A series of disappointments that drove Sage Therapeutics Inc.’s stock down by 85% since August of 2023 has evolved into an unsolicited takeout offer by partner Biogen Inc., followed by a lawsuit filed by Sage a week later. The two parties, both of Cambridge, Mass., first partnered in a $1.52 billion deal in 2020, primarily to develop Zurzuvae (zuranolone) for depression. The deal included Biogen taking a 10.2% equity stake in Sage, paying $104.14 per share, or $650 million total. Read More
While Moderna Inc. plans to cut its expenses by $1 billion in 2025, the company has received a little breathing room by a hefty U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grant. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority awarded Moderna roughly $590 million to support late-stage development of its mRNA-based avian-variant vaccines and to increase the number of clinical trials for another five additional subtypes of pre-pandemic influenza. Read More
In another Chinese newco out-licensing deal, Innocare Pharma Ltd. and Keymed Biosciences Co. Ltd. out-licensed their co-developed CD20×CD3 bispecific antibody (ICP-B02/CM355) to startup Prolium Bioscience Inc. in a deal worth up to $520 million. Read More
A 6.5-month-old boy with the rare inherited urea cycle disorder ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency has responded positively in a targeted in vivo gene editing trial, in which a correct copy of a defective gene was inserted at a precise locus in the genome. Read More
The largest analysis to date of patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) has investigated their effects on nearly 175 diseases, and found that compared to three other classes of diabetes medications, individuals with a prescription for GLP-1RAs had a reduced risk of 42 diseases, and an increased risk of 19. Read More
Marking the second global approval after Japan, the U.S. FDA has approved Datroway (datopotamab deruxtecan), a trophoblast cell surface antigen 2-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) from Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. and Astrazeneca plc, for treating adults with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative unresectable or recurrent breast cancer after prior chemotherapy. Read More
New hires and promotions in the biopharma industry, including: Applied, Aravax, Artbio Compass Pathways, Kincell, Marea, Oragenics, Oryzon, Pacira, Pharming, Sumitomo. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Aosaikang, Amgen, Astrazeneca, Foundation Medicine, Impact, Innovent, Junshi, Telix, Topalliance, Zai Lab. Read More
