The successful suitor for Horizon Therapeutics plc has been revealed as Amgen Inc., which will buy the Dublin-based company for $27.8 billion in cash in what is by far the year’s biggest acquisition. The deal brings successful biologics into Amgen’s portfolio that include Tepezza (teprotumumab), a monoclonal antibody targeting insulin-like growth factor 1 for treating thyroid eye disease, Krystexxa (pegloticase), a pegylated uricase enzyme for treating chronic refractory gout, and Uplizna (inebilizumab), a monoclonal antibody targeting insulin-like growth factor 1 for treating thyroid eye disease. Read More
What could be Cytokinetics Inc.’s first approved drug will take center stage Dec. 13 at a meeting of the U.S. FDA’s Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee. But judging from the FDA’s briefing document for the meeting, the spotlight on the heart failure drug, omecamtiv mecarbil, could be harsh. Read More
Affimed NV said the latest data with its lead innate cell engager (ICE) known as AFM-13, disclosed at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting, have caused the focus to shift from monotherapy to combination regimens. Read More
After gaining U.S. FDA priority approval for the first gene therapy to treat hemophilia B, CSL Ltd. reported long-term data from the pivotal HOPE-B trial that showed a single infusion of Hemgenix (etranacogene dezaparvovec-drlb) generated elevated and sustained mean factor IX levels and reduced the rate of annual bleeding. Presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting on Dec. 10, data showed 24-month results reinforced the safety of treatment, with no serious treatment-related adverse effects. Read More
Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital London have reported the first successful use of base-edited donor T cells, in the treatment of refractory T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. The case of a 13-year-old girl named Alyssa, whose disease had not responded to chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, was presented at the American Society of Hematology meeting in New Orleans on Dec. 11, 2022. Read More
New and updated clinical data presented by biopharma firms at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, including: Ambrx, Astrazeneca, Celcuity, Treadwell, Zymeworks. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Arcellx, Autolus, Azura, Canaquest, Chimerix, Exelixis, Syntrix, UCB. Read More
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Accord, Apim, Arcturus, Aridis, Clovis, CSL, Eagle, Hitgen, Imago, Merck, Nitrase, Nordic Nanovector, Ocular, Pharmabcine, Titan. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Alnylam, Antengene, Biogen, Braeburn, Janssen, Pfizer, Recce. Read More
