24 October 2024 Shares of Californian clinical-stage biotech Alto Neuroscience plummeted 70% to $4.36 yesterday, as is announced disappointing trial results for depression candidate.
Germany’s Bayer has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with privately-held Dewpoint Therapeutics for a heart disease program to treat dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients, who are characterized through carrying specific mutations. 25 October 2024
Finnish pharma group Orion has announced it is discontinuing development of ODM-111, a pain management drug candidate, following a toxicology study suggesting it may not be suitable for long-term use. 25 October 2024
US pharma major GSK yesterday announced new preliminary data for Arexvy (respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, recombinant adjuvanted) in adults aged 18-49 at increased risk for RSV-LRTD due to certain underlying medical conditions and in adults who are immunocompromised. 25 October 2024
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to update the adult age-based pneumococcal vaccination guidelines and recommends Capvaxive (pneumococcal 21-valent conjugate vaccine) for pneumococcal vaccination in adults 50 years of age and older. 25 October 2024
US privately-held drug developer NImmune Biopharma has acquired development and commercialization rights for omilancor in Asia from Sino-American biotech LianBio. 25 October 2024
Sanofi reported 15.7% sales growth for the third quarter of the year, reaching 13.4 billion euros ($14.2 billion), with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) rising by 12.2% to 2.86 euros, surpassing many forecasts. 25 October 2024
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has updated its Clinical Practice Guidelines for breast cancer, providing a boost to Novartis' Kisqali (ribociclib). 24 October 2024
Alpha-9 Oncology, a Canadian radiopharmaceutical company, has raised $175 million in an oversubscribed series C financing round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Ascenta Capital. 24 October 2024
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) voted to expand its recommendation for the use of certain pneumococcal vaccines, including Prevnar 20 (20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) for all adults aged 50 and older. 24 October 2024
Sino-America clinical-stage biotech Eccogene announced that it will receive a $60 million payment from AstraZeneca, which is being triggered by successfully achieving milestones related to the development of ECC5004/AZD5004 including the first patient dosed in the Phase IIb program. 24 October 2024
Swiss pharma giant Roche this morning reported that, in the first nine months of 2024 group sales increased by 6% at CER (2% in francs) to 45.0 billion francs ($52.0 billion). 23 October 2024
Life science investors can be divided into two groups: those who bought Novo Nordisk stock before GLP-1s hit the big time, and those who wish they had. 23 October 2024
Shares of Swedish drugmaker Camurus fell almost 10% to 588.50 kroner yesterday after it revealed that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a complete response letter (CRL) regarding the new drug application (NDA) for CAM2029 (octreotide) extended-release injection for the treatment of patients with acromegaly. 23 October 2024
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), yesterday released new data showing that nearly 1.5 million people with Medicare Part D saved nearly $1 billion in out-of-pocket prescription drugs costs in the first half of 2024 because of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. 23 October 2024
UK pharma major AstraZeneca’s Alexion Rare Disease unit has received a positive recommendation for Voydeya (danicopan), from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). 22 October 2024
UK health technology assessor the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended elafibranor 80mg tablets for the treatment of PBC, the drug’s French developer Ipsen announced today. 22 October 2024
Melbourne, Australia-based Telix Pharmaceuticals has announced the launch of Rhine Pharma, a subsidiary aimed at increasing global access to radiopharmaceuticals for cancer treatment and imaging. 22 October 2024
Consumers and health professionals are advised that Danish diabetes care giant Novo Nordisk, in consultation with Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), is recalling six batches of NovoPen Echo insulin cartridge holders after detecting that there is a risk that they may crack or break if exposed to chemicals in certain cleaning agents. 11 July 2017
French pharma major Sanofi is back on the takeover track, albeit not a mega bucks deal, announcing this morning that it will acquire Protein Sciences, a privately held US vaccines biotechnology company based in Meriden, Connecticut. 11 July 2017
Japan’s largest drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4502) has announced the start of operations at Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, the receiving company to which Takeda transferred a part of its research business, announced on May 15, 2017. 11 July 2017
When plans were announced for a cap on the cost of new drugs in England made available on the National Health Service (NHS) in March, pharma companies were roundly critical of the proposals. 10 July 2017
Monday has been a painful day for Almirall, Spain’s largest drugmaker, which looked set to close the day’s trading having lost a quarter of its share value. 10 July 2017
US RNAi therapeutics company Alnylam Pharmaceuticals last week announced that, along with Sanofi Genzyme, it was starting a Phase III program investigating the use of fitusiran in patients with hemophilia A and B with or without inhibitors. 10 July 2017
A new channel has been set up by the non-profit organization Direct Relief to allow pharma companies operating in Mexico to make tariff-free voluntary donations of medicines made in Mexico to low-income patients in the country. 10 July 2017
In a reversal of a negative draft guidance in February, the medicines cost-effectiveness watchdog for England and Wales has today issued final guidance recommending cabozantinib for some kidney cancer patients. 10 July 2017
The Hong Kong Alliance of Patients' Organizations and representatives from numerous cancer concern groups have met with physicians and politicians to discuss ways of improving cancer care in the territory. 10 July 2017
Isodiol International, a specialist in cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals, has received approval from the Brazilian medicines regulator to market Isoderm, a treatment for epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. 10 July 2017
The Hellenic Association of Pharmaceutical Companies (SFEE) is strongly against and rejects in principle the new method for calculating the claw-back in Greece, as it is an unfair measure. 10 July 2017
Events in the pharma sector hitting the headlines last week included a hitch for Merck & Co’s Keytruda, mixed results for Cara Therapeutics’ pain drug candidate CR848, Celgene’s deal with China’s BeiGene and an overview on the sluggish first-half 2017 M&A activity. 9 July 2017
US Health and Human Services Secretary Dr Tom Price has named Dr Brenda Fitzgerald, as the 17th Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 8 July 2017
The UK Supreme Court has decided in the litigation relating to alternative salt forms of Alimta (pemetrexed disodium) that Actavis' products directly infringe US pharma major Eli Lilly's vitamin regimen patents in the UK, France, Italy and Spain. 7 July 2017
Some of the most senior figures in UK pharma have applauded a commitment made by government ministers to seek a collaborative post-Brexit relationship between the UK and the European Union (EU). 7 July 2017
Bosnalijek, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s largest drugmaker, is considering building a plant for the production of its drugs in the Russian city of Kaluga, according to the company, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. 7 July 2017
Japan, with an aging population and increasing healthcare costs, is looking to reform parts of its regulatory system and introduce a larger role for value-based medicine. 7 July 2017
A consensus review has been published on the efficacy of cannabinoids as medical drugs and comparing them with other forms of cannabis treatments with herbal plants. 7 July 2017
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Company Spotlight
Dewpoint is a biotech company pioneering the application of biomolecular condensate biology – the science studying the organization of biomolecules within membrane-less compartments – towards the development of a new generation of therapeutics to address diseases of high unmet need.