With the world heading straight into a "very tough" stretch of the COVID-19 pandemic in which "too many countries are seeing an exponential increase in cases," according to World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, two lucrative deals announced Oct. 28 showed little slack in efforts to confront the virus, even as evidence is still developing. Read More
Miragen Therapeutics Inc. gained ground lost on Wall Street earlier this month and then some, with shares (NASDAQ:MGEN) closing at $1.26, up 74 cents or 142% after the company disclosed plans to take over Viridian Therapeutics Inc., conducting at the same time a private placement that will raise $91 million. Read More
Longboard Pharmaceuticals Inc. is spinning out from Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc., courtesy of a $56 million financing to help develop CNS-targeted therapies. On the table to be developed are compounds discovered using Arena’s G protein-coupled receptor research engine. Read More
PERTH, Australia – Opthea Ltd. completed a $128.2 million IPO on the U.S. Nasdaq market, which will fund two phase III trials in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and bring the company’s lead candidate, OPT-302, to market if successful. Read More
DUBLIN – The biotechnology sector may be more awash with cash now than at any other time in its history. But that does not alter the fundamental dynamic between biotech and big pharma. If anything, their respective roles are becoming better defined, as biotechs learn how to build value into their assets to the point where big pharma is willing to step in and take on the financial risk of scaling a program where it can truly go global. Read More
The opening plenary abstract session at the 2020 annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) began with the definition of a new disease, identified through a new approach, and possibly leading to a new way to think about rheumatic diseases. Read More
HONG KONG – Kangstem Biotech Co. Ltd. has completed research on South Korea’s first artificial liver and is taking the next steps towards the device’s clinical trials. Read More
The latest global regulatory news, changes and updates affecting biopharma, including: Lawmakers spill Purdue documents on heels of settlement; Western states join forces to review vaccines; FDA finalizes nicotine drug guidance; CBER tackling guidance agenda; Innovation Alliance voices support for PTAB changes. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Abbvie, Allergan, Alx, Ampio, Aurinia, Boehringer, Castle Creek, Clinuvel, Finch, Galera, Gyroscope, Highlight, Orasis, Mediwound, Regentree, Therapeutics Solutions. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Aprinoia, Astellas, Astrazeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Insmed, Passage, Qualigen, Revision, Taysha Gene Therapies. Read More
