Best in Biotech 27 Feb 2024 Japan’s ten hottest biotech companies in healthcare While Japan historically lacked foreign investment the field is becoming more dynamic. Discover ten essential biotech companies in Japan. February 27, 2024 - 12 minutesmins - By Jules Adam Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 22 Nov 2023 Apellis’ Syfovre vs Astellas’ Izervay: the battle for a geographic atrophy treatment Until the approval of Apellis’ Syfovre earlier this year, there was no treatment for geographic atrophy. Shortly after, Astellas’ Izervay was also approved for the eye condition. Now, as the only two companies with approved geographic atrophy treatments, there appears to be an ongoing rivalry between them to see who can come out on top […] November 22, 2023 - 8 minutesmins - By Willow Shah-Neville Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 9 Jun 2023 Astellas developing new gastric cancer drug Astellas Pharma Inc. has submitted a new drug application (NDA) to Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) for zolbetuximab. Zolbetuximab is a first-in-class investigational Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2)-targeted monoclonal antibody, for first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-negative gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma whose tumors are CLDN18.2-positive. If approved, […] June 9, 2023 - 4 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 8 Jun 2023 Kate Therapeutics launches with $51M to develop genetic medicines for muscle and heart diseases Gene therapy company Kate Therapeutics Inc. (KateTx), has emerged from stealth mode with a $51 million Series A financing. In addition, the company has granted Astellas Pharma Inc. an exclusive, worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize KT430 to treat X-linked myotubular myopathy (XLMTM). There are a large number of genetically defined and complex muscle […] June 8, 2023 - 4 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 15 May 2023 New menopause drug gets FDA approval The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Astellas Pharma’s Veozah (fezolinetant), an oral medication for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms, or hot flashes, caused by menopause. Astellas Pharma US, Inc.’s Veozah is the first neurokinin 3 (NK3) receptor antagonist approved by the FDA to treat moderate to severe hot flashes from […] May 15, 2023 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 5 May 2023 Promising results from phase 3 prostate cancer study Astellas Pharma Inc. and Pfizer Inc. have announced trial results from a phase 3 study on prostate cancer. The results showed XTANDI (enzalutamide) plus leuprolide significantly reduced the risk of metastasis or death by 58% versus placebo plus leuprolide, as assessed by the primary endpoint of metastasis-free survival (MFS) in men with non-metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate […] May 5, 2023 - 4 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 2 May 2023 Astellas eyes ophthalmology field with $5.9B Iveric Bio takeover Astellas Pharma Inc., through Berry Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Astellas US Holding, Inc., has agreed to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of Iveric Bio, Inc., for $40 per share in cash for a total equity value of approximately U.S. $5.9 billion. Iveric Bio will become an indirectly wholly-owned subsidiary of Astellas. […] May 2, 2023 - 4 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 14 Mar 2023 Astellas menopause study meets endpoints but leukemia drug disappoints There was good and bad news this week from Japanese company Astellas Pharma Inc. as one of its trials yielded positive results, while another didn’t meet its endpoints. Astellas Pharma announced pivotal phase 3 results for its study of fezolinetant, an investigational oral, nonhormonal compound being studied for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor […] March 14, 2023 - 4 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 10 Feb 2023Beyond Biotech podcast 33: Astellas Pharma, Innovation Agency Lithuania, 4basebio This week, our guests are Romualda Stragienė, director at Innovation Agency Lithuania and Andrius Sliuzas, export key account manager of high tech industries at Innovation Agency Lithuania; 4basebio CEO Heikki Lanckriet; and Yoshitsugu Shitaka, chief scientific officer at Astellas. 4basebio 4basebio, a spinout of 2Invest AG in 2020, is a life sciences company engaged in […] February 10, 2023 Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 11 Jan 2023 Biotech in Asia: looking forward to 2023 Masahiko Hayakawa, head of targeted protein degradation at Astellas Pharma Inc., gives us some insights into the state of the biopharma industry in 2023. Astellas is a Japanese headquartered pharmaceutical company active in more than 70 countries around the world. It promotes a ‘focus area approach’ designed to identify opportunities for the continuous creation of […] January 11, 2023 - 4 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 9 Jan 2023 Selecta and Astellas sign LOPD treatment agreement Selecta Biosciences, Inc. and Astellas Pharma Inc. have announced an exclusive licensing and development agreement for IdeXork (Xork). Xork is being studied as a potential next generation immunoglobulin G (IgG) protease that will be developed by Astellas for use with AT845, an investigational, adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based treatment for late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) in adults. Pompe […] January 9, 2023 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 22 Dec 2022 Japanese companies look to reduce environmental impact Japanese companies Astellas Pharma Inc., Eisai Co., Ltd., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited have agreed a collaboration to reduce the environmental impact of pharmaceutical packaging. Based on the agreement, the four companies will aim to promote the use of more environmentally-friendly packaging for pharmaceutical products by sharing knowledge on packaging technologies […] December 22, 2022 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email