Summer’s arrival hasn’t slowed the momentum of the biotech IPO market. Wall Street this week welcomed six new life science industry companies, which collectively raised more than $1 billion in their stock market debuts. Relay Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RLAY]]) notched the biggest biotech IPO of the week, raising $400 million. Investor interest in the Cambridge, MA-based … Continue reading “Two Days, Six IPOs, and $1B Raised for Biotech Research & More”
Author: Frank Vinluan
Xconomy Editor Frank Vinluan is a business journalist with experience covering technology and life sciences. Based in Raleigh, he was a staff writer at the Triangle Business Journal covering technology, biotechnology and energy before joining MedCityNews.com as North Carolina bureau chief. Prior to moving to North Carolina’s Research Triangle in 2007 he held business reporting positions at The Des Moines Register and The Seattle Times.
Bio Roundup: Moderna Publishes, Life Science Cash, AdComm Votes & More
If it seems like biotech investments have defied the financial headwinds of the pandemic, maybe it’s because they have. In the second quarter, 16 of the top 25 largest early-stage venture capital deals were investments in life science companies. The figures come from the National Venture Capital Association and financial research firm Pitchbook. This week … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Moderna Publishes, Life Science Cash, AdComm Votes & More”
GSK Vaccine Vet Pfefer Tapped for Executive Roles at Flagship, Kintai
Flagship Pioneering has appointed Guillaume Pfefer to serve as CEO-partner of the venture capital firm. He will also become CEO of Kintai Therapeutics, one of the Cambridge, MA-based firm’s portfolio companies. Pfefer worked most recently at GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: [[ticker:GSK]]), where he was senior vice president and global vaccine leader for Shingrix, the company’s shingles vaccine. … Continue reading “GSK Vaccine Vet Pfefer Tapped for Executive Roles at Flagship, Kintai”
Mallinckrodt’s Kidney Failure Drug Narrowly Wins Backing of FDA Panel
An experimental Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals drug for a rare type of kidney failure has won the support of an FDA advisory panel by the thinnest of margins. The committee of mostly physicians concluded that the benefits of the drug, terlipressin, outweigh its safety risks as a treatment for hepatorenal syndrome type 1 (HRS-1), and panelists voted … Continue reading “Mallinckrodt’s Kidney Failure Drug Narrowly Wins Backing of FDA Panel”
Moderna Publishes Early COVID-19 Vaccine Data, Preps for Phase 3 Test
Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate stimulated production of antibodies to the novel coronavirus in all of the patients tested in an early-stage study, and the company says the data support the selection of which dose to test in a pivotal clinical trial slated to begin at the end of July. When the Cambridge, MA-based company initially … Continue reading “Moderna Publishes Early COVID-19 Vaccine Data, Preps for Phase 3 Test”
Scholar Rock CEO Mahanthappa to Step Down, Kingsley Named Successor
Nagesh Manhanthappa, the founding employee of Scholar Rock (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SRRK]]) and its president and CEO for the past eight years, has decided to step down, the company announced Tuesday. No reason was given. The Cambridge, MA-based biotech said Mahanthappa is also leaving the board of directors on Aug. 1 but will continue to serve as … Continue reading “Scholar Rock CEO Mahanthappa to Step Down, Kingsley Named Successor”
Vor Biopharma Makes Slapak’s Chief Medical Officer Job Permanent
Vor Biopharma has appointed Christopher Slapak to serve as its chief medical officer. He had held that role on an interim basis for the past year. Slapak’s experience also includes positions at Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) and ImClone, which was acquired by the drug giant in 2008. Cambridge, MA-based Vor uses genetic engineering techniques to … Continue reading “Vor Biopharma Makes Slapak’s Chief Medical Officer Job Permanent”
Roche, Blueprint Medicines Team Up Again in $775M RET Cancer Drug Pact
A Blueprint Medicines cancer drug candidate currently under FDA review will have the marketing muscle of Roche behind it if it wins regulatory approval. The two companies are partnering on the drug, pralsetinib, a targeted cancer therapy developed for lung and thyroid cancers characterized by abnormalities in a gene called RET. According to deal terms … Continue reading “Roche, Blueprint Medicines Team Up Again in $775M RET Cancer Drug Pact”
