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Disc Medicine’s leadership tried to express optimism that its rare disease therapy bitopertin can be approved based on a Phase 3 trial set to begin shortly. However, analysts are worried that the protocol was developed with former FDA leaders.
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The FDA’s refusal to review Moderna’s mRNA-based flu vaccine is “part of a disturbing pattern” of moving regulatory goalposts, according to Clay Alspach, executive director of the Alliance for mRNA Medicines. Meanwhile, streamlined communications with regulators in other countries pave the way for rapid uptake of novel modalities.
The current state of political affairs in the U.S. does not bode well for the direction of that turn. The country is at real risk of losing its long-held lead in biotech innovation.
FDA
The FDA’s refusal to review Moderna’s mRNA-based flu vaccine is part of a larger communications crisis unfolding at the agency over the past nine months that has also ensnarled Sarepta, Capricor, uniQure and many more.
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The FDA issued a rare Refusal-to-File letter to Moderna over its mRNA-based influenza vaccine application, in an unusual move that sent the biotech’s shares tumbling.
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With $70 million upfront and more than $1.8 billion on the line, Roche will gain access to Flare’s drug discovery engine to bolster its oncology pipeline.
In a small Phase IIa trial, Insilico’s generative AI-designed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis drug improved lung function and was well-tolerated across all dosing groups.
In line with the restructuring initiative, 23andMe is looking for strategic opportunities for its pipeline assets, including licensing deals or outright sales.
Analysts did not seem very concerned by the treatment-related serious adverse event, noting that NGN-401 was well-tolerated at a lower dose and showed promising efficacy outcomes.
CEO Roberto Iacone admitted in an interview that the market remains tough, even for a biotech in the red-hot ADC world. But Alentis is targeting an IPO as early as 2025.
BioSpace has named 50 biopharma companies to its 2025 Best Places to Work list, including Moderna and Sutro Biopharma, whose executives share what makes their organizations special.
The shocking failure of AbbVie’s emraclidine has investors questioning the Big Pharma’s long-term neuroscience strategy, which put the drug at the center of expectations.
FDA
Novavax’s shared jumped 12% in pre-market trading on the news.
In February 2024, the FDA put two Phase II studies of zelnecirnon under a clinical hold after a case of liver failure was deemed potentially related to the drug.
The companies did not provide detailed data for Tezspire, however, and William Blair’s Matt Phipps said in a note he does not expect the antibody to outperform Dupixent.