Cancer therapy developer Immpact Bio USA Inc. has raised $111 million to further its "logic gate"-based CAR T-cell platform, the source of a CD19/CD20 bispecific in phase I testing for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients whose disease has returned or who has stopped responding to treatment. New data from that study, showing complete remissions in seven of eight patients treated, accompanied the appointment of a new president and CEO for the company as well as a new board chair. Read More
When Glaxosmithkline plc’s new CEO, Emma Walmsley, was hiring a “dream team” of executives to lead the company in 2017, former Genentech whizz Hal Barron was the star signing as chief scientific officer. Lured away from Alphabet Inc.’s biotech subsidiary, Calico LLC, by a bumper pay deal, Barron was arguably Walmsley’s most important appointment. Walmsley badly needed a strong leader with credible expertise in science to lead the company’s R&D efforts, as her expertise and experience came from the company’s consumer operation. But as GSK plans to split later this year, Barron is heading for the exit to become CEO of California’s ambitious and enormously well-funded startup Altos Labs Inc. Read More
Mabwell Bioscience Co. Ltd. raised ¥3.48 billion ($547.9 million) in a Shanghai STAR Market IPO on Jan. 18 to support company R&D efforts and plans to build an antibody production plant. Though oversubscribed, the offering got a cool market reception, with shares plunging nearly 30% from a ¥32 open (US$27.96), then closing at ¥24.50 on the first day of trading before recovering slightly to ¥27.40 on Jan. 20. Read More
The good news first. A new U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report shows that, on average, Americans who can get the treatment they need with generics may be paying less for their prescription drugs than they were a decade ago. The bad news? Those who have no choice other than a brand drug may be paying a whole lot more. Read More
PERTH, Australia – In preparation for easing COVID-19 restrictions and opening its international borders, Australia has added a new vaccine and two new oral antiviral therapies to its arsenal to fight the omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that is sweeping the globe. Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration granted provisional approval on Jan. 20 to Biocelect Pty Ltd. (on behalf of Novavax Inc.) for its COVID-19 vaccine, Nuvaxovid, as well as two oral antiviral treatments. Read More
Fresh data about vaccines by Valneva SE and the Gamaleya Research Institute show strength against COVID-19’s omicron variant. The new results helped continue a worldwide race to create, approve and distribute vaccines to fight the pandemic. Read More
New and updated preclinical and clinical data presented by biopharma firms at the ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, including: Abivax, Astrazeneca, Cardiff Oncology, Chimerix, Exelixis, Immunitybio, ITM, Leap, Merck & Co., Seagen. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Cstone, Eisai, Eqrx, Essa, Immix, Immvira, Lynk, Recce, Revive, Sanofi, Vyne.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Alpha Tau Medical, Eleusis, HCW Biologics, Sorrento, Zymeworks. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Algernon, Bioinvent, Chemocentryx, Cytomx, Galapagos, Gamida, Kinnate, Neurophth, Numinus, Regeneron, Revance, Yumanity.
