More and more individuals now have chronically implanted brain-computer interface (BCI) systems in their heads. Devices that can record and stimulate neural signals are increasingly moving from labs to real-world settings to test their potential to treat neurological disorders. At the same time, startups are emerging, investors are pouring money into the space and companies are accelerating their development programs. After decades of clinical research and false starts, are BCI systems finally here? Read More
In a deal viewed as a big win for both companies, Abbvie Inc. is buying Apogee Therapeutics Inc. for $10.9 billion. The transaction calls for shareholders of Apogee to receive $135.11 per share in cash, marking a nearly 50% premium over Friday’s closing stock price, and puts lead candidate zumilokibart, a late-stage, half-life extended monoclonal antibody targeting IL-13 that has shown competitive phase II data in atopic dermatitis, in the hands of a pharma giant with a well-established immunology franchise. Read More
Definium Therapeutics Inc. CEO Rob Barrow hailed a “profound change” in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) as his firm rolled out positive top-line results from Emerge, the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III study evaluating a single dose of DT-120 (lysergide, otherwise known as LSD), given to adults as an orally disintegrating tablet 100 µg. Read More
MPM Bioimpact-spawned K2 Therapeutics Inc. inked a license deal plus option agreement, worth $980.5 million apiece, to gain ex-China rights to two of Antengene Corp. Ltd.’s preclinical anticancer bispecific T-cell engager (TCE) assets. The deal, announced June 21, will grant Singapore-based K2 exclusive rights to develop and commercialize Antengene’s ATG-106 outside of mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Read More
Bionyra Pharma has emerged with a $165 million oversubscribed series A and a portfolio of three antibodies with extended half-lives that are designed to offer improvements over existing classes of monoclonal antibodies for treating chronic inflammatory diseases. Read More
Although shot down last year by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, a constitutional challenge to a state law requiring biopharma companies to disclose trade secrets could live to see another court battle. Read More
Neither of Cynata Therapeutics Ltd.’s pivotal trials for its Cymerus stem cell platform met the primary endpoints, with no statistically significant differences between active and control groups on primary or key secondary efficacy measures, CEO Kilian Kelly told investors during a June 22 conference call. Read More
Europe must focus on prevention and innovation to ensure its health care systems are sustainable in the long term, said Olivér Várhelyi, European commissioner for health and animal welfare. With an aging population, rising chronic diseases, a stretched workforce and geopolitical tensions, the universal health coverage that Europeans enjoy is under threat, he told delegates at the HLTH Europe conference in Amsterdam last week. Read More
New hires and promotions in the biopharma and med-tech industries, including: Acurion, Biorestorative, Conmed, Cosciens, Essential, Kalohexis, Nortiva, Pfizer. Read More
Clinical updates for biopharma and med tech, including data readouts and publications: Alkermes, Boehringer, Cambrian, F2G, Intrabio, Lexeo, Memo, Novocure, Ondine, Shionogi, Torl. Read More
Regulatory snapshots for biopharma and med tech, including global submissions and approvals, and other regulatory decisions and designations: Corcept, E-Scopics, GRI, GSK, Iaso, Merck, Roche, Spero. Read More
