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.
Rubius Therapeutics Inc. is taking a giant step back so that it can attempt taking a few steps forward. The company said it’s restructuring to focus on taking its Rubius Erythrocyte Design (RED) cell therapeutics platform from what it considers a good thing and turn it into a better one. Rubius engineers red blood cells to become cancer fighters but a lack of progress and the lure of similar but new technology could lead to bigger and better results.
Shares in Akero Therapeutics Inc. more than doubled in value after the company announced results from a phase IIb nonalcoholic steatohepatitis trial that it believes show lead candidate efruxifermin could challenge other candidates in development for the fatty liver disease targeted by so many biotechs and big pharmas.
An investigational drug developed in Cuba for the potential treatment of Alzheimer´s and Parkinson's diseases has moved forward to phase III trials there, where scientists are optimistic about results of previous studies. The candidate, named Neuroepo and branded Neuralcim, was developed by the Center of Molecular Immunology (also known by its Spanish acronym CIM), a state-owned lab in the Caribbean nation.
The gamma secretase inhibitor nirogacestat (Springworks Therapeutics Inc.) reduced the risk of disease progression by roughly 70% in a randomized placebo-controlled phase III trial in patients with desmoid tumors.
Data presented Sept. 9 at the European Society of Medical Oncology 2022 Congress showed impressive effects for KRAS inhibitors. But they also illustrated their limitations. Earlier-stage trials and researcher presentations, meanwhile, suggested ways those limitations might be addressed. Results from the Codebreak 200 study, presented in the day’s Presidential Symposium, were typical of the best that targeted therapies have to offer: large effects for brief time periods.
Scientifically at least, the biggest story coming out of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2022 Congress is the success of cell therapy in solid tumors. “During this ESMO, there is a lot of novelty coming from T-cell therapies,” John Haanen told the audience at his joint keynote speech with Ton Schumacher – so much so that Haanen and Schumacher, both group leaders at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, left antibodies out of their keynote session in order to do justice to the advances in cell therapies.
Catalym GmbH reported in an oral session at the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting in Paris that its first-in-class growth differentiation factor 15 inhibitor, visugromab, demonstrated preliminary signs of efficacy in a heavily pretreated group of cancer patients who were resistant or refractory to checkpoint inhibitors.
Success in two pivotal studies of high dose Eylea (aflibercept) has significantly strengthened Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s market position. But the company will face stiff competition from biosimilars and Roche Holding Group’s recently approved Vabysmo. After struggling for much of the year, the Tarrytown, N.Y.-based company’s stock (NASDAQ: REGN) rose about 20% this week. It closed 2% upward on Sept. 9 at $724.32 per share.
The bad news in March 2022 from Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. regarding Natpara, its recombinant human parathyroid hormone for hypoparathyroidism (HPT), served to generate more interest in the already bubbling space, where a handful of players large and small own prospects at various clinical stages.
RSS
