The paper published June 19 in Nature Genetics that described a genome-wide analysis to narrow down the implicated pathogenic signaling pathways and “prioritize drug targets for IgA nephropathy [IgAN]” no doubt proved of great interest to developers, plenty of which are busy in the space.
“Sometimes the market gets ahead of the science,” said Dennis Purcell, founder of Aisling Capital, pointing to the way backers of genomics firms “went nuts” in the early 2000s. “I think we’re in a position today where the science is ahead of where the market is.” The remarks by venture capital (VC) expert Purcell came during a virtual salon hosted Aug. 30 by Demy-Colton and titled “VC Trends in Healthcare Investing: Current Pulse Check.” Panelists acknowledged the currently unfavorable financing environment but sounded upbeat about the industry’s path forward.
The list of 10 part D Medicare drugs listed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as eligible for negotiation raised some eyebrows on Wall Street, but proved mostly in accord with what the industry expected. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare can for the first time bargain with drug companies. The back-and-forth begins this year, carrying into next year, and the agreed-upon prices will take effect in 2026.
About two weeks after chikungunya virus (CHIKV) vaccine contender Bavarian Nordic A/S provided phase III data with its prospect, rival Valneva SE rolled out positive phase III safety findings in adolescents with its single-dose candidate VLA-1553. Results from the Saint-Herblain, France-based company’s first trial in an endemic area with people previously infected with CHIKV showed the product was generally safe and well-tolerated in subjects aged 12-17 years, regardless of previous infection by the mosquito-borne disease, carried mainly by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Immunogenicity data from the study are expected in November.
Merck & Co. Inc. is pledging major resources on its prospect in the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor space with a phase III program that together will enroll about 17,000 subjects and test oral peptide MK-0616’s effect on tackling low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Apollomics Inc.’s business combination this spring with Maxpro Capital Acquisition Corp., along with data that emerged from competitors Merck KGaA and Johnson & Johnson during the more recent American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting, shone a spotlight on continuing efforts to develop mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (cMET) inhibitors.
Jyong Biotech Ltd. filed for an IPO that could raise as much as $40 million to advance a pipeline that includes several prospects for urinary system disorders, including one that has reached the NDA stage in the U.S.
On the heels of the U.S. FDA clearance for Veopoz (pozelimab-bbfg) from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. to treat Chaple disease, the regulatory rollercoaster ride for the firm’s bid with higher-dose Eylea (aflibercept) ended with a green light for that compound as well. Eylea HD is indicated for wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, and diabetic retinopathy.
Jyong Biotech Ltd. filed for an IPO that could raise as much as $40 million to advance a pipeline that includes several prospects for urinary system disorders, including one that has reached the NDA stage in the U.S. Based in New Taipei City, Taiwan, Jyong was founded in 2002. The lead compound is MCS-2 for benign prostatic hyperplasia with lower urinary tract symptoms.
Abcuro Inc. pulled down an oversubscribed $155 million series B financing co-led by Redmile Group and Bain Capital Life Sciences to advance cytotoxic T and natural killer cells therapies. Specifically, proceeds will back the phase II/III registrational trial of ABC-008, a first-in-class anti-killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 (KLRG1) antibody for inclusion body myositis (IBM) as well as fund continued development of other clinical programs.
