A multi-institutional group led by the University of California at San Francisco’s Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI) has identified more than 200 host proteins that interacted with SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins during infection, creating “a blueprint of how SARS-CoV-2 hijacks human cells,” QBI Director Nevan Krogan told reporters. They then used that blueprint to identify 10 drugs, some FDA approved and some in clinical trials, that were able to inhibit viral growth in cell culture assays, marking them for further study as potential antivirals. The work also identified one compound, dextromethorphan, that appeared to facilitate viral growth. Read More
Taysha Gene Therapies Inc., a new Dallas-based company reuniting former executives of Avexis Inc. and its funders, has launched with a $30 million seed financing intended to advance a pipeline of 15 new AAV-based candidates. Its team expects to file four INDs by the end of 2021, starting with one for GM2-gangliosidosis that could move to the clinic later this year. Read More
DUBLIN – Shares in Valneva SE rose by as much as 32% during early trading April 30 on news that Pfizer Inc. is paying $130 million up front to in-license its Lyme disease candidate vaccine, VLA-15. Read More
Seattle-based Neoleukin Therapeutics Inc. is targeting the end of 2020 for an IND submission related to prospective cancer immunotherapy NL-201, described as an engineered, hyperstable agonist of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-15. It’s meant to eliminate alpha receptor binding and thereby overcome the problems with native IL-2. Read More
How U.S. health care emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic is a million-dollar question, as patients, providers, payers and drug manufacturers are adapting to a new reality that’s advancing telehealth and changing how providers interact with patients. Read More
Carmell Therapeutics Corp., of Pittsburgh, received fast track designation from the U.S. FDA for its first product, CT-101, a bone healing accelerant. Carmell is gearing up for a phase III study of the plasma-based bioactive accelerant as part of its pursuit of a biologic license application. Read More
Even as the world grapples with COVID-19, researchers and public health officials are trying to apply its lessons to future outbreaks. In our series “The next pandemic,” BioWorld explores the strategies and technologies that could improve the fight against future outbreaks, from robust surveillance to rapid vaccines. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Acasti, Akarx, Alpha Cognition, Annovis Bio, Banner Life Sciences, Biocardia, Dova, Galectin, Genmab, Glaxosmithkline, Inmed, Junshi, Marker, Medivir, Neon, Pharming, Seelos, Zentalis. Read More
