DUBLIN – Verona Pharma plc raised $200 million in a combined private placement and share subscription, which ensures the London-based firm has the funds in place to proceed with a phase III program for its lead drug candidate, ensifentrine, as maintenance therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It’s solid evidence that the company’s decision to bring in a new senior management team earlier this year is working. CEO David Zaccardelli and Chief Financial Officer Mark Hahn joined up in February, not long after they had led specialty pharma firm Dova Pharmaceuticals Inc. to a buyout deal with Stockholm-based Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB, worth up to $915 million. Read More
IPOs from Alx Oncology Holdings Inc. and Pandion Therapeutics Inc. launched July 17 as investors continued to pour money into biopharma’s public sector. Through June, $8.53 billion in biopharma IPOs had been filed so far this year by 35 companies. Read More
LONDON – While the pandemic raged, Brexit was simmering on the back burner, but now as infections wane, the industry is turning its attention back to being ready for the U.K. cutting ties with the EU at the end of December. Read More
Armata Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s recent $15 million award for a three-year program from the U.S. Department of Defense to partially fund a phase Ib/II study added to the already growing resurgence of notice for phage-based therapeutics, with even big pharma starting to take heed. Read More
LONDON – New human brain organoids that precisely model the three hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease – amyloid plaque-like lesions, progressive neuronal death and abnormal accumulations of tau – are now ready to be developed for use in high-throughput drug screening. Read More
PERTH, Australia – With a series A investment in hand, Glyscend Therapeutics Inc. will take its polymer therapeutic that mimics the effect of gastric bypass surgery to Australia next year to begin clinical trials. Read More
BioWorld looks at translational medicine, including: X chromosome is finished;
Protein degradation system targeted to KRAS; Bacteriophages find, fight microbiome’s dark side; Preventing T-cell rejection; Mitochondria, interneurons, cognition link explored.
Although the FDA suggested in May that it might have trouble meeting PDUFA dates due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 30 approvals of biologics and drugs handed down in June 2020 is the highest number for a single month in the past five years.
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: ADC, Aprea, Celltrion, Janssen, Phasebio, Sinopharm.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Applied DNA, Aptorum, Bio-Thera, Curadigm, Cyclerion, Fairhaven, Liminal, Ocular, Orphazyme, Pharmapark, Takis.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Beigene, BMS, Botanix, Denovo, Nabriva, Puma, Specialised Therapeutics, Sunovion.
