Top-line data from Relmada Therapeutics Inc.'s phase II study of REL-1017 (dextromethadone) in patients with treatment-resistant depression caused the stock to more than double Tuesday, a great day on the market.
When Eli Lilly and Co. took over Colucid Pharmaceuticals Inc. for nearly $1 billion in early 2017, it brought then-migraine candidate Reyvow (lasmiditan) back to its founder and now to its FDA approval for the acute treatment of migraine, with or without aura, in adults. Its unusual mechanism puts it outside many other approved migraine treatments, which could hinder its market penetration.
The first patients have been treated in Kodiak Sciences Inc.'s phase II DAZZLE trial of anti-VEGF antibody biopolymer conjugate KSI-301 in patients with treatment-naïve wet age-related macular degeneration. At least 368 patients worldwide are expected to enroll in the study. The primary endpoint will be assessed at one year and each patient will be treated and followed for two years.
Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Stealth Biotherapeutics Corp. reached a deal for an option to co-develop and commercialize elamipretide for mitochondrial diseases.
Bluebird Bio Inc. and Novo Nordisk A/S plan to develop in vivo genome editing treatments for genetic diseases, including hemophilia, over the next three years.
Minoryx Therapeutics SL, of Barcelona, completed recruitment early for its FRAMES phase II trial of MIN-102 (leriglitazone), a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonist, to treat Friedreich's ataxia.
Akcea Therapeutics Inc., a majority owned affiliate of Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Pfizer Inc. signed an exclusive, worldwide licensing deal for AKCEA-ANGPTL-3-LRx, which is being developed to treat cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The deal follows a period during which Akcea's stock (NASDAQ:AKCA) has sagged prior to rising Monday and big changes in the company's C-suite.
Rough times continued Friday at Arbutus Biopharma Corp. as it discontinued clinical development of AB-506, an oral capsid inhibitor, which is in a clinical trial for treating chronic hepatitis B. The decision was made when two healthy volunteers were found to have acute hepatitis.
Adicet Bio Inc.'s relatively newly minted president and CEO, Anil Singhal, found the company heading in the right direction when he took over in May, and the company's good standing, including a new $80 million series B fundraiser, is a result of that earlier stewardship.
After its momentum-building end-of-phase II meeting with the FDA, Contrafect Corp. will start a single phase III trial of exebacase to treat Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia before year-end.
