London
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Startup Tenpoint Lands $70M to Bring Vision-Restoring Cell Therapy to the Eye
Tenpoint Therapeutics’ name refers to the time it takes for an image to hit the retina and be processed by the brain. The regenerative medicine startup is developing cell therapies it hopes restore that vision capability for patients with degenerative eye disorders.
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AstraZeneca, Daiichi Cancer Drug’s Phase 3 Results Clouded by Toxicity Concerns
An AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo cancer drug achieved one of the main goals of a Phase 3 study in non-small cell lung cancer. But patient deaths were also reported in the study, and the companies disclosed few details about them.
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Payer’s Place: Dr. Anil Singh
Dr. Anil Singh shares his insights into the strategies employed by the organization to identify the most effective digital solutions for their members.
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AstraZeneca Teams Up With Startup Quell in Type 1 Diabetes, IBD Cell Therapy Pact
AstraZeneca is paying $85 million to kick off an alliance with Quell Therapeutics focused on developing new cell therapies for autoimmune diseases. Type 1 diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease are the focus of the research collaboration.
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First FDA Approval of an RSV Vaccine Goes to GSK
FDA approval of GSK’s respiratory syncytial vaccine Arexvy covers adults age 60 and older—an age group at particular risk of developing severe complications from infection. GSK plans to launch Arexvy in time for the 2023/2024 RSV season.
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MD Anderson’s Tech Puts Replay on Fast Path to Clinic With TCR NK Cell Therapies
Syena, the latest company formed by startup creator Replay, is developing cancer treatments based on a type of immune cell called a natural killer cell. This NK cell therapy technology, licensed from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, could overcome many of the limitations facing first-generation cell therapy.
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GSK Gets FDA Nod for Drug Treating Anemia From Chronic Kidney Disease
The FDA approved GSK drug Jesduvroq for treating anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease. The once-daily pill is the first oral medicine to pass FDA muster in this indication, giving patients a more convenient alternative to injectable anemia therapies.
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‘Limited efficacy’ dooms GSK drug once considered a blockbuster prospect
GSK drug otilimab failed a Phase 3 test in rheumatoid arthritis. Though the antibody drug met the main goal in two other pivotal studies, GSK said the limited efficacy in the third study means the company will not seek regulatory approval.
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GSK’s Phase 3 results make it a top contender in chase for first RSV vaccine
Respiratory syncytial virus has no approved vaccines anywhere in the world, but the chase to bring the first one to the market is heating up. GSK reported Phase 3 data that position it for regulatory submissions the pharma giant is planning for later this year. Pfizer is also on track to seek regulatory approvals for its RSV vaccine candidate.
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After Haleon splits from GSK, Pfizer plans to cash out to the tune of $16B
When consumer healthcare products joint venture Haleon spins out from GSK as an independent company next month, Pfizer will sell its minority stake in the business. Pfizer said that selling its ownership in Haleon is keeping with its focus on developing innovative new medicines and vaccines.
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Discover the Next-Gen Platform for Integrated Collaborative Care
Beyond EHRs and digital front doors, reducing the gaps in patient care journeys.
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GSK gets pneumococcal vaccine contender with $2.1B Affinivax acquisition
Pfizer and Merck have each won FDA approvals in the past year for new pneumococcal vaccines, but GSK aims to top both of them with its $2.1 billion acquisition of Affinivax. That biotech’s Phase 3-ready vaccine candidate addresses more bacterial strains than any pneumococcal vaccines currently available.
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GlaxoSmithKline expands its cancer scope with $1.9B Sierra Oncology acquisition
GlaxoSmithKline is further building out its cancer drug portfolio by acquiring Sierra Oncology, a biotech whose FDA-ready myelofibrosis drug has clinical data showing advantages over a blockbuster product marketed by Incyte. The deal comes as GSK prepares a spinoff of its consumer products as part of a broader strategy to hone its focus on specialty medicines and vaccines.
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Roivant Sciences launches Hemavant to chase BMS in anemia from blood disease
An Eisai drug that produced disappointing data in a myelodysplastic syndrome study is getting another shot under a newly launched Roivant Sciences subsidiary, Hemavant. Roivant executives say the small molecule could be a safer, more effective alternative to MDS therapies marketed by Bristol Myers Squibb.
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Psychedelic biotech Eleusis enters SPAC deal to take depression drug to the clinic
Eleusis is developing a formulation of the psychedelic compound psilocybin that overcomes limitations of pill versions of the drug. Depression is Eleusis’s lead disease target but the biotech notes that its research has shown the potential to bring psychedelic drugs beyond psychiatry.
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Novartis commits $1.5B to acquire eye disease gene therapy biotech Gyroscope
Novartis is acquiring gene therapy developer Gyroscope Therapeutics and its lead program, a potential treatment for the vision loss disorder geographic atrophy. It’s the latest in a series of M&A moves made by Novartis to build up its gene therapy pipeline.
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Biotech startup AviadoBio emerges with $80M for neuro disorder gene therapies
AviadoBio’s gene therapies are designed to achieve widespread distribution throughout the central nervous system. The company’s lead program on track to begin human testing as a treatment for frontotemporal dementia.