Constrained by the U.S. FDA’s authorized conditions of use for a booster dose of Pfizer Inc. and Biontech SE’s COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) struggled with making recommendations Sept. 23 for the use of the booster, with several members questioning the need for a third dose in some of the populations the FDA identified. Read More

For the first time since February, the BioWorld Biopharmaceutical Index (BBI) took a sharp plummet with shares falling in the last few weeks for 18 of the 22 stock components. Read More

When an independent data monitoring committee told Immunocore Ltd. plc’s David Berman in November that tebentafusp had met a phase III study’s pre-defined boundaries for statistical significance in overall survival (OS) after its first pre-planned interim analysis, the head of R&D was shocked. Read More

LONDON – Self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) specialist Vaxequity Ltd. has sealed a commercialization deal with Astrazeneca plc after delivering safety data in a phase I/II trial of the technology in a COVID-19 vaccine. Read More

A second activist investor has questioned the leadership of Glaxosmithkline plc’s CEO Emma Walmsley, after Bluebell Capital Partners Ltd. took a reported £10 million (US$13.7 million) stake in the embattled U.K. pharma. Read More

Cstone Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. released positive data from the phase III trial, Gemstone-302, of sugemalimab plus chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with stage IV squamous and non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. Read More

New hires and promotions in the biopharma industry, including: Biorchestra, Draupnir, Hyloris, Surrozen, Tubulis. Read More

Biopharmas raising money in public or private financings, including: Garuda, Genedit, Synlogic. Read More

Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Betterlife, Cassava Sciences, Cellectar, Clover, Codagenix, Corvus, Endeavor Biomedicines, Enlivex, Frequency, Gilead Sciences, Humanetics, Huyabio International, Kintara, Noxxon, Odyssey Group International, Onconova, Phoxbio, Rhizen, Rhythm, Tarsier, Theratechnologies. Read More

Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Abcellera Biologics, Advanced Accelerator Applications International, Apitope International, Aptinyx, Awakn Life Sciences, Bioinnovation Institute, Biovaxys Technology, Clene, Clinigen, Cyclica, Elicio, Embark, Eurocine Vaccines, Impact, Inhibikase, Inotify, Novartis, Onconano Medicine, Orbit Health, Pephexia, Quell, Rezolute, Salarius, Second Genome, Secura, Sirona, Stealth, Theragnostics, Tonix, Transcode, Worg. Read More

Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Advaccine, Algernon, Arcturus, Bluebird, Carisma, Cytodyn, Incyte, Inovio, Inventiva, Moberg, Pharmamar, Radius Health, Rhythm, Taysha Gene Therapies, Tryp. Read More