DUBLIN – Roche Holding AG is taking a second shot on the NLRP3 inflammasome by acquiring Dublin-based Inflazome Ltd. for €380 million (US$447.8 million) up front plus undisclosed milestones linked to the progress of its two clinical-stage candidates inzomelid and somalix. In terms of cash on the table, the deal is the largest yet for a portfolio of drug candidates that acts on the NLRP3 inflammasome, and it represents a profitable exit for Inflazome’s investors, who put €55 million into the company over two funding rounds, in 2016 and in 2018. Read More
Gilead Sciences Inc.’s recent decision to acquire Immunomedics Inc. looks even smarter now in light of the full data in a phase III study of Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) released at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) over the weekend. Read More
CDK 4/6 inhibitor Verzenio (abemaciclib, Eli Lilly and Co.) reduced the risk of recurrence in women with high-risk hormone receptor driven and HER2-negative breast cancer when added to endocrine therapy in the monarchE phase III trial. Read More
One of the highlights of the first presidential program at this year’s European Society for Medical Oncology 2020 Virtual Congress were results from the Checkmate 9ER study by Toni Choueiri, who is the director of the Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Checkmate 9ER tested the use of a combination of checkpoint blocker Opdivo (nivolumab, Bristol Myers Squibb Co.) and receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor Cabometyx (cabozantinib, Exelixis Inc.) as first-line treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma. Read More
Gastric cancers were the focus of the final plenary session of the European Society for Medical Oncology’s Virtual Congress 2020. Results from the Checkmate-649, ATTRACTION-4, and Keynote-590 studies showed that advanced gastroesophageal tumors can benefit from first-line treatment with PD-1 checkpoint blockers in addition to chemotherapy, staving off progression and death by a few months. Read More
The importance of the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway in orchestrating the body’s innate response to pathogenic, tumor or self-DNA in the cytoplasm has made it a hot target in immunology research and drug discovery, and several biopharma companies have started programs dedicated to that area, spanning infectious and inflammatory diseases as well as cancer. The second part of this feature examines the products undergoing preclinical development as well as the ones that are now in clinical testing. Read More
LONDON - Scenic Biotech BV has signed up Genentech as first partner for its high-throughput platform for identifying genetic modifiers that can suppress or even completely block the effect of a disease-causing mutated gene, as starting points for drug discovery and development. Under the terms of the agreement, Scenic will identify modifiers in undisclosed therapeutic areas, with Genentech, part of the Roche Group, having an option to take multiple targets into development. Read More
Immune Regulation Ltd., a U.S.-U.K. venture advancing peptide-based therapies for rheumatoid arthritis and allergic diseases, has closed a £40.6 million (US$53.4 million) series B financing that will support its preparation for multiple phase II studies next year, as well as an evaluation of one candidate in COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome. Morningside Ventures led the round, along with existing shareholders, including London-based 24Haymarket. Read More
Following days of speculation, Illumina Inc. said today it will acquire liquid biopsy startup Grail Inc. for $8 billion in cash and stock, bringing back into the fold a company it spun out in 2016. The deal gives Illumina a major stake in the race the race to develop a less-invasive way to diagnose cancer. Since spinning out, Grail has raised nearly $2 billion from big-name investors with promises of a blood test for early cancer detection and is hoping to introduce its liquid biopsy as a laboratory-developed test (LTD) as early as next year. Read More
The latest global regulatory news, changes and updates affecting biopharma, including: CDER lays out public speech rules for staff; Health Canada opens quicker path for COVID-19 drugs; EMA OKs COVID-19 use of dexamethasone. Read More
New and updated preclinical and clinical data presented by biopharma firms at the European Society for Medical Oncology Virtual Congress 2020, including: Amgen, Astrazeneca, Bayer, Blueprint, BMS, Chi-Med, Eisai, Exelixis, Genentech, Genmab, Immunomedics, Innovent, Ipsen, Janssen, Lilly, Macrogenics, Merck, Novartis, Oncternal, Ose, Pieris, Regeneron, Roche, Sanofi, Seattle Genetics, Veru. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Alexion, Ampio, Arca, Astrazeneca, Crinetics, I-Mab, Merck, Otsuka, Harbour and Liminal. Read More
