Chinese biopharma CStone Pharmaceuticals has announced a strategic commercial collaboration with Pharmalink Store, a prominent pharmaceutical company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 22 November 2024
Zhongshan-based biopharma company Akeso will await the verdict of the Chinese medicines regulator on a penpulimab-based combo therapy. 22 November 2024
US biotech Paragon Therapeutics yesterday revealed that biotech industry veteran Susanna High has been appointed as chief executive (CEO). In this newly-created role, Ms High will lead the team’s continued efforts to propel the development of a pipeline of transformative therapies and accelerate their potential impact. 22 November 2024
Shanghai-based Zai Lab and New York’s Pfizer are to work together on the commercialization of Xacduro (sulbactam-durlobactam) in China. 22 November 2024
The nomination of Robert F Kennedy Jr — known as RFK Jr — for the role of US Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) President-elect Donald Trump sent shares in vaccine companies sharply downwards. 22 November 2024
California-based venture capital firm Versant Ventures yesterday announced the launch of Pep2Tango Therapeutics, a start-up focused on innovative, next-generation weight loss therapies. Proceeds from the significant, undisclosed round will support development of the company’s novel unimolecular tetra-receptor agonist peptides to treat obesity and related conditions. 22 November 2024
Hong Kong-based Sino Biopharm has signed an equity investment and strategic collaboration agreement with LaNova Medicines, advancing its oncology focus. 22 November 2024
British pharma major AstraZeneca is facing challenges in its bid to secure full approval for its anticoagulant reversal therapy, Andexxa (andexanet alfa), in the USA. 22 November 2024
Colorado, USA-based biotech Enveda Biosciences, which is using AI to translate nature into new medicines, has announced an oversubscribed $130 million Series C funding round led by Kinnevik and FPV. 22 November 2024
Privately-held US biotech Alloy Therapeutics has announced a strategic collaboration and license agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical. 21 November 2024
Japanese drugmaker Eisai has announced that the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment Rozebalamin for Injection (mecobalamin) has been launched in Japan as a treatment for slowing progression of functional impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. 21 November 2024
San Diego-based Cidara Therapeutics, a biotech using its proprietary Cloudbreak platform to develop drug-Fc conjugate (DFC) immunotherapies designed to save lives and improve the standard of care for patients facing serious diseases, has entered into a securities purchase agreement with certain investors to raise up to around $105 million. 21 November 2024
Swiss pharma giant Novartis today announced an upgrade to its mid-term guidance, in advance of its Meet Novartis Management event for investors and analysts in London. 21 November 2024
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval of Ziihera (zanidatamab-hrii) 50mg/mL for injection for intravenous use, say the drug’s developer, Jazz Pharmaceuticals. 21 November 2024
Eli Lilly is not resting on its laurels when it comes to the fast-growing field of obesity treatments, an area in which it is already a leader. 21 November 2024
Aizen Therapeutics, an AI-driven biotech headquartered in San Diego, has officially launched from stealth mode, introducing its drug discovery platform, DaX. 21 November 2024
San Diego-based Valora Therapeutics, a biotech that boasts of having a novel approach to immunotherapy, has announced the successful closing of a $30 million seed funding round. 21 November 2024
Astellas Pharma has been hit by bad news from the US Food and Drug Administration, which will not currently approve the firm’s request to supplement the label for Izervay (avacincaptad pegol). 21 November 2024
Germany’s Pentixapharm is planning a public offering of new shares as part of its spin-off from Eckert & Ziegler, a leading specialist in radioisotopes for medical, scientific and industrial applications. 12 September 2024
The Russian Ministry of Health wants to speed registration of drugs that are not localized in the Russian Federation at the time of the application submitted by domestic pharmaceutical companies, explaining such changes by "unpredictable geopolitical situation," reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. 12 September 2024
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tremfya (guselkumab) for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC). 12 September 2024
German radiopharmaceutical company ITM Isotope Technologies Munich (ITM) and Swiss biopharma Debiopharm have announced a licensing deal. 12 September 2024
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted marketing authorization for Sanofi’s mega blockbuster drug Dupixent (dupilumab) as an add-on maintenance treatment for adults with uncontrolled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) characterized by raised blood eosinophils. 12 September 2024
Innovent Biologics has announced positive results from a Phase III trial for mazdutide, a dual agonist targeting GLP-1 and glucagon receptor. 12 September 2024
Intercept Pharmaceuticals’ Ocaliva (obeticholic acid) will come under the microscope when the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Gastrointestinal Drugs Advisory Committee meets on Friday. 12 September 2024
French pharma major Sanofi is delving into the emerging class of cancer drugs known as radiopharmaceuticals, which use radioactive substances to attack tumor cells in a targeted way. 12 September 2024
EQT Life Sciences revealed that it has led a 93 million-euro ($102.5 million) oversubscribed Series A fundraise in PanTera, a Belgian radioisotope producer. 12 September 2024
Novo Nordisk has announced that its obesity drug Saxenda (liraglutide) has been shown to be safe and effective in treating obesity in children aged 6-12 years, based on results from a Phase IIIa trial. 12 September 2024
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals has released new data from a Phase III trial showing that its drug sotagliflozin improves certain glucose control parameters in people with type 2 diabetes. 12 September 2024
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday announced revised final guidance for industry entitled, “ANDA Submissions – Amendments to Abbreviated New Drug Applications under GDUFA.” 12 September 2024
US neurological diseases specialist Ovid Therapeutics has announced the promotion of Meg Alexander to president and chief operating officer (COO). 12 September 2024
NewCo, a relatively new business model that involves a joint venture (JV) between a biotech and a group of investors to bring the biotech’s promising assets to the global market, is gaining popularity among Chinese biotechs, who traditionally rely on out-licensing deals to capitalize assets, s 11 September 2024
California, USA-based biotech BridgeBio Pharma saw its shares dip 4% to $29.60 yesterday on disappointing clinical results and the company’s decision to drop an early-stage candidate. 11 September 2024
Shares in Novo Nordisk frequently jump upwards when the latest data on the company’s blockbuster obesity drug Wegovy (semaglutide) are released. 11 September 2024
Terns Pharmaceuticals, a specialist in small molecule treatments for serious diseases, is to raise $150 million via a public offering. 11 September 2024