Spyre Therapeutics Inc. is off to a good start in its goal to create the best combination therapy for inflammatory bowel disease, a group of chronic, relapsing autoimmune conditions of the digestive tract that encompasses Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The Waltham, Mass.-based company estimates the market for IBD is currently at approximately $25 billion but will jump to around $40 billion in 2030.

Revenio Group Oyj has agreed to acquire ophthalmic diagnostics company Visionix International SAS for an enterprise value of €290 million (US$339 million) as it looks to become a leading player in the global eye care market. The deal expands Revenio’s offering with a highly complementary product and software portfolio, including optical coherence tomography equipment, an important and growing segment which is new to the company.

“Home-run” efficacy and what Cowen analyst Tyler Van Buren called “pristine” safety in the phase II Alpha3 study with CAR T therapy cemacabtagene ansegedleucel (cema-cel) sent shares of Allogene Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:ALLO) skyward to a $4.46 high, up nearly 64%, on April 13. Shares eventually closed at $3.06, up 34 cents.

“Unprecedented,” “remarkable” and “transformative” were just a few of the descriptives tossed out by Wall Street analysts in response to Revolution Medicines Inc.’s phase III readout, showing RAS inhibitor daraxonrasib hit its overall survival and progression-free survival endpoints in previously treated patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, setting up the company for potential regulatory filings this year and triggering another round of M&A speculation.

Abstracts released ahead of the American College of Cardiology meeting held in late March in New Orleans, along with the start of dosing near the end of January in Novartis AG’s phase IIb trial with siRNA therapy DII-235, also known as BW-20829, perked up the already-lively lipids/heart space.

The development of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, has been a game changer in the clinical management of overweight and obesity, but there is interpersonal variability in efficacy of these medications for weight loss, as well as in the incidence of undesired side effects. Investigators from the 23andMe Research Institute have shed some light on how variations in the GLP-1R and GIP receptor (GIPR) genes impact their effectiveness and the occurrence of side effects.

Replimune Group Inc. received another complete response letter (CRL) from the U.S. FDA for immunotherapy vusolimogene oderparepvec to treat advanced melanoma, sending shares plunging by more than 19% on the April 10 PDUFA date.