Biopharma deal-making activity continues to keep the same pace as 2020, but the value of completed mergers and acquisitions is still painfully languishing in comparison with other recent years. While pandemic partnerships appear to be falling, oncology and regenerative medicine are driving the high-money deals, as are an increasing number of billion-dollar pacts. Meanwhile preclinical efforts account for about 23% of this year’s total value, and the amounts of up-front payments, particularly for clinical-stage products, are rising. Read More
A collaboration between Oncosec Medical Inc. and Merck and Co. that yielded positive phase II study data has paved the way for a phase III study between the two companies. Oncosec’s DNA-plasmid interleukin-12 (IL-12) Tavo (tavokinogene telseplasmid) will be combined with Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in a randomized, global phase III study for treating late-stage metastatic melanoma. Read More
LONDON – The U.K. intends to take the positives from its response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a blueprint for developing treatments for a range of other diseases and the basis for a new 10-year strategy for the life sciences. Read More
Getting cell therapies to work against solid tumors is proving difficult – but two biopharma firms have begun early-stage studies with technologies that aim to crack this tough nut. Gadeta B.V. and Apeiron Biologics AG are using two different approaches to cell therapy that they hope will be effective against tough-to-treat solid tumors. Read More
The whopper June buyout of by Morphosys AG of Constellation Pharmaceuticals Inc. brought renewed attention to myelofibrosis (MF) and other players in the space, such as Sierra Oncology Inc. Read More
LONDON – Nerre Therapeutics Ltd. will have another go at delivering proof of efficacy for its chronic cough treatment, after raising £20 million (US$27.6 million) in a series B2 round. Read More
DUBLIN – Bacteriophage, like other viruses, can be viewed as complex molecular machines with two essential functions: infection and replication. The first involves the efficient injection into the host cell of their genomic payload; the second involves hijacking the host’s nucleic acid replication machinery to generate the functional and structural proteins needed to give rise to progeny viruses. Read More
Biopharmas raising money in public or private financings, including: Akari, Biofrontera, HCW Biologics, Impel Neuropharma, Kymera, Nuvalent, Tenax. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Apeiron, Athira, Boehringer Ingelheim, Clover, Eiger, Eli Lilly, Hutchmed, Innate, Longeveron, Marker, Trillium, Ysopia. Read More
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Alexion, Aspire Health Science, Astrazeneca, Biohaven, Dare Bioscience, Eisbach, Eli Lilly, Everest Medicines, Hemostemix, Kura Oncology, Mina, Novartis, Pfizer, Spero, Ultimovacs. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Athenex, Immutep, Janssen-Cilag, Levo, Merck, Opthea, Orgenesis, Sciclone, Y-Mabs. Read More
