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Dan Samorodnitsky

Dan Samorodnitsky

News Editor

Dan Samorodnitsky is the news editor at BioSpace. He has a decade of experience covering biotech, genetics and medicine. Before coming to BioSpace he was an editor at Drug Discovery News and Massive Science, and his writing has appeared in outlets such as Quanta, STAT, GROW and many others. He is based in Minneapolis. You can reach him at dan.samorodnitsky@biospace.com.

scientist in microbiology laboratory working with E coli culture
Infectious disease
AbbVie Gets FDA Approval for New Antibiotic in the Face of Rising Resistance
The intravenous antibiotic Emblaveo, a combination of aztreonam and avibactam approved in Europe last year, was developed in partnership with Pfizer. AbbVie acquired its share of the asset as part of its $63 billion buyout of Allergan.
February 10, 2025
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2 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Facade of Novo Nordisk's office in Fremont, California
Rare diseases
Novo’s Bispecific for Hemophilia Aces Phase III Pediatric Trial
Novo Nordisk’s bispecific antibody Mim8 prevented bleeding events and caused no adverse safety events in the Phase III FRONTIER3 trial. The company plans to file for approval this year, hoping to compete in the hemophilia A space with Roche’s blockbuster Hemlibra.
February 7, 2025
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2 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Illustration of employee being let go, falling out of chair
Layoffs
X4 Pharmaceuticals Stumbles Again, Laying Off 30% of Workforce
The headcount reduction will save money that the company will use in developing mavorixafor, its CXCR4 antagonist that last year received FDA approval to treat WHIM syndrome, in the larger patient population with chronic neutropenia.
February 6, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Young White Woman at home Holding Two Pain Killer Pills in Her Hand Palm After Spilling from Bottle and Glass of Water. Concept of Pain Relief, Addiction to Opioids and NSAIDs
Pain
Algiax’s Non-Opioid Drug Reduces Neuropathic Pain in Mid-Stage Trial
The Phase IIa results continue a surge of momentum in a treatment space that last week saw the approval of Vertex’s Journavx as the first novel mechanism for acute pain in decades.
February 4, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Courtesy of 400tmax/Getty Images
Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis Biotech Sionna Announces $150M IPO
The Massachusetts-based biotech plans to use the funds to push its candidates into mid-stage clinical trials in a space dominated by Vertex.
February 3, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Abstract vector storm clouds with thunder hand drawn chaotic tangle of doodles.Sign bad weather,impending rain and storm,thunder rolls.Symbol stress,depression,psychosis,mental crisis personality,headache after suffering coronavirus.
Psychedelics
GH’s Inhaled Psychedelic Succeeds in Mid-Stage Depression Trial
In a Phase IIb trial, GH001 elicited significant drops in treatment-resistant depression. The news comes less than two weeks after J&J secured FDA monotherapy approval for its esketamine nasal spray Spravato in the same indication.
February 3, 2025
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2 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Illustration of a group of businessmen white-collar workers dismissed
Layoffs
Fractyl Goes All In on GLP-1 Off-Ramp Drug, Lays of 17% of Workforce
Fractyl Health is deprioritizing a type 2 diabetes trial in favor of a pivotal study of its endoscopy treatment Revita and parting with around 22 employees in an attempt to extend its runway into 2026.
January 31, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Pictured: Takeda sign at its office in Massachusetts
Business
Takeda Drops Epilepsy Drug, Names New CEO Amid Q3 Earnings
Analysts were unfazed by the news that Takeda will cease development of soticlestat after Phase III failures, while responding positively to the announcement that Julie Kim will take the helm of the Japanese giant in 2026.
January 30, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Gentilly, France, March 21, 2021: Exterior view of the Sanofi headquarters building. Sanofi is a French multinational company specializing in the health sector
Earnings
Sanofi Earnings Driven by Dupixent, New RSV Vaccine as Hunt for Deals Continues
Sanofi’s jump in earnings comes with an increased emphasis on R&D and vaccines, plus an eye cast toward M&A to shore up its pipeline.
January 30, 2025
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2 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Group Of Employees Being Fired By Their Company.
Layoffs
I-Mab Cuts 27% of Workforce After Pipeline Re-Prioritization
The layoffs follow an announcement in early January that I-Mab will re-prioritize resources to focus on advancing a CLDN18.2 and 4-1BB bispecific antibody for gastric cancers.
January 29, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Illustration of employer’s hand holding employee who was laid off to drop him out of office
Layoffs
Zentalis Cuts 40% of Staff as it Eyes Phase II Readout For Lead Asset
The move is part of a strategic restructuring aimed at getting azenosertib to the market for patients with gynecological malignancies.
January 29, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
GLP-1 injector pens and pills against colorful background
Weight loss
BioAge Drops Lead Obesity Asset Months After IPO
It’s been a rocky few months for BioAge Labs, which shuttered a Phase II trial of its lead candidate azelaprag Tuesday after the molecule caused liver-based side effects.
January 28, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
3D illustration of an RNA molecule
Neuroscience
Atalanta Gets $97 Million Series B to Target Neurological Disorders With RNAi
The company, co-founded by Nobel Laureate Craig Mello, aims to push molecules for Huntington’s and a form of epilepsy into Phase I trials, with additional preclinical assets targeting Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
January 28, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Pictured: Man prepares his GLP-1 injection
IPO
Metsera Seeks $289M Raise, $1.78B Valuation in IPO
The GLP-1 IPO arena has been heating up for the past two years and Metsera’s ask is one the largest in recent history.
January 27, 2025
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1 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
Pictured: Illustration of a human body with the liver highlighted
Drug Development
Akero Rebounds as Benefit Deepens in Key Mid-Stage MASH Trial
After missing the primary endpoint in the Phase IIb SYMMETRY trial, Akero Therapeutics’ lead molecule, efruxifermin, showed greater improvements after 96 weeks of treatment in an advanced disease population.
January 27, 2025
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2 min read
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Dan Samorodnitsky
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