As his firm unveiled early data with its spike protein-targeting COVID-19 therapy, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s chief scientific officer, George Yancopoulos, said that, even if researchers come up with a drug that works, coming up with efficient point-of-care diagnostics remains “a major societal imperative.” Read More

In a valuable new deal for Cstone Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Pfizer Inc. is taking a 9.9% stake in the company and licensing exclusive rights to commercialize its lead asset, the anti-PD-L1 antibody sugemalimab, in mainland China. Read More

With a just-completed $100 million common stock financing, Flame Biosciences Inc. plans to target the inflammasome, a protein complex that sets off innate immune responses by activating the cytokines IL-1beta and IL-18. Read More

HONG KONG – Shanghai-based Bioshin Ltd., the Asia-Pacific arm of New Haven, Conn.-based Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co. Ltd., has added $60 million to its war chest via a series A investment. Read More

PERTH, Australia – Starpharma Holdings Ltd. completed a AU$45 million (US$32 million) placement to domestic and international investors that will see it advance its COVID-19 antiviral nasal spray. The treatment is based on the company’s antiviral dendrimer, SPL-7013, which inactivates viruses by blocking the interaction between viral surface proteins and the human cell receptor proteins. Read More

Rather than the in-your-face, blame-and-shame show that was expected, the Sept. 30 drug pricing hearing before the U.S. House Oversight Committee was more a reminder of the policy differences between Democrats and Republicans on how best to make prescription drugs more affordable. Read More

CAJICA, Colombia – Privately held Inosan Biopharma SA De Cv, of Mexico City, is racing to develop a biological treatment to cure COVID-19 patients. Inosan has mastered the technique of using horses to produce antibodies to heal patients bitten by poisonous creatures, such as snakes, spiders and scorpions. Read More

BioWorld looks at translational medicine, including: Vascular endothelial cells active co-conspirators in metastasis; Targeted delivery improves checkpoint blockade. Read More

New hires and promotions in the biopharma industry, including: Compugen, Numab, Qihan. Read More

Biopharmas raising money in public or private financings, including: Allena, Aptorum, Arcutis, Biophytis, Cardiff, Carmot, Greenwich Lifesciences, Nanosyrinx, Orphazyme, PMV, Prelude, Sonoma. Read More

Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Akero, Alnylam, Biocryst, Curevac, Eisai, Galapagos, Harbour, IGM, Iliad, Intrabio, Isofol, Lidds, Moderna, Ovid, Prelude, Regeneron, Tonix, Ultimovacs. Read More

Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Applied Biomath, Aqilion, Axcella, Axim, Cannassure, Catalyst, Collegium, Cullinan, Elevation, Emerald, Jacobus, Ligand, Locus, Metuchen, Neurorx, Neurotrope, Pfenex, Pharco, Pulmatrix, Recce, Relief, Secura, Sorrento, Stabilitech, Taigen, Teva, US Oncology Research, Vedanta, Verastem. Read More

Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: CTI, Diurnal, I-Mab, Iterum, Janssen, Johnson & Johnson, Lantheus, Regenxbio. Read More