Novartis AG is enlisting the help of Generate:Biomedicines Inc. and its artificial intelligence platform to generate drugs for multiple undisclosed targets. The number of targets and therapeutic areas also weren’t disclosed. Novartis will pick the targets, although the targets Generate has been working on are off limits. Generate will be responsible for creating the lead candidate, at which point Novartis will take over development. Read More
Despite a phase IIa failure in 2018 for lupus, Biogen Inc. and UCB Inc. maintained their collaboration and now have new positive data for their anti-CD40L candidate. Top-line phase III data show dapirolizumab pegol, along with the standard of care (SOC), met the primary endpoint in demonstrating an improvement in moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus compared to placebo and SOC at 48 weeks. Read More
Interim phase II data of Wave Life Sciences Ltd.’s oligonucleotide, WVE-N531, revealed “impressive” dystrophin expression, solid safety and the potential for once-monthly dosing for boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who are amenable to exon 53 skipping. The findings drove Wave Life’s stock (NASDAQ:WVE) up by 53.4%, or $2.85, to close Sept. 24 at $8.19, after peaking earlier in the day at $8.35, its 52-week high. Read More
While in the hot seat at a Sept. 24 U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing, Novo Nordisk A/S President and CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen said he would sit down with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and the three largest pharmacy benefit managers to discuss lowering the list prices for the company’s popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy. Read More
At the 2024 European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress, researchers have presented work that could lead to ways to boost brain development and prevent neurodegeneration in individuals with Down syndrome. Read More
Radiopharmaceutical company Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is continuing its buying spree to shore up dominance in the radiopharmaceutical market with its latest acquisition of RLS Radiopharmacies for $250 million to expand its U.S. manufacturing presence and establish a next-generation radiometal production network. Read More
The U.S. FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) on Sept. 26 will take up a controversy that’s hardly new: whether approval of immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs should be restricted in accordance with PD-L1 expression. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Assembly, Astrazeneca, Biocity, Biohaven, Black Diamond, Ideaya, Immusoft, Oryzon, Realta, Repare, Skye, Teva. Read More
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Bioatla, Context, Crown, Glaukos, Nicox, Revance. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Antengene, Astrazeneca, Elevation, Innate, Ipsen, Lantern, Leo, Merck & Co., Neuraxpharm, Sanofi, UCB, Uniqure. Read More
