The enticing prospect – and proven worth – of dually agonizing the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors gained more evidence in a big way from Viking Therapeutics Inc. with VK-2735 in a phase II weight loss study. Shares of San Diego-based Viking Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:VKTX) closed Feb. 27 at $85.05, up $46.57, or 121%, as investors learned that the drug achieved the primary and all secondary endpoints in the phase II study called Venture, with significant body-weight drops at all doses compared to placebo. Read More
Strong early data of Janux Therapeutics Inc.’s tumor-activated T-cell engager compounds JANX-007 and JANX-008 sent the San Diego-based company’s shares surging by 229%, indicating enthusiasm for their best-in-class potential and the possibility of tapping into multibillion-dollar prostate cancer and solid tumor markets. Read More
Curve Therapeutics Ltd. has raised £40.5 million (US$51.2 million) in a series A round to take two lead programs toward the clinic over the next three years. Since its formation in 2019, Curve has applied its Microcycle intracellular screening platform to discover a pipeline of small molecules against oncology targets that have evaded conventional approaches. Read More
In the end, Minerva Neurosciences Inc. NDA submission wasn’t able to overcome the U.S. FDA’s concerns regarding data for dual 5-HT2A/sigma 2 antagonist roluperidone. The agency issued a complete response letter (CRL) for the application, which had been seeking approval as the first treatment specifically targeting negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Read More
Drug pricing is playing an outsized role in the dynamics of the November U.S. election, creating turbulence for drug companies and for patients that will extend years after the votes are counted. During a Feb. 27 morning session on drug pricing trends during an election year at the BIO CEO & Investor Conference in New York, key opinion leaders spoke about their concerns, including the need to explain drug-pricing rationale to voters and patients in plain terms. Read More
Baseimmune Ltd. has raised $11.3 million through a series A to accelerate the development of its deep learning AI technology for predicting future pathogen mutations to generate a series of longer-lasting, multistrain vaccines. Read More
Allecra Therapeutics GmbH secured U.S. FDA approval for its beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combination, Exblifep (cefepime/enmetazobactam), in complicated urinary tract infections, including pyelonephritis, in patients 18 years and older. Read More
Global interest in radiopharmaceuticals is soaring, and the global radiopharma market is expected to grow 10% over the next decade to $13.67 billion by 2032, according to a new report by Precedence Research. Read More
More than a year and a half after the U.S. FTC launched its investigation into how pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices and consolidation impact patients’ ability to access and afford their prescription drugs, the six biggest PBMs in the country have yet to fully comply with the agency’s June 2022 order to provide data and documents pertaining to certain business practices. Read More
Discover a wealth of industry insights with BioWorld’s extensive collection of infographics, covering the latest trends and developments in both biopharma and med-tech. Our weekly infographics are curated to provide concise summaries of key topics: financings (IPOs, private financings, public/other and follow-on offerings), deals and M&As (top deals, and monthly value and volume), regulatory (including U.S. FDA and worldwide approvals), clinical trials and more. In addition, you’ll find access to BioWorld’s year-in-review reports, as well as special infographics about obesity, pain and addiction, biosimilars and the aging space. Read More
Biopharmas raising money in public or private financings, including: Aprinoia, Denali, Matter, Metabolica, Nrx, Pelage, Pyxis, Revive, Xbrane. Read More
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Amneal, Arvinas, Astellas, Astrazeneca, Benuvia, Biomarin, Biotheus, Bitterroot, Chromocell, Codexis, Fibrogen, Florabio, Hikma, Index, Limmatech, Merck & Co., Neomorph, Newbiologix, Novo Nordisk,Pfizer, Roche, Zambon. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Alvotech, Aribio, Astrazeneca, Bayer, Beigene, Encoded, Moonlake, Oncopeptides, Pk Med, Teva, Xyra. Read More