NFlection Looks to Erase NF1 Tumors With Drug That Only Goes Skin Deep
The first drug for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is available to patients following the FDA’s approval of the AstraZeneca treatment earlier this year. Biotech startup NFlection Therapeutics is vying to be runner-up, but its founders say they can eventually win out with a drug that takes a different approach than the commercialized pill while also … Continue reading “NFlection Looks to Erase NF1 Tumors With Drug That Only Goes Skin Deep”
Bristol Myers Pays Dragonfly $55M to Bring NK Cells to Neuro Diseases
Bristol Myers Squibb likes what it sees from the immune cell research of Dragonfly Therapeutics so far—enough to pay $55 million to add multiple sclerosis and neuroinflammation to their ongoing partnership. The alliance came to New York-based Bristol (NYSE: [[ticker:BMY]]) via its acquisition of Celgene last year. The original 2017 deal covered the development of … Continue reading “Bristol Myers Pays Dragonfly $55M to Bring NK Cells to Neuro Diseases”
Data Quantity, Complexity Drives Use of AI in Drug Discovery and Testing
The quantity of data about medicines, diseases, and biology is growing. So too, are the number of companies that employ artificial intelligence in drug discovery. Most of the low-hanging fruit in drug research has already been picked, and the industry is clamoring to make sense of the new data, according to Jeffrey Lu, CEO and … Continue reading “Data Quantity, Complexity Drives Use of AI in Drug Discovery and Testing”
BioNTech’s mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Shows Early Signs of Sparking Immunity
[Updated 7/2/2020, 9:27 a.m. See below.] A BioNTech messenger RNA vaccine candidate for COVID-19 has shown in a small study that it can elicit an immune response to the novel coronavirus. The 45-patient US study tested three doses of the experimental mRNA vaccine, BNT162b1, along with a placebo. Early results now available show higher levels … Continue reading “BioNTech’s mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Shows Early Signs of Sparking Immunity”
Amylyx Adds $30M to Press On With Neuro Drug for ALS, Alzheimer’s
[Updated, 4:54 p.m.] Amylyx Pharmaceuticals’ two-pronged approach to neurodegenerative diseases has shown promise in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) testing and the company now has $30 million to complete a separate clinical trial in Alzheimer’s disease. The Series B round of financing announced Wednesday was led by Morningside Ventures, a firm that had previously invested in … Continue reading “Amylyx Adds $30M to Press On With Neuro Drug for ALS, Alzheimer’s”
Ultragenyx Pharma Wins FDA’s First Drug Nod for Rare Metabolic Disorder
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical won FDA approval Tuesday for a therapy that treats a group of rare metabolic disorders that render the body unable to convert certain fats—such as those found in olive oil, fish, and nuts—into energy. People who have long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders (LC-FAOD) typically manage the condition with dietary changes or by taking … Continue reading “Ultragenyx Pharma Wins FDA’s First Drug Nod for Rare Metabolic Disorder”
Mereo BioPharma Appoints John Lewicki Chief Scientific Officer
The new chief scientific officer of Mereo BioPharma Group (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MREO]]) is acquainted with the London-based company and its lead cancer drug candidate. John Lewicki was previously the CEO of OncoMed, a cancer drug developer whose stumbles in clinical trials led to a 2017 corporate restructuring, and then a reverse merger last year with Mereo. … Continue reading “Mereo BioPharma Appoints John Lewicki Chief Scientific Officer”
Akcea Therapeutics Names Tracy Palmer Berns Chief Compliance Officer
Tracy Palmer Berns has joined rare disease drug developer Akcea Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AKCA]]) as chief compliance officer, the same role she held most recently at AMAG Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMAG]]). Her experience also includes compliance and regulatory positions at Medtronic (NYSE: [[ticker:MDT]]) and Covidien, which Medtronic acquired in 2015. Boston-based Akcea has two commercialized products: hereditary … Continue reading “Akcea Therapeutics Names Tracy Palmer Berns Chief Compliance Officer”
