News and Trends 4 Oct 2022 Discovery of how metastatic cancer cells infiltrate the liver may lead to new drugs Approximately 90% of cancer-related deaths are due to metastasis when cancer spreads and forms new tumors. The liver is considered the most vulnerable organ to metastatic cancer: the five-year survival rate after surgery to remove liver metastases is as low as 30 to 50%, so developing treatments to prevent liver metastasis is urgently needed. A […] October 4, 2022 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 4 Oct 2022 Astellas and Pantherna to work together on mRNA-based medicine through direct reprogramming Astellas Pharma Inc. and Pantherna Therapeutics GmbH have entered into a new technology evaluation agreement for research to generate mRNA-based regenerative medicine programs using direct reprogramming (transdifferentiation). Direct reprogramming is the direct conversion of the fate of cells without passing through the pluripotent state. This agreement expands the scope of the technology evaluation agreement for […] October 4, 2022 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Oct 2022 Canada injecting $11.1M into mRNA vaccine technology at University of British Columbia The Canadian government is providing more than C$11.1 million (US$8.1 million) for two new mRNA vaccine projects at the University of British Columbia (UBC). The funding, through the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan), is for UBC to enhance the delivery and efficacy of mRNA vaccines. PacifiCan is investing the money through its Regional […] October 3, 2022 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Oct 2022 Oncopeptides starts European commercialization of myeloma drug in Germany Swedish biotech company Oncopeptides AB has initiated the commercial launch of Pepaxti (melphalan flufenamide) in Germany. It marks the first market in Europe where the drug is being launched. On August 18, the European Commission granted Pepaxti, in combination with dexamethasone, Marketing Authorization in the European Union and countries in the European Economic Area, for […] October 3, 2022 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Oct 2022 Estrella and TradeUP merge to become publicly traded company Estrella Biopharma, Inc. and TradeUP Acquisition Corp. have entered into a definitive business combination agreement that will result in Estrella becoming a publicly listed company. Upon closing of the transaction, TradeUP will be renamed Estrella Immunopharma, Inc. Estrella Biopharma is a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing CD19-targeted ARTEMIS T-cell therapies under certain license agreements with the […] October 3, 2022 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Oct 2022 FDA clears Kira Pharmaceuticals’ phase 2 trial for SLE-TMA treatment Kira Pharmaceuticals says the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the investigational new drug (IND) application for KP104, a first-in-class bifunctional biologic that selectively and synergistically targets the alternative and terminal complement pathways. A phase 2 trial will evaluate the efficacy, safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of KP104 in participants with […] October 3, 2022 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Oct 2022 Oxford BioTherapeutics enters into antibody agreement with Genmab Oxford BioTherapeutics (OBT) says Genmab has licensed a novel antibody related to one of OBT’s IO programs. The target was discovered using Oxford BioTherapeutics’ OGAP drug discovery platform, which incorporates one of the world’s largest proteomic databases, integrating clinical, experimental and expression data. Under the terms of the agreement, Genmab will be responsible for the […] October 3, 2022 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Oct 2022 Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease to acquire genomic medicine company LogicBio Therapeutics LogicBio Therapeutics, Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement under which Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease (Alexion) will acquire LogicBio. The proposed acquisition brings LogicBio’s technology, experienced rare disease R&D team, and expertise in pre-clinical development to support Alexion’s growth in genomic medicines. Fred Chereau, president and chief executive officer at LogicBio, said: “We are excited […] October 3, 2022 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Oct 2022 Sierra Space and UC San Diego to develop first stem cell research institute in space Sierra Space and University of California San Diego, one of the world’s top 15 research universities and a leader in microgravity research, have formed a new agreement with the goal of defining the future of human health care research in space. In a new memorandum of understanding between the two organizations, Sierra Space and UC […] October 3, 2022 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Oct 2022 Poxel granted orphan drug designation for kidney disease treatment French biopharma company Poxel SA says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation (ODD) to PXL770 for the treatment of patients with autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). PXL770 is a novel, first-in-class direct adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator – and is also a phase 2 ready ADPKD asset, subject […] October 3, 2022 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Oct 2022 Incyte to acquire Medicxi-backed Villaris Therapeutics to tackle vitiligo Incyte has entered into an agreement to acquire Villaris Therapeutics, an asset-centric biopharmaceutical company seeded by Medicxi and focused on the development of novel antibody therapeutics for vitiligo. The deal could eventually be worth upwards of $1.4 billion. Its lead asset, auremolimab (VM6), an anti-IL-15Rβ monoclonal antibody (mAb), is expected to enter clinical development in […] October 3, 2022 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Oct 2022 AmplifyBio acquires PACT Pharma assets AmplifyBio has acquired select assets from PACT Pharma, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing neoantigen-specific T cell receptor cell therapies. The deal will provide AmplifyBio with advanced characterization platforms, bioinformatics capabilities, and 40 drug development experts to enhance its own cell and gene therapy service offerings. AmplifyBio will also acquire the South San Francisco […] October 3, 2022 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email