34% and 68%, respectively, for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer could “lay a solid foundation for Hutchmed to initiate discussions with regulatory authorities worldwide,” a spokesperson of Hutchmed, told BioWorld.
Voronoi Inc. out-licensed its pan-RAF inhibitor program in a deal worth up to $482.2 million with Metis Therapeutics, a company integrating drug discovery and delivery with artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Startup Avelos Therapeutics Inc. raised $8 million in series A funding that will launch the company’s biomarker-driven cancer therapy pipeline using its synthetic lethality platform. Participating in the series A funding were SV Investment, UTC Investment, Quad Investment Management, Timepolio Asset Management, Mirae Asset Venture Investment and Mirae Asset Capital.
Scientists from the University of Queensland have created a new antibiotic that can neutralize various gram-positive bacteria in mice, including major threats such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In a recent study, published in the Sept. 14, 2022, issue of Science Translational Medicine, the new compound outperformed the approved antibiotic vancomycin, and destroyed tough-to-eradicate bacterial biofilms while prompting a low rate of resistance.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Radiopharm Theranostics Ltd. have launched Radiopharm Ventures LLC, a joint venture (JV) that will develop radiopharmaceutical therapies for cancer. Radiopharm Theranostics owns 51% of shares in the new entity, while MD Anderson owns 49%.
China has issued a slew of measures to encourage domestic developers by constraining overseas-made medical devices from entering the market. “Policies to guide medical institutions to give priority to the purchase of domestic medical devices and consumables can help Chinese manufacturers to acquire market share. This also encourages domestic manufacturers to continue improving technology to narrow the technology gap with foreign firms,” said Cai Mingzi, analyst at Kaiyuan Securities Co. Ltd., in a note.
MGI Tech Co. Ltd. raised ¥3.602 billion (US$518 million) on the Shanghai STAR Market. Shares (SHA: 688114) debuted at ¥87.18 apiece on the first trading day on Sept. 9. They closed at ¥124 per share on Sept. 14.
Top-line phase III results showing Hutchmed Ltd.’s targeted therapy fruquintinib reduced the risks of death and disease progression by 34% and 68%, respectively, for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer could “lay a solid foundation for Hutchmed to initiate discussions with regulatory authorities worldwide,” a spokesperson of Hutchmed, told BioWorld.