Goldfinch Raises $100M for Kidney Drug Studies Now, Perhaps an IPO Later
Goldfinch Bio, a biotech company employing genetic analysis to develop new medicines for kidney diseases, has raised $100 million to bring its lead drug candidate into mid-stage clinical trials. The Series B round of financing was led by Eventide Asset Management. Cambridge, MA-based Goldfinch is taking a big data approach to kidney disease drug discovery … Continue reading “Goldfinch Raises $100M for Kidney Drug Studies Now, Perhaps an IPO Later”
FDA Says “No” to Intercept Pharma’s NASH Drug, Asks for More Data
The FDA has rejected an Intercept Pharmaceuticals drug developed to treat the fatty liver disorder nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, more commonly referred to as “NASH.” New York-based Intercept (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ICPT]]) said Monday that the agency’s complete response letter for obeticholic acid (OCA) stated that its review found that the investigational NASH drug’s benefit “remains uncertain” and does … Continue reading “FDA Says “No” to Intercept Pharma’s NASH Drug, Asks for More Data”
Eye Inflammation Dooms AbbVie Wet AMD Drug to an FDA Rejection
The FDA has rejected an investigational AbbVie drug for the “wet” form of age-related macular degeneration, dealing a setback to the company’s bid to wrest market share from blockbuster drugs currently used to treat the condition. According to AbbVie (NYSE: [[ticker:ABBV]]), the FDA’s complete response letter states that the drug, abicipar pegol, caused a high … Continue reading “Eye Inflammation Dooms AbbVie Wet AMD Drug to an FDA Rejection”
CSL Behring Bolsters Hemophilia Lineup With Deal for uniQure’s Gene Therapy
CSL Behring is joining the chase for a genetic treatment for hemophilia by acquiring a uniQure gene therapy that’s already in late-stage testing. King of Prussia, PA-based CSL Behring is paying $450 million up front to acquire the uniQure (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QURE]]) asset, etranacogene dezaparvovec (“EtranaDez” for short), the companies announced late Wednesday. Netherlands-based uniQure will … Continue reading “CSL Behring Bolsters Hemophilia Lineup With Deal for uniQure’s Gene Therapy”
Eli Lilly Veteran Melemed Joins Chimerix as Chief Medical Officer
Chimerix (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CMRX]]) has appointed Allen Melemed as its new chief medical officer. He comes to the Durham, NC-based drug developer after more than 20 years at Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]), where he was most recently distinguished medical fellow and senior director of regulatory affairs for oncology in North America. Chimerix is preparing to start … Continue reading “Eli Lilly Veteran Melemed Joins Chimerix as Chief Medical Officer”
La Jolla Pharma Steps In With Better Offer, Wins Tetraphase Bidding War
It’s common for antibiotics developers to run into financial trouble these days but what’s unusual is seeing a bidding war erupt for one of them. The competition for Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals now has a new winner: La Jolla Pharmaceutical. San Diego-based La Jolla (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LJPC]]) has pledged to pay Tetraphase shareholders $43 million in cash now … Continue reading “La Jolla Pharma Steps In With Better Offer, Wins Tetraphase Bidding War”
AsclepiX Emerges With $35M and an Eye Drug Challenger to Eylea, Lucentis
The body’s natural process for healing wounds has led AsclepiX Therapeutics to a novel approach to treating diseases of the eye. The startup is now gearing up to test its technology in humans, and it has raised $35 million in Series A financing to support its research. Cuts and scrapes in the skin spark the … Continue reading “AsclepiX Emerges With $35M and an Eye Drug Challenger to Eylea, Lucentis”
Invitae Makes a Precision Oncology Push With $886M Deal for ArcherDx
Cancer treatment is increasingly moving toward targeted therapies based on the genetics of a patient’s tumor and Invitae is ensuring it gets its share of this growing market with a deal to acquire precision oncology startup ArcherDx. San Francisco-based Invitae announced Monday that it has agreed to pay $886 million for ArcherDx—$325 million in cash … Continue reading “Invitae Makes a Precision Oncology Push With $886M Deal for ArcherDx”
Shattuck Labs Nabs $118M for Cancer Drugs Like Keytruda, But Better
