Endometriosis has been woefully under-recognized in the medical community, and consequently, the delay between onset and diagnosis is often quite long, with some women waiting up to 12 years for a diagnosis. Read More
Vaginal microbiome specialist Freya Bioscience ApS has added $11.8 million to its series A, bringing the total for the round to $50 million. Of the additional $11.8 million, $10.4 million comes from the Gates Foundation and is designated for the development of vaginal microbiome-based immunotherapies for treating bacterial vaginosis, a cause of preterm birth and other pregnancy complications. Read More
IL-23 receptor antagonist icotrokinra hit co-primary phase III endpoints in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, positioning the oral peptide at the forefront of a multibillion-dollar franchise for partners Protagonist Therapeutics Inc. and Johnson and Johnson. Read More
Incyte Corp.’s mention of would-be “backup molecules” could bode well for findings yet to roll out with Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X2 antagonist INCB-000262 in chronic spontaneous urticaria. Meanwhile, though, the news is not good, as Incyte said in a terse press release that it will pause enrollment in the ongoing phase II study with the drug because of in vivo preclinical toxicology findings. Read More
Advertisements for Rezdiffra (resmetirom, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals Inc.), which was approved by the U.S. FDA in March 2024, adorned the lobby of The Liver Meeting 2024 being held at the San Diego Convention Center as well as the trolley stop across the street and other areas that doctors attending the meeting might be swayed. But inside the ballrooms of the convention center, companies were making presentations of data from clinical trials testing their drugs in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in hopes of potentially competing with Rezdiffra in a few years. Read More
The U.S. FDA issued a complete response letter Nov. 15 for Izervay’s (avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution, ACP) supplemental NDA, which sought to include positive two-year data for the Astellas Pharma Inc. therapy, previously approved for use in a treatment for geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration. Read More
China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has accepted Ascentage Pharma Group Corp. Ltd.’s NDA for its in-house-developed Bcl-2 selective inhibitor, lisaftoclax (APG-2575), which could be the first domestically approved Bcl-2 inhibitor in China and the second global approval. Read More
For a small company, Modifi Biosciences has come a long way very quickly. Founder Ranjit Bindra talks about how his company went from tiny to nearly extinct at least twice until it was acquired by Merck for $30 million up front. Read More
New hires and promotions in the biopharma industry, including: Alterity, Byondis, Cancervax, Georgiamune, Kaida, Kuros, Latigo, LB, Mind Medicine, Mirai, Nanovation, Terns. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Adverum, Alnylam, Anthos, Arbutus, Bridgebio, Cybin, Eli Lilly, Intellia, Neurogene. Read More
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Abbvie, Aldeyra, Avenzo, HCW, Neurobo, Trogenix, VBI Vaccines, Velavigo, WY Biotech. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Aldeyra, Alentis, Alkeus, Arrowhead, Astrazeneca, Biogen, Formycon, Foundation Medicine, Johnson, Klinge, Junshi, Orphelia, Samsung Bioepis, Syndax, Vaderis, Topalliance.
