Corner Therapeutics Inc. raised $54 million in a series A financing to create vaccines to protect against cancer and infectious diseases by helping the immune system engineer T cells. The company’s core interest is in advancements in immunotherapy through direct manipulation of T cells, which are the “keys to the kingdom for any cancer therapy,” Nick Seaver, Corner’s chief business officer, told BioWorld. Read More
In March, the U.S. FDA approved 30 new drugs, marking the highest monthly count in BioWorld’s records. The previous highest month of June 2020, with 29 FDA approvals, is followed by November 2017’s 27 approvals. In 2023, the FDA greenlit an average of about 16 drugs per month, 12.5 in 2022, and 17 in both 2021 and 2020. The surge in March marks a 173% increase from the 11 drugs approved in February. Read More
Barinthus Biotherapeutics plc’s immunotherapeutic against persistent, high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, VTP-200, was generally well-tolerated in a phase Ib/II study, but did not demonstrate significant signs of efficacy, pooled top-line data show. Read More
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is not happy with the Biden administration or the new 340B rule, finalized on April 18 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), concerning the dispute resolution process put in place in 2020. Read More
Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 financial report in mid-February highlighted further prospects with Pyrukynd (mitapivat), the pyruvate kinase activator for hemolytic anemia in adults with pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD). Read More
Cross talk between macrophages and tumor cells could modulate cachexia in pancreatic cancer patients. A group of scientists from the University of Oklahoma has discovered a new pathway that promoted muscle wasting after the recruitment of this immune cell in the tumor microenvironment, activating cachexia-inducing factors. Macrophage depletion and the inhibition of this signaling could be developed as a therapeutic target for this condition. Read More
Because artificial intelligence is such a new technology it comes with a mountain of unknowns. Integrating it into a pharmaceutical company presents a unique series of challenges, as a new survey from Verix shows. Doron Aspitz, the CEO of Verix, talked about the new findings with the BioWorld Insider podcast and the profound shift that executives face as the new technology takes over an entire industry. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Abbvie, Aspen, Benitec, Bio-Path, Calliditas, Cerevel, D2M, Diamedica, GV20, Neurosense, Octernal, Ocular, Taigen and TG. Read More
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Bristol Myers, Gilead, Histogen, Johnson & Johnson, Legend Biotech, Novartis, TG Therapeutics. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Asklepios, Bayer, Imunon and Lumicell. Read More