Checkpoint inhibitors do one thing: release the molecular brake that keeps immune cells from recognizing and targeting tumors. This cancer immunotherapy approach has saved countless lives and turned drugs from Merck and Bristol Myers Squibb into blockbuster products. But what if a single drug could block checkpoint proteins while simultaneously sparking an anti-tumor response? That’s … Continue reading “Shattuck Labs Nabs $118M for Cancer Drugs Like Keytruda, But Better”
Bio Roundup: A Royal IPO, Akili Arrives, Orca Bio Surfaces & More
The biggest life sciences deal this week involves a company that doesn’t discover or develop drugs, or even sell them. Yet its mark is found on pharmaceutical products spanning the entire sector. Royalty Pharma (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RPRX]]) acquires the royalty rights for drugs. Most of those royalties are for products that are already approved, but the … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: A Royal IPO, Akili Arrives, Orca Bio Surfaces & More”
Alpine Immune Sciences Lands AbbVie as R&D Partner for Lupus Drug
Alpine Immune Sciences’ lupus drug candidate now has AbbVie lined up to continue the compound’s development. The drug, ALPN-101, is ready for Phase 2 testing, which will be conducted by Seattle-based Alpine. The deal announced Thursday grants AbbVie (NYSE: [[ticker:ABBV]]) an exclusive option to license the drug after that study. The North Chicago, IL-based pharmaceutical … Continue reading “Alpine Immune Sciences Lands AbbVie as R&D Partner for Lupus Drug”
Orca Bio Surfaces With $192M and Recipes for “Custom” Cell Therapies
The cancer cell therapies available today are made by tweaking a patient’s own immune cells to better recognize and fight the disease. Orca Bio is developing what it says is the next generation of cell therapy: custom preparations made without modifying cells or genes. Orca is already testing its technology in humans, though it has … Continue reading “Orca Bio Surfaces With $192M and Recipes for “Custom” Cell Therapies”
Kronos Bio Appoints Christopher Dinsmore Chief Scientific Officer
Christopher Dinsmore has joined Kronos Bio as its chief scientific officer. He was most recently entrepreneur in residence at venture capital firm Third Rock Ventures. His experience also includes roles at Forma Therapeutics and Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]). Kronos launched nearly a year ago with a $105 million Series A round of financing. The San Mateo, … Continue reading “Kronos Bio Appoints Christopher Dinsmore Chief Scientific Officer”
AstraZeneca Veteran Hasan Jafri Joins Aridis as Chief Medical Officer
Aridis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARDS]]) has appointed Hasan Jafri to serve as its chief medical officer. He succeeds Paul Mendelman, the company’s interim CMO since last October. San Jose, CA-based Aridis said Mendelman will become senior medical advisor to the company. Jafri is joining Aridis from AstraZeneca (NYSE: [[ticker:AZN]]), where he was director of clinical research … Continue reading “AstraZeneca Veteran Hasan Jafri Joins Aridis as Chief Medical Officer”
GSK Expands Synthetic Lethality Scope With $120M Ideaya Bio Alliance
GlaxoSmithKline got its first taste of synthetically lethal cancer therapies via an acquisition. Now it’s trying for a bigger bite of this emerging drug class through a research alliance with Ideaya Biosciences that spans three of the biotech’s programs, all slated to reach clinical trials in the next three years. According to deal terms announced … Continue reading “GSK Expands Synthetic Lethality Scope With $120M Ideaya Bio Alliance”
Pharma Partnering: Perspectives from Xcelerating Life Sciences Panel
At some point, every biotech weighs whether to forge ahead alone or team up with a larger company that has the scientific know-how, clinical trial experience, or the cash to keep a program going. For early-stage developers of cell and gene therapies, these alliances are almost essential. Bruce Levine been on both sides of this … Continue reading “Pharma Partnering: Perspectives from Xcelerating Life Sciences Panel”
Akili Interactive’s Video Game for ADHD Gets the FDA All Clear
The newest attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment comes with instructions unlike any other therapy: Press “PLAY.” Akili Interactive was awarded FDA clearance on Monday for EndeavorRx, a “digital therapeutic” developed to treat ADHD through a video game experience. The regulatory decision makes the Boston company’s product the first prescription therapy that comes in the … Continue reading “Akili Interactive’s Video Game for ADHD Gets the FDA All Clear”
