France’s Théa Open Innovation, a subsidiary of Laboratoires Théa SAS, terminated its licensing agreement with South Korea’s Olix Pharmaceuticals Inc., and returned global rights of Olix’s ocular small interfering RNA (siRNA) biologic agents, OLX-301D and OLX-301A.
Newco Yellowstone Biosciences Ltd. has been formed to develop soluble bispecific T-cell receptors against a novel class of tumor-specific antigens it has discovered in leukemia patients who were cured by a donor stem cell transplant. The company has proprietary access to a biobank of over 10,000 samples from more than 3,000 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. A small number of these patients were cured by an allogeneic bone marrow transplant, whilst unusually, having no sign of graft-vs.-host disease.
Quoted biotech investor Syncona Ltd. is still struggling with the fallout from one of the worst bear markets on record, reporting its net asset value fell from £1.25 billion (US$1.58 billion) to £1.24 billion in its 2023-24 financial results on June 20. That is despite a restructuring toward more mature companies, with 70% of the portfolio now invested in clinical-stage assets.
Ionctura SA closed a €80 million (US$86 million) series B round as it prepares to accelerate development of lead asset roginolisib in the treatment of uveal melanoma. That follows publication of phase Ib data showing roginolisib, an orally available allosteric modulator of the delta isoform of PI3K (phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate kinase), is distinguished from other drugs in this class, in being well-tolerated over long periods, with patients having been treated for up to 38 months.
Even patent attorneys aren’t particularly collectively excited about standard essential patents, but that hasn’t stopped the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office from signing a memorandum of understanding with the U.K. Intellectual Property Office to collaborate on policies related to these patents.
After delivering animal data to show that inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome induces weight loss in mice, Nodthera Ltd. has now demonstrated this effect translates to humans. In a phase Ib/II study of NT-0796, an orally available, brain-penetrant drug, subjects in both the active and placebo arms all lost weight, due to the calorie-restricted diet they received in the 28-day trial.
Fresh from the sale of one antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) company, Jack Elands has formed another, raising €30 million (US$32.2 million) in seed funding for Adcytherix SAS. The newco brings together the same cast as Elands’ former company, Emergence Therapeutics, which was sold to Eli Lilly and Co. for an undisclosed sum in a deal that closed in August 2023.
Two years after signing a $1.6 billion partnership with Marengo Therapeutics Inc., Paris-based Ipsen SA is back at it again, this time teaming up for two additional assets that target “cold” tumors in a deal that could bring privately held Marengo $1.2 billion. “We do something really novel and innovative and I think it’s very important to continue to validate it,” Marengo CEO Zhen Su told BioWorld, adding that with the newest deal, “we see validation all around this … It’s a success on success.”
Although consensus was not reached on the World Health Organization’s pandemic agreement, the World Health Assembly recognized the progress made by member states to develop a pandemic agreement and to strengthen International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005) during the 77th World Health Assembly meeting held May 27 to June 1 in Geneva.
The EMA has been sent back to the drawing board to re-evaluate PTC Therapeutics Inc.’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy therapy Translarna (ataluren), after failing to get the usual rubber stamp following its recommendation in January that the drug’s conditional approval be withdrawn.
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