Two leading glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists for obesity and type 2 diabetes – Novo Nordisk A/S’s semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic) and Eli Lilly and Co.’s tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) – are advancing in China after taking the U.S. market by storm. China represents the world’s largest population of diabetes and obesity patients. Its GLP-1 market, valued at about $1.7 billion in 2023 according to Clarivate, is expected to grow as the number of obesity patients is projected to exceed 500 million by 2033. Read More

Friday the 13^th could be a make-or-break day in the U.S. for Intercept Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s Ocaliva (obeticholic acid). That’s the day the company will make its case before the FDA’s Gastrointestinal Drugs Advisory Committee for turning an 8-year-old accelerated approval into traditional approval. Read More

The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong is “all ears” to foster local biotech IPOs, speakers said at the Bio Hong Kong 2024 conference Sept. 11, and more than 60 companies have jumped on board since the introduction of the Chapter 18A listing regime in 2018. Read More

The newest data show increased survival times for heavily pretreated patients receiving Briacell Therapeutics Corp.’s breast cancer treatment. The company’s phase II results produced positive overall survival data using the cell-based immunotherapy Bria-IMT to treat late-stage metastatic breast cancer. Read More

From local drug discovery to global innovation, economic uncertainty is taking a toll on China’s innovative biotech system, forcing local companies to weather unpredictable storms, investors said during the ChinaBio Partnering Forum in Shanghai Sept. 10-11. Read More

A drive to overcome the limitations of traditional antibodies led Toronto-based scientists Jean-Philippe Julien and Bebhinn Treanor to work toward discovering a multivalent, multispecific platform to develop therapies that can reach difficult targets. As a result, through the support of VC firm Amplitude Ventures, Radiant Biotherapeutics emerged in 2020 armed with what has become its Multabody platform. Read More

Criminal and civil charges related to insider trading were filed Sept. 10 against Dishant Gupta based on his stock purchases of Epizyme Inc. in the months leading up to its acquisition by Ipsen SA. Read More

New hires and promotions in the biopharma industry, including: Adcentrx, Atara, Enterprise, Haya, Jaguar Health, Khondrion, Pharmazz, Rivus, Torl, Tyra, Versatope. Read More

Biopharmas raising money in public or private financings, including: Abvance, Alopexx, Cardiatec, Ionis, MBX, Phoremost. Read More

Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Acelyrin, Altimmune, Arrivent, Azafaros, Astrazeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Corvus, Centessa, Clear Scientific, Daiichi Sankyo, I-Mab, Innovent, Lexicon, Maia, Pliant, Ractigen, Regeneron, Roivant, Sanofi, Stoke, Viridian, Zealand Pharma. Read More

Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Abacus, Alimera, Alopexx, Ani, Bharat, Biogen, C4, Carisma, Genesis, Gilead, Kallyope, KM Biologics, Mirum, Moderna, Novo Nordisk, Osivax, Sanofi, Santhera Pharmaceuticals, Treos, Vir. Read More

Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Aisa, Arrowhead, ARS, Stealth. Read More