Alentis Therapeutics SA has closed a $105 million series C round which will fund simultaneous phase II and phase Ib trials of anti-Claudin-1 antibodies in the treatment of organ fibrosis and phase I development in fibrosis-associated cancers. At the same time, the company will extend the reach of its Claudin-1 biology into antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific constructs, to further exploit the role of the transmembrane protein in maintaining cellular integrity and controlling cell-to-cell signaling. Read More

With no treatments available to effectively clear mucus, Aer Therapeutics Inc. secured $36 million in a series A financing to advance its novel inhaled small-molecule mucolytic treatment, AER-01, bringing optimism to about 5 million Americans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who have a high burden of mucus plugs. Read More

With the backing of €2 million (US$2.17 million) in seed funding from venture capital company Adbio partners, French biotech Calida Therapeutics hopes that drawing on some U.S. academic research into thrombo-inflammatory disorders will enable it to develop a series of monoclonal antibodies. Read More

With a May 29 PDUFA date nearing, the U.S. FDA’s Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee meets April 17 to discuss the merits of Entasis Therapeutics Inc.’s hospital-acquired infection therapy. Read More

Junshi Biosciences Co. Ltd.’s PARP inhibitor, senaparib (JS-109/IMP4297), met the primary endpoint of progression-free survival in a phase III ovarian cancer study, according to a prespecified interim analysis. Read More

Specialised Therapeutics Asia Pte Ltd. has inked a $73 million deal with CTTQ-Akeso Biomed Tech. Co. Ltd. to buy the rights to commercialize the latter’s anti-PD-1 antibody in Australia and Southeast Asia. Read More

Danco Laboratories LLC’s abortion pill, Mifeprex (mifepristone), and a generic will remain on the U.S. market with tighter restrictions while a challenge to the drug’s 2000 accelerated approval and the FDA’s subsequent loosening of prescribing requirements plays out on appeal. That is unless the Supreme Court says otherwise. Read More

New hires and promotions in the biopharma industry, including: . Read More

Biopharmas raising money in public or private financings, including: Biomea, Mirum Regulus. Read More

Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Aeglea, Altamira, Atea, Avalyn, Cellectis, Junshi, Kineta, Leap, Merck KGaA, Mymd, Novaliq, Onl, Panbela, Scineuro, Sirnaomics, Verrica. Read More

Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Bluebird, Crispr, Dyadic, Essa, Genequantum, Ginkgo, ICER, Imaginab, Insilico, Intercept, J&J, Leucid, Madrigal, Merck & Co., Microbiota, Pyramid, Tiziana, Vertex, Xenetic. Read More

Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Covis, Junshi, Kala, Oncolyze. Read More