Precision Biosciences Inc. CEO Matthew Kane said the company is in “active discussions around additional partnerships in vivo and in other areas across our organization,” after scoring a deal with Eli Lilly and Co. centered on the firm’s Arcus genome-editing platform. “There’s no conceivable way in the near term that we’re going to advance all of the possibilities of Arcus on our own,” he said. Read More
In a world more familiar with the 30% to 70% efficacy rates of seasonal flu vaccines, news of 95% efficacy rates for two of the major late-stage COVID-19 vaccines in development seems thrilling. But do such robust-sounding numbers, the product of relatively early analyses, really merit the enthusiasm they’ve garnered? Read More
PERTH, Australia – Mesoblast Ltd. inked an exclusive global licensing deal with Novartis AG for the development, manufacture and commercialization of Mesoblast’s mesenchymal stromal cell product remestemcel-L, with an initial focus on the acute respiratory distress syndrome, including that associated with COVID-19, just six weeks after the FDA issued a complete response letter for the therapy as a treatment for steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease. Read More
In what the FDA calls “an incremental step” in treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients, the agency has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for Eli Lilly and Co.’s baricitinib in combination with remdesivir. Read More
Citing a lack of evidence that it improves survival, the need for ventilation or time to clinical improvement, the World Health Organization (WHO) has advised doctors against using Gilead Sciences Inc.’s antiviral Veklury (remdesivir) to treat COVID-19. Read More
Still not there yet, but close. Biopharma projected deal values are currently at $159.4 billion, just shy of the 2019 record of $160.3 billion. With about six weeks left in the year, it is highly likely that 2020 will come out on top. Read More
HONG KONG – D3 Bio Inc. is the new kid on the biopharma block in Shanghai, kicking off with a $200 million series A financing backed by some of Asia’s most prominent venture capital firms. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Amarin, Clear Creek, Glycostem, Inovio, Marinomed, Redhill. Read More
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Aptevo, Black Diamond, Coimmune, F-star, GSK, Immunomic, Mannkind, Matinas, Metavant, Metuchen, Neurotrope, Petros, Poxel, Sosei, Spring Bank, Sumitomo, United, Vectura. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: ADC, Alexion, Amgen, Astrazeneca, Beigene, Biontech, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Immupharma, Pfizer. Read More
