An old target that found new life at Monte Rosa Therapeutics Inc. has become the subject of a sizeable deal between the company and Novartis AG, as the pair set about developing molecular glue degraders (MGDs). Shares of Monte Rosa (NASDAQ:GLUE) closed Oct. 28 at $9.48, up $4.59, or 93.9%, on word of the Boston-based firm’s deal with Novartis to advance VAV1 MGDs, including MRT-6160, a prospect undergoing a phase I single ascending dose/multiple ascending dose study in healthy volunteers for immune-mediated conditions. Read More
Only three years after it was co-founded by Johnson & Johnson, Aliada Therapeutics Inc. is being acquired by Abbvie Inc. in a deal valued at $1.4 billion that gives the big pharma firm another shot at the Alzheimer’s disease space. The all-cash deal, expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2024, will give Abbvie access to Aliada’s blood-brain barrier-crossing Modular Delivery, or MODEL, as well as rights to ALIA-1758, an anti-pyroglutamate amyloid beta antibody designed using MODEL, which is in phase I testing for Alzheimer’s disease. Read More
Artificial intelligence (AI) is enabling a foundational understanding of drug discovery that is changing the typical pathway used in modern development. The powerful new computer technology will lead developers from conducting hypothesis-driven research to more and deeper data-driven research, Manolis Kellis, professor at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an associate member at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, told those attending the BioFuture 2024 conference in New York on Oct. 28. Read More
Although more and more gene therapies are getting the FDA stamp of approval, concerns persist about their potential long-term risks. U.S. lawmakers have proposed several pieces of legislation over the past few years to address some of the uncertainties. Now the Congressional Research Service (CRS) is suggesting other requirements Congress may want to consider to improve the regulatory landscape for gene therapies, especially those intended to treat blood disorders. Read More
After missing out on the glucagon-like peptide 1 obesity market, Sanofi SA is prospecting for next-generation drugs and is making a strategic equity investment in Resalis Therapeutics Srl, providing the Italian biotech with funding to take its lead program RES-010 through to phase II. Read More
Biopharmas raising money in public or private financings, including: Agomab, Engene, Molecular Partners, Mustang, Oaktree Acquisition, Septerna, Tela. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Aquestive, Ardelyx , Bloomsbury, Dermavant, Eli Lilly, Endo, Johnson & Johnson, Leo, Maze, Micurx, Relief, Revolution, Simcere, Tyra. Read More
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Abbvie, Acasti, Grace Therapeutics, Gedeon Richter, Immpact Bio, Lyell, Rigel, Roche. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Modalis. Read More
