News
Despite hitting its primary endpoint, Viridian’s thyroid eye disease antibody failed to ease eye bulging to the degree that analysts had been hoping for, and the biotech’s stock price fell by one-third.
FEATURED STORIES
The FDA has some big verdicts lined up in the second quarter, including one for a closely watched obesity drug that many anticipate will further intensify competition in weight loss.
Accumulating scientific evidence and industry interest from Eli Lilly, Altimmune and startup Baseline Therapeutics is driving further research on the therapeutic potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists in treating substance use disorders.
At the AD/PD annual meeting, Eisai presented real-world data suggesting Leqembi’s long-term safety and efficacy in people homozygous for APOE4, who were identified in trials as being at higher risk of brain bleeds while on the treatment. Alzheon, meanwhile, added further detail to trial results of its candidate in patients with the same genetic profile.
FROM OUR EDITORS
Read our takes on the biggest stories happening in the industry.
While requests by government officials for anonymity when speaking to the media are nothing new, the practice attracts more scrutiny when the Department for Health and Human Services has pledged a commitment to “radical transparency.”
THE LATEST
Biotech, in particular companies that are pre-commercial with a longer-duration risk profile, could be great investments as Operation Epic Fury rolls on, according to a Truist Securities analysis.
At its peak, Imcivree’s sales in hypothalamic obesity could reach over $2 billion worldwide, according to analysts at Stifel.
Aside from the $2 billion upfront payment, Novartis is also putting up to $1 billion on the line in milestones for Synnovation Therapeutics’ pan-mutant-selective PI3Kα blocker.
The main beneficiary of Roche’s discontinuation of an investigational spinal muscular atrophy drug is Scholar Rock, which was hobbled by manufacturing concerns at a Novo Nordisk facility last year but is now nearing a potential resolution.
With the approval of Wegovy HD, Novo Nordisk joins Johnson & Johnson, Boehringer Ingelheim and USAntibiotics as beneficiaries of the FDA’s Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher program, which aims to review products that align with certain national priorities in less than two months.
The company is establishing commercial production capabilities to fuel plans to launch autologous CAR T cell therapies in China.
Sarepta Therapeutics says the FDA has agreed to review a regulatory package for Amondys 45 and Vyondys 53 after they failed a confirmatory trial, but whether the agency will agree to approve them is still unknown.
Eli Lilly’s retatrutide could present a “differentiated option” for patients with type 2 diabetes who want to control their blood sugar and achieve maximal weight loss, according to analysts at BMO Capital Markets.
Gossamer Bio reported last month that its only late-stage candidate failed a Phase 3 study in pulmonary arterial hypertension, casting doubt on the asset’s future prospects.
Prime biotech buyout targets such as Revolution Medicines and Ascendis Pharma have recently found themselves in the middle of acquisition rumors—though no deals have panned out so far.