Vera Therapeutics Inc. looks to get an almost five-month head start over a competitor, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., as the U.S. FDA cleared its Trutakna (atacicept) as the first dual BAFF/APRIL inhibitor for treating immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). The accelerated approval, which came on the July 7 PDUFA date, indicates Trutakna for use in reducing proteinuria in adults with primary IgAN at risk for disease progression. The drug is administered once weekly via auto-injector.

Telum Therapeutics SL has completed an €18 million (US$24 million) series A financing to advance its lead program targeting hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia caused by the multidrug-resistant gram-negative pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii.

A U.S. biotechnology company founded by Deerfield Management Company L.P. licensed exclusive rights to Metis Techbio Co. Ltd.’s preclinical trispecific T-cell engager (TCE) for autoimmune disorders in a potential $1.62 billion deal.