Samsung Biologics Co. Ltd. has agreed to buy out Biogen Inc.’s stake in the joint venture Samsung Bioepis Co. Ltd. for $2.3 billion. Biogen will receive $1 billion in cash at closing and $1.25 billion in deferred payments of $812.5 million due at the first anniversary and $437.5 million due at the second anniversary of the closing of the transaction. Biogen is also expected to receive up to $50 million upon achievement of certain commercial milestones. Read More
Mighty Libtayo has stumbled. Because Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Sanofi SA couldn’t find common ground with the FDA on postmarketing studies, the two are voluntarily withdrawing the sBLA for Libtayo (cemiplimab-rwlc) as a second-line treatment for advanced cervical cancer. Discussion about the matter continues outside the U.S., the companies said. Read More
Bristol Myers Squibb Co.’s Breyanzi (lisocabtagene maraleucel) CAR T-cell therapy has passed muster with European regulators as a therapy for relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma, setting up a likely European marketing authorization in the coming weeks. Read More
Oric Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s preclinical data at last December’s meeting of the American Society of Hematology didn’t please everyone but infused the CD73 drug space with more rationale for the target, and a number of other prospects continue to move through pipelines. Previous early stage findings also have suggested favorable knockdown of adenosine in comparison to Astrazeneca plc’s oleclumab and Arcus Biosciences Inc.’s small molecule, AB-680, also known as quemliclustat. Companies developing CD73 therapies also include Corvus Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Novartis AG. Read More
Several pharma companies think that targeting a rogue protein known as alpha-synuclein could be the key to halting or reversing neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease – but has the industry learned from a string of failures in Alzheimer’s? In the space of a few weeks, Novartis AG and Sanofi AS have signed major deals for molecules targeting misfolded alpha-synuclein, the rogue protein thought to be the root cause of Parkinson’s disease. Read More
North China Pharmaceutical Group New Drug Research & Development Co. Ltd. has received approval from China’s NMPA to market ormutivimab as post-exposure treatment for the prevention of rabies. Read More
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Bergenbio, Cognito, Cybin, Merck, MSN, Neurosense, Novavax, Nrx, Ostentus, PDS, Ridgeback, Vanda. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Dizal, GBT, Merck & Co., Pfizer, Sellas, Trevena. Read More
