Novartis AG is to pay $1.1 billion up front to acquire Myricx Bio Ltd., a preclinical-stage antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) specialist that is advancing a novel and more potent class of payload. With the first two programs due to enter clinical development before the end of the year, the Swiss pharma also will pay up to $400 million more in potential milestones. The centerpiece of the deal is London-based Myricx’s N-myristoyltransferase inhibitors, which in preclinical testing have prompted complete and durable tumor regression at well-tolerated doses in a range of solid tumors. Read More
The April 2024 full U.S. FDA approval of Pfizer Inc. and Genmab A/S’ tissue factor-targeting antibody-drug conjugate Tivdak (tisotumab vedotin) for cervical cancer sparked interest from drug developers in the strategy, which has been known about for a while. Read More
Astrazeneca plc has returned to China’s CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. for another discovery collaboration, this time in a deal worth up to $1.77 billion to use CSPC’s siRNA drug discovery platform and extrahepatic targeted delivery technology to develop small nucleic acid drug candidates. Read More
Resurrecting a reimbursement rule on 340B drugs that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in 2021, CMS is once again proposing to update Medicare payment rates for drugs purchased under the 340B prescription drug discount program to better reflect what hospitals actually pay for the outpatient drugs. Read More
The majority of epilepsies are developmental disorders that start in childhood. But there is a large minority that starts in late adulthood. And increasingly, researchers are suspecting that such epilepsies share mechanisms with dementia. Summarizing the highlights of epilepsy research presented at the recent Annual Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN), Aleksandar Ristic told his audience that the biggest epilepsy story out of the Congress was “not a drug, but it was a reframing.” Read More
New hires and promotions in the biopharma and med-tech industries, including: Altrova, Anaveon, Inogen, Integra, Knoa, OS Therapies, Peptidream, Rentschler, Spinogenix. Read More
Clinical updates for biopharma and med tech, including data readouts and publications: Arcus, Genentech, Merck, Myriad, Otsuka, Partner, Revolution, Treos. Read More
Biopharma and med-tech happenings, including deals and partnerships, and other news in brief: Abbisko, Astrazeneca, Ayumi, Bridgebio, Caredx, Clearone, Cortigent, Fosun, GNI, Insilico, Junshi, Lonza, Naveris, Nona, SK, Takeda, Thymmune, United, Vivani. Read More
Regulatory snapshots for biopharma and med tech, including global submissions and approvals, and other regulatory decisions and designations: Hutchmed, Novartis, Polaritybio, Tenon, Vertex. Read More
