Arbutus Biopharma Corp. has divulged programmed cell death protein 1 (PDCD1; PD-1; CD279)/PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1; CD274) interaction inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, hepatitis B and hepatitis D infections.
For COVID-19, the limited durability of vaccines requires multiple injections, and their effectiveness is continuously challenged by emerging new spike variants of the virus. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease Mpro plays a role in major polyprotein processing events and is essential for viral replication.
Arbutus Biopharma Corp. has described programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, hepatitis B and hepatitis D viral infection.
Researchers from Arbutus Biopharma Corp. presented preclinical data for the novel hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsid assembly inhibitor, AB-836, being developed for the treatment of chronic HBV infection.
The commercial success of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines has other companies in the space “looking in the attic, so to speak,” to see if they have any patents they can assert against components of the vaccines so they can get a percentage of the sales, Aziz Burgy, a patent attorney, told BioWorld. Given the global spread of the pandemic and how quickly it came on, the vaccines have generated billions of dollars in sales in a short period of time, and other companies want a share, he said. He compared today’s patent infringement cases against the vaccine producers to the litigation seen in the early days of the smartphone revolution when other high-tech companies scrambled for a piece of Apple’s and Samsung’s profits.
Qilu Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. licensed rights to AB-729, an RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic from Arbutus Biopharma Corp., in a deal worth up to $300 million. Qilu obtained rights to develop and commercialize the phase II asset for the treatment of hepatitis B (HBV) in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Under terms of the agreement, Qilu will pay Arbutus $40 million up front, as well as up to $245 million in development, regulatory and sales milestones. In addition, Qilu will make a $15 million equity investment in Arbutus at a price of $4.19 per share.
Qilu Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. licensed rights to AB-729, an RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic from Arbutus Biopharma Corp., in a deal worth up to $300 million. Qilu obtained rights to develop and commercialize the phase II asset for the treatment of hepatitis B (HBV) in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Under terms of the agreement, Qilu will pay Arbutus $40 million up front, as well as up to $245 million in development, regulatory and sales milestones. In addition, Qilu will make a $15 million equity investment in Arbutus at a price of $4.19 per share.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit struck a blow Nov. 30 to Biogen Inc.’s blockbuster multiple sclerosis (MS) drug, Tecfidera, affirming a lower court’s determination that a patent claiming a method of treating MS was invalid for lack of written description. In two other precedential cases the next day, the appellate court opened the door for Arbutus Biopharma Corp. to seek royalties on Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Building on a March deal leveraging lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology from Genevant Sciences Corp. to fight liver fibrosis, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has signed a second agreement with the company for the development and commercialization of therapies for up to two rare liver diseases. The deal includes up to $303 million in up-front and potential milestone payments for Genevant, plus royalties on possible product sales, adding to the first deal's similarly structured $600 million package.