Look back at pharma news in the week to March 27, 2020

Deal-making news last week featured Bayer’s announcement on Monday that it is teaming up with India’s Curadev to use the latter’s STING antagonists to develop therapies across a range of indications. Also, Silence Therapeutics has inked a deal with AstraZeneca worth up to $400 million on siRNA therapeutics, including SLB360. Among research news, Novavax presented new data on its flu vaccine candidate NanoFlu that compared it with Sanofi’s Fluzone. Regulatory news included Food and Drug Administration approval for Bristol-Myers Squibb’s multiple sclerosis drug Zeposia. Also, in an unusual move, Gilead Sciences asked the FDA to rescind Orphan Drug designation for its anti-viral candidate remdesivir, which is now been investigating as a possible COVID-19 treatment.

After Takeda endorsement, Curadev’s STING attracts Bayer

The coronavirus pandemic notwithstanding, Curadev snares a second STING partner, noted Jacob Plieth on Vantage, the editorial arm of the Evaluate group. The Indian group has persuaded Bayer to become the second big company to license its STING program.