When it comes to cell therapy, Alloplex Biotherapeutics Inc. CEO Frank Borriello said he believes that autologous, personalized therapy is the only thing that makes sense. “The allure of an off-the-shelf therapy has been such a magnet. It sucked in a lot of companies into that dream, and I'm sorry to say, it hasn't really worked out for them,” he told BioWorld. Instead, Borriello said he envisioned a cell training platform that doesn’t just tweak a single immune pathway but instead harnesses multiple immune pathways to turn the tables on cancer.
With the U.S. FDA approval of Attruby (acoramidis) for transthyretin amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), Bridgebio Pharma Inc. is taking on an industry giant. The next-generation, oral, small-molecule stabilizer of transthyretin will take on Pfizer Inc.’s Vyndamax (tafamidis, Vyndaqel), a TTR stabilizer approved in 2019 for ATTR-CM but expected to lose exclusivity in late 2028. The approval was based on a phase III study that showed Attruby significantly reduced death and cardiovascular-related hospitalizations. The NDA, which had a Nov. 29 PDUFA date, was approved Nov. 22.
The Alzheimer’s disease (AD) space took another blow along with the shares of Cassava Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:SAVA), which plummeted by 83.8%, or $22.19, to end Nov. 25 at $4.30 after the firm unveiled top-line data from the phase III Rethink-Alz study with simufilam. The study tested simufilam in mild to moderate AD, where results fell short of each of the prespecified co-primary, secondary and exploratory biomarker endpoints.
Many studies have linked the presence of specific bacteria to various diseases. But a general overgrowth of gut bacteria can be a symptom of different conditions, including colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.
Karen Carey, BioWorld’s managing editor and chief analyst, and Anette Breindl, managing editor of Bioworld Science, join this episode of the BioWorld Insider podcast to talk about the business and the science of women’s health.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Bayer, Inxmed, Jazz, Nurix.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Alloy, Ayrmid, Biolinerx, Gamida, Pep2tango, Primefour, Takeda, Transposon.