Novartis AG’s radioligand therapy, Pluvicto, a bestseller for the company that has been restructuring itself, continues to show strong growth in the third quarter of 2023, according to its most recent financial results. Sales were up 217% from the same quarter in 2022 at $256 million. Analysts are predicting blockbuster sales. Adding to the momentum were new data from the phase III PSMAfore study of Pluvicto (lutetium [177Lu] vipivotide tetraxetan), in second-line cancer, hitting its primary endpoint of radiographic progression-free survival in treating prostate-specific membrane antigen-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer after treatment with androgen receptor pathway inhibitor therapy. Read More

Immutep Ltd.’s lead candidate, eftilagimod (IMP-321, efti), a lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3) fusion protein and major histocompatibility complex class II agonist, delivered an overall survival benefit of 35.5 months in the TACTI-002 trial that combined efti with Merck & Co. Inc.’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as first-line treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at two years follow-up. Read More

Emerging from stealth mode, Rampart Bioscience Inc. pulled down $85 million in series A money for work on DNA-based drugs – a round that was led by Forbion with participation from seed investor Orbimed and new backers RA Capital Management and Healthcap. Read More

With one of the higher series A rounds for 2023, the newly launched Aiolos Bio Inc. pulled in $245 million to advance its lead product, AIO-001, an anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin monoclonal antibody set to enter a phase II trial for moderate to severe asthma. Read More

Biologics innovators typically take a lifecycle approach to developing new indications and formulations of their prescription drugs, especially when biosimilar competition is on the horizon. Read More

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is calling for an investigation into the NIH’s proposed grant of an exclusive patent license for a late-stage cervical cancer drug to a small company linked to a former NIH researcher. Read More

New hires and promotions in the biopharma industry, including: Invizius, Johnson & Johnson, Mbiomics, Mironid, SAB, Scorpion, Tevogen. Read More

New and updated clinical data presented by biopharma firms at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, including: Agenus, Anheart, Apollomics, Artios, Arvinas, Ascentage, Astellas, Astrazeneca, Ayala, Bicara, Cantargia, CDR-Life, Cel-Sci, Daiichi, Dizal, Elucida, Eli Lilly, Exelixis, Galecto, Genentech, Harpoon, Hookipa, Hummingbird, Ideaya, Immuneoncia, Immunocore, Inspirna, IO Biotech, Janssen, Kazia, Lytix, Medigene, Merck & Co., Merus, Nanobiotix, Oncolytics, Oric, PDS, Regeneron, Revolution, Ryvu, Seagen, Sutro, Theriva, Transcenta, Ultimovacs. Read More

Biopharmas raising money in public or private financings, including: Cargo, Coeptis, Dermbiont, Ensysce, Invea, Lipella, Lygenesis, Orbimed, Ultragenyx. Read More

Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: BMS, Caris, Citius, Codagenix, Elektrofi, Eli Lilly, Gen1e, Harrow, Hyloris, Idorsia, Inimmune, Kye, Lianbio, Moderna, Neximmune, Ocean Medical, Siga, Tenx Keane, Theratechnologies. Read More