DUBLIN – Could a recombinant human protein drug rejected by Glaxosmithkline plc in 2019 benefit patients with COVID-19 infection? Apeiron Biologics AG disclosed Wednesday Feb. 26 that an investigator-initiated pilot study of APN-01 is getting underway in Guangzhou, China.
DUBLIN – Redx Pharma plc has put together a rescue package with two heavyweight investors that should ensure the company’s immediate future. Redmile Group LLC and Sofinnova Partners plan to provide up to £26.3 million (US$33.6 million) in funding to the struggling drug discovery and development firm.
DUBLIN – The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) diverged from the FDA on a key decision at its monthly meeting, which concluded Feb. 28. It refused to back an application from Eli Lilly and Co. for a line extension to its migraine prevention drug, Emgality (galcanezumab), which would have authorized the drug for preventing attacks during an episode of cluster headaches.
DUBLIN – Could a recombinant human protein drug rejected by Glaxosmithkline plc in 2019 benefit patients with COVID-19 infection? Apeiron Biologics AG disclosed Wednesday Feb. 26 that an investigator-initiated pilot study of APN-01 is getting underway in Guangzhou, China.
DUBLIN – Adrenomed AG disclosed Feb. 21 that its first-in-class antibody, adrecizumab, hit the primary safety and tolerability endpoint of a phase II trial in septic shock.
DUBLIN – Advanced Biodesign SAS secured €9 million (US$9.8 million) in new funding commitments to take its lead drug candidate, ABD-3001, into a phase I trial in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The Lyon, France-based firm is investigating a novel drug mechanism associated with cancer cell metabolism, which could have application across several cancer types.
DUBLIN – Meda AB’s acquisition in 2014 of the veteran Italian specialty pharma firm Rottapharm generated a €1.975 billion (US$2.2 billion) payday for the latter firm’s owners, the Rovati family. A small fraction of that amount is now being recycled into a new investment initiative, Aurora Science, which is a three-way partnership among Monza-based Rottapharm Biotech Srl (the R&D arm of the company that was not part of the Meda transaction), the Milan-based specialty pharma Italfarmaco SpA and Aurora-TT Srl, a Milan-based commercial technology transfer company.
DUBLIN – Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH is banking $50 million up front and could earn up to $550 million more in per-product milestones from an adoptive cell therapy deal in solid tumor indications with Glaxosmithkline plc, which initially involves two autologous cell therapies engineered to express T-cell receptors (TCRs) that bind novel cancer targets. Immatics would receive royalties on sales of any approved therapies.
DUBLIN – Neotx Therapeutics Ltd. raised $45 million in a series C round to continue clinical development of an immuno-oncology agent that already has a long clinical history behind it. Its lead molecule, naptumomab estafenatox, is a fusion protein comprising an antibody fragment that recognizes the oncofetal antigen 5T4 and a bacterial “super-antigen” comprising a modified version of the Staphylococcal enterotoxin A.
DUBLIN – Meda AB’s acquisition in 2014 of the veteran Italian specialty pharma firm Rottapharm generated a €1.975 billion (US$2.2 billion) payday for the latter firm’s owners, the Rovati family. A small fraction of that amount is now being recycled into a new investment initiative, Aurora Science, which is a three-way partnership among Monza-based Rottapharm Biotech Srl (the R&D arm of the company that was not part of the Meda transaction), the Milan-based specialty pharma Italfarmaco SpA and Aurora-TT Srl, a Milan-based commercial technology transfer company.
