LONDON – The first 800,000 commercial doses of Pfizer Inc./Biontech SE’s COVID-19 vaccine are due to arrive in the U.K. over the next few days, after the Medicines and Healthcare products Agency (MHRA) became the first regulator to grant conditional approval. A total of 1,500 immunization centers in the U.K. are preparing to receive the vaccine, with administration now expected to start on Monday, Dec. 7. Read More
Nearly a year after the SARS-CoV-2 virus first appeared in Wuhan, China, a ray of hope is shining on the world with high efficacy reported for four vaccines and U.S. emergency use authorizations granted to three more therapeutics. Read More
Frontier Medicines Corp. co-founder, chairman and CEO Chris Varma told BioWorld that his firm’s deal with Abbvie Inc. happened by way of a “highly competitive process, thankfully, with multiple parties at the table,” and the tie-up means money that could “well exceed” $1 billion. Read More
Rare disease-focused Ovid Therapeutics Inc. has paused development of its investigational Angelman syndrome therapy, OV-101, after initial phase III results showed no difference between the drug and a placebo. Read More
Genesis Therapeutics Inc. CEO and co-founder Evan Feinberg likens the collaboration of his company’s team of chemists, biologists and software developers to that of a jazz band. Everyone has to be familiar with everyone else’s roles and responsibilities in order to do their job, or play a solo, when it’s their turn. Read More
Chinese biopharma Impact Therapeutics Inc. of Nanjing raised $50 million in a series C+ round on Nov. 30, two years after its $30 million series C round. Impact’s CEO Jun Bao told BioWorld that the majority of the proceeds would be used to take several programs forward. The financing round also paved the way toward an IPO. Read More
LONDON – Syncona Ltd. has unveiled its fifth cell therapy startup, Resolution Therapeutics Ltd., which arrives on the scene with a £26.6 million (US$35.6 million) series A to exploit the ability of macrophages to stimulate liver repair. Read More
HONG KONG and BEIJING – Hong Kong-listed China Grand Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Holdings Ltd. and Niel, Belgium-based mRNA vaccine specialist Etherna Immunotherapies NV are setting up a joint venture to develop, produce and commercialize mRNA prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. Read More
The latest global regulatory news, changes and updates affecting biopharma, including: Canada moves to make some COVID-19 flexibilities permanent; Industry group forms to advance subcutaneous technology. Read More
New hires and promotions in the biopharma industry, including: Adagene, Amicus, Artelo, Gyroscope, Lipigon, Neubase, Optinose, Revive, Spero, Wave. Read More
Biopharmas raising money in public or private financings, including: Allena, Auris, Betterlife, Biosight, Cogent, EV Biologics, I-Mab, Intellia, Kinnate, Reata. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Adrenomed, American Cryostem, Ampio, Appili, Arcutis, Astrazeneca, Axsome, Bacainn, Calithera, Cara, Cytodyn, Galapagos, Insmed, Ionis, Mycovia, Oramed, Silo, Sio, Targovax, TG. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Ascentage, Biontech, Catalyst, Elusys, Kempharm, LG Chem, Mesoblast, Oyster Point, Pfizer, Protagonist, Regent, Telix, Vanda, Wanbang. Read More
