Biotech News

The results are a boost for Lilly's drug, tirzepatide, which is being prepared for regulatory submissions later this year. But long-term heart data won't be available for some time.

The planned factory is a strong sign of Biogen's interest in gene therapy, an area of research it has invested in through dealmaking over the past few years.

The acquisition marks a dramatic turnaround for Five Prime, which has in recent years struggled through setbacks, executive departures and layoffs.

The data show similar declines in sperm counts among patients on the Belgian biotech's drug, filgotinib, or a placebo. But it's unclear whether that finding will appease the FDA, which surprisingly rejected filgotinib last year.

Clinical and regulatory setbacks have left the star biotech duo Gilead and Galapagos smarting and their stock value bruised in recent months. Yet the pair claim to be well capitalized to weather the storm and determined to do so together. The two companies forged an unusual blockbuster agreement in 2019, valued at around €4.5B ($5.1B), which allowed Gilead to access the Belgian-Dutch company’s full pipeline. In a bitter twist of biotech fate, however, two of their most promising late-stage candidates, targeting chronic inflammation disorders, hit major snags over the past few months, sending Galapagos’ share price down by almost two-thirds in a year.  “From everything Galapagos touches turning into gold, it seemed, to everything turning into a deception,” said Mike Plevier, a biotech and real estate investor, who has owned Galapagos stock since 2015. “I think this is biotech — taking risks to develop new drugs and treatments will make some programs succeed and some fail.” Last month, the partners discontinued phase III trials of the candidate ziritaxestat. The post Galapagos and Gilead Soldier On After Inflammatory Disease Flops appeared first on Labiotech.eu.

BlackRock powers Exscientia to $100M series C round to fund autonomous drug design ntaylor Thu, 03/04/2021 - 08:25

Lilly's tirzepatide beats Novo's semaglutide in diabetes phase 3, but another study muddies picture ntaylor Thu, 03/04/2021 - 07:47

How roundworms could inspire new treatments for obesity and other food-related diseases aliu Thu, 03/04/2021 - 07:42

Biden still pushing for his cancer 'breakthrough' dream, but can it work? badams Thu, 03/04/2021 - 07:10

Advocates from the ALS community flooded the FDA with letters, Tweets, emails, videos and other comments expressing their anger over the rejection and the frustration that there are few therapeutics for a disease that is a delayed death sentence.

KemPharm announced this week that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its novel ADHD drug for use in patients six years and older.

The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council 2020 Biopharma Funding Report released this week shows that biopharma companies within the state’s ecosystem raised $5.8 billion in venture funding, almost twice the $3 billion raised in 2019.

Biogen plans to build a new gene therapy manufacturing plant in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The site is on the company’s manufacturing campus.

Shares of Five Prime Therapeutics were soaring this morning after Amgen announced it was acquiring the company and its Phase III ready anti-FGFR2b antibody bemarituzumab for $1.9 billion in cash.

Another study is adding to a growing body of literature that suggests convalescent plasma from recovered patients with COVID-19 doesn’t prevent further COVID-19 progression in at-risk people who visit the emergency room.

Merck KGaA is consolidating its Silicon Valley business/technology and materials innovations facilities under one 30,000-square-foot roof in San Jose, California, in an effort to boost their collaborative capacity for developing materials with biological applications.

Distribution and administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine began this week. There is also additional COVID-19 news. Here’s a look.

Are you currently working full time and in school earning a master’s degree? If so, do you think you are giving the appropriate amount of time to your job, studies and personal life?

Biotech is poised to benefit. The industry is coming off a record year for biotech IPOs in terms of numbers of deals, as well as their proceeds.

A career in regulatory affairs combines knowledge of law, science, economics and more. Those who follow this biotech career path aren't necessarily scientists, but they do need to understand the science behind the products that they need to regulate.

Biopharma and life sciences companies from across the globe provide updates on their businesses and pipelines.

Lilly’s tirzepatide has been proposed as a potentially effective treatment option that may rival the efficacy of semaglutide.

The NIH stopped enrolling patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease into a study of Vir's antibody drug after data monitors questioned its effectiveness.

The results could help baricitinib become the first treatment for alopecia areata, a leading cause of hair loss. Safety concerns have diminished the drug's prospects in arthritis, however.

The CRISPR biotech raised $115 million in a Series C financing aimed at advancing its engineered cell therapy research.