In an uncertain time that’s dominated by COVID-19, Flagship Pioneering Inc. and Arch Venture Partners collectively raised a massive $2.56 billion to fund new company creation and growth. Read More

With an eye to continued pipeline expansion, Horizon Therapeutics plc has agreed to pay $45 million up front plus milestones to acquire stealth startup Curzion Pharmaceuticals Inc., the developer of a potential therapy for diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc). Read More

COVID-19 has disrupted science in the way it has disrupted everything else. In the short term, universities have largely closed shop as a way to maximize social distancing, and lots of science – or at least, lots of bench work – is not getting done. Read More

During its recent fourth-quarter and full-year earnings report, Foster City, Calif.-based Mirum Pharmaceuticals Inc. provided an update on the apical sodium dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) inhibitor maralixibat for Alagille syndrome (ALGS), which will be the subject of a rolling NDA starting in the third quarter of 2020. Read More

HONG KONG – China’s I-Mab Biopharma Co. Ltd. has entered a strategic partnership with Indonesia’s PT Kalbe Genexine Biologics (KG Bio). Through the deal, KG Bio will receive the right of first negotiation to commercialize two I-Mab-discovered candidates in the ASEAN and MENA regions as well as Sri Lanka. Read More

Indian scientists have discovered a previously unknown mechanism underlying life-threatening sepsis and proposed a new treatment strategy centered upon cell-free chromatin (cfCh), they reported in the March 4, 2020, edition of PLOS ONE. Notably, they showed that sepsis could be caused by cfCh released from dying host cells following microbial infection. Read More

Given the evolving COVID-19 situation, U.S. House committee chairs are asking the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to direct federal agencies to immediately extend all public comment periods by at least 45 days beyond the end of the declared national emergency, whenever that may be. Read More

New hires and promotions in the biopharma industry, including: Actimed, Biocryst, Curevac, E-therapeutics, Galera, Insmed, Oric, Replimune, Stridebio. Read More

Biopharmas raising money in public or private financings, including: Calviri, Dynacure, Rgenta. Read More

Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Algernon, Apeiron, Arena, Atara, Athera, Axial, Biogen, Dermavant, Eiger, Fulcrum, Geron, I-Mab, Mateon, Merck, Moleculin, Momenta, Noxxon, Oncolytics, Rhovac, Valbiotis, VBL, Xbrane, Zymeworks. Read More

Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: AC Immune, Adaptive, Advanz, Aicuris, Alnylam, Amgen, Ansun, Apeptico, Astrazeneca, Aurobindo, Axxam, Bharat, Bioaegis, Celator, Celularity, Cobra, Combigene, Cortexyme, Cytodyn, Elevation, Ennaid, ERS, Evotec, Flugen, Foamix, 14ner, Ipsen, Kite, La Jolla, Leo, Menlo, Merck, Merrimack, Novartis, Noxopharm, Paratek, Perrigo, Persephone, Ra, Redhill, Relief, Sandoz, Serimmune, Sonnet, Sorrento, Tetra, Teva, UCB, Vir, Zealand. Read More

Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Affimed, Applied, Celularity, Fera, Nicox, Pfizer, Pharmamar, Seattle Genetics. Read More