Regulatory T-cell specialist Quell Therapeutics Ltd. has sealed a potential $2 billion agreement under which Astrazeneca plc is taking rights to two autologous Treg cell therapies for treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and type 1 diabetes. Quell will receive $85 million up front, the majority of which is in cash, with a modest (undisclosed) equity investment. Reaching the $2 billion headline figure will involve a series of development and commercial milestones and royalties on sales. Read More
Eisai Co. Ltd. and Biogen Inc.’s Leqembi (lecanemab) gained the support of the U.S. FDA’s Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee (adcom) in a 6-0 vote on June 9, as panel members unanimously agreed that the results of the phase III Clarity trial verified the clinical benefit in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The FDA does not have to follow the adcom’s recommendation, but it often does. The PDUFA date for the supplemental NDA is July 6. Read More
Vicore Pharma Holding AB grossed about SEK500 million (US$46 million) in a directed share issue that will fund a phase IIb trial of its lead drug candidate, C-21, in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Read More
For Jeff Galvin, the CEO and founder of newly launched Addimmune Inc., HIV is not a condition that’s in the rearview mirror. It needs a functional cure to save lives, make people healthier and save money that need not have been spent. People wonder why it’s worth bothering to cure HIV, Galvin told BioWorld, when they are taking their medications every day and they are feeling pretty close to normal. But it’s not close for Galvin, who noted that there are side effects from taking the pills that can cause headaches, fatigue, nausea and diarrhea. Read More
Lynk Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. raised ¥200 million (US$28 million) in a series C1 financing round to accelerate the clinical development of its second-generation and third-generation JAK inhibitors for cancer and autoimmune diseases. Read More
Biopharma deal values are continuing to track at a similar pace to last year, down only 0.31% compared to the first five months of 2022, while there have been 173 fewer deals. M&A values are at their lowest value in all years tracked by BioWorld (2016-2023). Read More
Free, no-prescription-required access to naloxone has reduced deaths from opioid overdoses by 11% in some communities, but they only work if someone with the reversal agent is available when a person overdoses. Resilient Lifescience Inc. hopes to save those lives, too. The company is developing a wearable patch that monitors vital signs and automatically administers naloxone when needed. In this edition of the BioWorld Insider podcast, Brad Holden, CEO of Resilient Lifescience, explained how the device works for overdoses as well as other potential applications for the new technology.
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Annovis, Arvinas, Azafaros, Cingulate, Lianbio, Repare, Ultimovacs. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Biogen, Eisai, Innate, Merck & Co., Novaliq, Pipeline, Rocket. Read More
