BioSpace News Archive

Drug Development

FDA Pauses Several Trials of Merck’s Investigational HIV Drug Islatravir

As of now, six studies related to islatravir are on full clinical hold, while seven are on partial clinical hold. Here are more updates on the development of this drug.

December 14, 2021
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2 min read
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Sreetama Dutt
Drug Development

Once-Weekly Bloodstream Infection Drug Rezafungin Shines in Phase III

Cidara Therapeutics and Mundipharma today shared positive topline results from their Phase III trial on the use of rezafungin for candidemia and invasive candidiasis.

December 14, 2021
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3 min read
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Vanessa Doctor, RN
Business

Novartis Drops Out of COVID-19 Deal with Mesoblast

Novartis has grown weary of waiting, dropping out of its deal to fund Mesoblast’s floundering COVID-19 treatment.

December 14, 2021
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2 min read
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Kate Goodwin
With First Patients Dosed, AnHeart Snags $61 Million for Lung Cancer Hopeful

AnHeart Therapeutics raised $61 million in a Series B financing round. Proceeds from the round will be used for the company’s lead asset, a next-generation ROS1 inhibitor currently in Phase II trials in non-small cell lung cancer.

December 14, 2021
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2 min read
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Alex Keown
Business

Bristol Myers Squibb Drops $920 Million to Broaden Partnership with Immatics

Bristol Myers Squibb is dropping $920 million to acquire the exclusive global rights of Immatics’ experimental cancer drug program, the companies announced Tuesday morning.

December 14, 2021
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2 min read
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Alvin Clavines
Drug Development

Moderna, Sarepta and Amgen Not Attending JP Morgan Conference

The JP Morgan Health Care Conference is held annually in January, and usually kicks off the biggest biopharma business news stories of the year. But in 2022, it’ll do so without at least three big names in the industry.

December 14, 2021
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3 min read
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Mark Terry
Biotech Bay

Bay Area Biotech is Taking Gene Therapy to the Next Level with Chemogenetics

A member of BioSpace’s Class of 2021, CODA aims to modify neuronal cell populations using gene therapy to express a tunable ligand-gated ion channel.

December 14, 2021
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6 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Drug Development

Highlights from American Society of Hematology 2021 Meeting

The 63rd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition is wrapping up today, with dozens providing updates on clinical trials and preclinical research. Here’s a highlight of just a few of those stories.

December 14, 2021
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6 min read
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Mark Terry
Deals

CSL Tenders Offer to Buy Vifor Pharma for $11.7 Billion

If successfully finalized, the transaction will give CSL access to Vifor’s pipeline of treatments for iron deficiency, kidney and cardio-renal diseases.

December 14, 2021
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3 min read
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Heather McKenzie
Drug Development

COVID News: Vaccine Anniversary, Mounting Death Toll and Omicron Updates

Despite the biggest vaccination drive in the U.S., the pandemic is still not over. The U.S. has reported more than 800,000 COVID-19 deaths, an increase of 500,000 since the vaccination started.

December 14, 2021
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6 min read
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Mark Terry