Pepgen Inc. seems to have gained a leg up on competitors in early data with PGN-EDODM1 in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), and shares of the Boston-based firm (NASDAQ:PEPG) closed Feb. 24 at $2.29, up 92 cents, or about 67%. The company unveiled initial positive data from the 5- and 10-mg/kg dose cohorts in the ongoing Freedom-DM1 phase I study with PGN-EDODM1, which deploys Boston-based Pepgen’s Enhanced Delivery Oligonucleotide technology to deliver a therapeutic oligonucleotide that is designed to restore the normal function of MBNL1, a key RNA splicing protein. Read More
Citing recent executive orders that suggest additional cuts to the federal workforce may be in the offing, U.S. Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy urging him to end “indiscriminate cuts that will cause lasting harm to FDA’s public health mission” and to protect the agency’s statutory obligations. Read More
The BioWorld Infectious Disease Index (BIDI) faced challenges throughout the year but narrowed its losses, ending down 6.28% after hitting a low of -25.12% in late April. By October, the index was down 12.07% and had declined 8.86% for the year as of Nov. 22. However, in January, the BIDI rebounded slightly, gaining 1.85%. Read More
Cosette Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced plans to acquire Adelaide, Australia-based Mayne Pharma Pty Ltd. for AU$672 million (US$430 million) to grow its women’s health and dermatology franchise in the U.S. Under terms, Cosette, of Bridgewater, N.J., will acquire 100% of Mayne’s shares at AU$7.40 per share in cash. The price represents a 37% premium to Mayne’s closing share price on Feb. 20. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025. Read More
Researchers have altered the genetic code in a strain of Escherichia coli, reducing the number of stop codons from three to one and assigning the freed-up stop codons to nonstandard amino acids. They reported on the recoded bacterium, which they named OCHRE, in Nature on Feb. 5, 2025. Read More
Billion-dollar M&As are commonplace now, but not too long ago they were a rarity. So many have occurred in the past few years, they’ve become the norm. But were all these multi-billion-dollar mega mergers worth the money? Karen Carey, BioWorld’s senior managing editor and chief analyst, crunched the numbers on 21 of the biggest M&As in a three-part BioWorld series and found very few have been, so far, good deals for the buyer. In this podcast, Carey sifts through the winners and losers and explains the analysis. Read More
The Clarivate Medtech Trends to Watch in 2024 report noted the resilience of the medtech sector in the face of changing macroeconomic factors and the preparation required to navigate the market’s many complexities. It is likely that 2025 will be no different. Read More
New hires and promotions in the biopharma industry, including: Atea, BTB, Climb, Diamedica, Immunoprecise, Inhibikase, Nuclera, Tivic, Werewolf, Xeris. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Celltrion, Ensho, Johnson & Johnson, Meiragtx, Sensorion. Read More
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Acelyrin, Alumis, Atai, Alvotech, Concentra, Psilera, Teva. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Elixirgen. Read More
