When it comes to the U.S. biopharma market, pricing seems to be the driving focus of most congressional conversations – and government contracts. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., hit pause on that conversation at a June 11 House subcommittee hearing on the drug supply chain, when he asked if the U.S. is sacrificing security for price.
Philochem AG’s ligand-targeting approach drew to the table Bristol Myers Squibb Co. in a potential $1.35 billion agreement granting BMS subsidiary Rayzebio Inc. exclusive worldwide rights to OncoACP3, a diagnostic and therapeutic candidate targeting prostate cancer.
Deep Apple Therapeutics Inc. could bring in as much as $812 million in a new collaboration and license deal with Novo Nordisk A/S. The total includes an unspecified up-front payment, research costs and milestones. The two plan to develop and commercialize oral small molecules for non-incretin G-protein coupled receptor targets for treating cardiometabolic diseases, including obesity, a core specialty for Novo Nordisk.
3Sbio Inc. reported interim phase II study results of its PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody, SSGJ-707 – a “fabulous” asset, according to Pfizer Inc. CEO Albert Bourla, that landed in Pfizer’s cancer arsenal via a potential $6 billion deal in May, of which $1.2 billion was paid up front.
Three months after dosing the first patient with its dual vector gene therapy, Splicebio SL has closed a $135 million series B to fund the phase I/II trial of SB-007 in the treatment of Stargardt’s disease to completion. Other adeno-associated viru gene therapies for the inherited retinal disorder have entered the clinic, but SB-007 is the first with the capacity to deliver a full version of the ABCA4 gene that underlies Stargardt’s.
Ascletis Pharma Inc.’s once-daily oral fatty acid synthase inhibitor, denifanstat, demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements compared to placebo, meeting all primary and secondary endpoints in a phase III trial for moderate to severe acne vulgaris.
Ligachem Biosciences Inc. signed two license agreements with Novarock Biotherapeutics Inc., a subsidiary of CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd., to bring in two of Novarock’s antibodies and create antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidates with novel cancer targets.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Alnylam, Axsome, George Medicines, Italfarmaco, Lipocine, Tuhura, Verity.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Beone, Compedica, Concentra, Elevation, Formosa, Harrow, Neowise, Nipro, Portage, Samsung Bioepis.
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Ascendis, Avidity, Everest, In8bio, Merck, Metsera, Newamsterdam, Polypid, Regeneron, Sanofi, Vertex.