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Metsera's Monthly Weight Loss Drug Shows Promising Early Results
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0.665 min•2 years ago
"Insitro's AI Biotech Breakthroughs at JPM 2024"
Insitro, a well-funded AI biotech company founded by Daphne Koller, has unveiled its efforts in ALS, liver disease, and cancer at JPM. The South San Francisco firm, which has raised over $643 million in venture capital, is making strides in the biotech industry with its AI technologies and has more than 260 employees working on its projects.
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Nimbus Therapeutics Secures $210M in Funding for Tech-Enabled Medicines
Endpoints News•2 years ago
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Alaunos' Runway Cut Short as TCR Biotech Seeks Sale and Shrinks Staff
Endpoints News•2 years ago
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Santhera sells US rights to Duchenne drug for $231M
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Endpoints News
Santhera has handed over commercialization rights of its steroid vamorolone for Duchenne muscular dystrophy to Catalyst Pharmaceuticals in the US, receiving an upfront payment of $90m, including $75m in cash and $15m in equity. Catalyst will also buy 14.1 million shares at just under 95 Swiss franc cents each, which will finance Phase IV studies for vamorolone in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and work on additional indications for the still investigational drug.
Xalud Therapeutics shifts focus to gene therapies for ALS treatment.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Endpoints News
Xalud Therapeutics has shifted its focus to gene therapy, elevating a preclinical ALS program and putting its lead non-viral gene therapy on the partnering path, while letting go of employees, according to a former employee.
Navigating the Frontiers of Regenerative Medicine.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Longevity.Technology
Regenerative medicine company Celularity, which uses cells derived from the human placenta, is weathering the biotech investment downturn by supporting its therapeutics business with income from its range of biomaterials products. The company recently announced that it was expecting purchase orders for its regenerative biomaterials in the order of up to $80m in 2023 from the Middle East alone. Celularity's focus on generating revenue does not mean the company has put its therapeutic work on the back burner, with longevity a key area of its focus, with programs in autoimmune and degenerative diseases.
Amit Munshi's Next-Gen RNA Therapeutics Startup: Thinking Big with $300M+
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Endpoints News
Amit Munshi, former CEO of Arena Pharmaceuticals, is now leading ReNAgade Therapeutics, a startup focused on next-gen RNA therapeutics. Meanwhile, Indivior has acquired a new nasal spray for opioid overdose, Icosavax is pushing forward with a bivalent RSV-hMPV vaccine, and Ironwood Pharmaceuticals is set to acquire VectivBio in a $1 billion all-cash deal. Quanta Therapeutics has also raised $50.7 million to develop KRAS inhibitors for clinical trials in 2024.
Insights into Gene Therapy Manufacturing and Preclinical Data Revealed.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Endpoints News
Tessera Therapeutics, a biotech startup developing gene editing tools, has revealed preliminary data from five preclinical programs using its "gene writers" to treat genetic diseases. Meanwhile, Comanche Biopharma, a new siRNA biotech, is nearing clinical trials for a one-time therapy to treat preeclampsia. The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Sanofi and Regeneron in a patent battle with Amgen, and an FDA panel has backed Pfizer's RSV vaccine. Catalent has announced drastic measures to right its business, and Moderna has presented early data on its mRNA treatment for propionic acidemia.
Viking Therapeutics Soars on Positive NASH Trial Results
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Investor's Business Daily
Viking Therapeutics' liver disease treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) led to a significant reduction in liver fat and other lipid abnormalities in patients over 12 weeks compared to a placebo. The market for NASH treatments is expected to reach $24.3 billion by 2028. Viking's stock initially yo-yoed but hit a record high after the promising test results were unveiled, with shares trading near a record high and remaining well above their 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
Rare disease families struggle as biotechs back out and NIH adds new clinical trials.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Endpoints News
Families of patients with rare diseases have raised millions of dollars to fund research and development of potential therapies, only to see biotech companies back out of the projects. In some cases, the families have had to take on the work themselves, partnering with academic institutions to advance the research. Despite the challenges, some of these efforts have resulted in promising gene therapies and other treatments that are now in clinical trials.
Peter Hecht's New Syndicate with $81M Backing for Fresh Start-up Success
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Endpoints News
Peter Hecht, former CEO of Cyclerion, is close to completing a deal to take his two assets into a new company with $81 million in investment to develop drugs for mitochondrial dysfunction. The FDA advisory committee voted 8-6 in favor of Sarepta Therapeutics' gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, while the FTC's attempt to block Amgen's proposed $28 billion buyout of Horizon Therapeutics has raised concerns about federal oversight of a sector gearing up for an active M&A year. Allergan Aesthetics' new delivery method for hyaluronic acid has been approved by the FDA, while a recent study from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) shows that pharma podcast advertising is picking up the pace.
Nido Biosciences Secures $109M for Neuroscience Research
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Endpoints News
Precision neuroscience startup Nido Biosciences has emerged from stealth mode with $109 million in funding and a Phase I study already underway. Belgian biotech Dualyx has raised $44 million in financing to take its first Treg candidate into a Phase I study in the second half of 2024. Gilead and Arcus are expanding their partnership to include inflammation targets. UniQure has sold part of its Hemgenix royalty rights for up to $400 million in cash. President Biden intends to nominate Monica Bertagnolli, currently leading the National Cancer Institute, as the head of the National Institutes of Health. The FDA has issued a complete response letter to Byondis, rejecting its pitch for a potential breast cancer therapy. Fulcrum Therapeutics has recruited Alex Sapir as CEO amid management upheaval and a full clinical hold for its sickle cell program. Verve Therapeutics has unveiled its second PCSK9-targeting program, Verve-102, as part of its wider third-quarter financial results.
ImmunityBio's bladder cancer therapy rejected by FDA, stock plummets.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Endpoints News
The FDA has rejected ImmunityBio's biologics license application for a specific bladder cancer, citing deficiencies related to an inspection of a third-party contract manufacturer. The rejection caused the biotech's shares to tumble about 50%. ImmunityBio's Anktiva, or N-803, will need a satisfactory resolution of the observations before a BLA approval.