Moderna’s Almarsson Jumps To Lyndra for Chief Technology Officer Post
Lyndra Therapeutics has appointed Örn Almarsson to serve as its chief technology officer. Almarsson joins Watertown, MA-based Lyndra from Moderna (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MRNA]]), where he was head of delivery sciences. He was previously vice president of pharmaceutical R&D at Alkermes (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALKS]]). Lyndra has reached clinical trials testing a drug delivery technology that turn daily pills … Continue reading “Moderna’s Almarsson Jumps To Lyndra for Chief Technology Officer Post”
Novo Nordisk Strikes a $725M Deal for AstraZeneca Spinout Corvidia
Diabetes drug giant Novo Nordisk has reached a $725 million deal to acquire Corvidia Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech developing treatments for disorders affecting the heart and the kidneys. The upfront payment due to Corvidia shareholders is cash. According to the terms of the agreement, Denmark-based Novo Nordisk (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NVO]]) could be on the hook for … Continue reading “Novo Nordisk Strikes a $725M Deal for AstraZeneca Spinout Corvidia”
Moderna Finalizes Plan, Dose for Phase 3 Test of mRNA COVID Vaccine
Less than a month after reporting preliminary early-stage data for its experimental vaccine for the novel coronavirus, Moderna has finalized the plan for a Phase 3 test. The study, set to begin next month, is targeting enrollment of about 30,000 volunteers, Moderna (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MRNA]]) announced Thursday. Those patients will be randomly assigned to receive either … Continue reading “Moderna Finalizes Plan, Dose for Phase 3 Test of mRNA COVID Vaccine”
Verve Therapeutics Adds $63M to Edit Heart Attack Risk Out of Genes
Verve Therapeutics aims to use gene editing to address heart attacks by targeting the liver, not the heart. And it wants to make its edits inside the patient. The startup’s approach raises a lot of questions. Verve has some answers now, and it has raised $63 million to learn more. The new financing announced Thursday … Continue reading “Verve Therapeutics Adds $63M to Edit Heart Attack Risk Out of Genes”
Merck’s Keytruda Fails Pivotal Bladder Cancer Study, Sinks First-Line Hopes
Merck’s blockbuster cancer immunotherapy pembrolizumab (Keytruda) has failed a pivotal study testing it in an aggressive form of bladder cancer. The Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]) drug was being evaluated in urothelial carcinoma, a form of cancer that starts in the cells that line the inside of the bladder. It’s the most common type of bladder cancer, … Continue reading “Merck’s Keytruda Fails Pivotal Bladder Cancer Study, Sinks First-Line Hopes”
Melinta Expands Antibiotics Lineup With $39M Tetraphase Acquisition
Melinta Therapeutics and Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals, two antibiotics companies that have struggled separately, will now see if they have better luck together. Morristown, NJ-based Melinta has reached a deal to acquire Tetraphase (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TTPH]]) for $39 million in cash up front. Tetraphase shareholders could earn up to $16 million more if the Watertown, MA-based biotech’s sole … Continue reading “Melinta Expands Antibiotics Lineup With $39M Tetraphase Acquisition”
CereVasc Lands $44M for New Medical Device to Drain “Water on the Brain”
When fluid builds up in the brain faster than the body can absorb it, pressure builds sparking what’s called hydrocephalus. Surgery can address this condition, but the decades-old approach to relieving the cranial pressure caused by the fluid is susceptible to failure, says Dan Levangie, CEO and president of CereVasc. Levangie’s medical device startup aims … Continue reading “CereVasc Lands $44M for New Medical Device to Drain “Water on the Brain””
Akouos Aims for an IPO to Advance Hearing Loss Gene Therapy to Clinic
Hearing loss can stem from a variety of reasons, but in rare cases it’s caused by genetic defects. Akouos is developing a gene therapy to address these problems and it’s planning an IPO to finance the first tests of its approach in humans. In paperwork filed with regulators late Friday, Boston-based Akouos set a preliminary … Continue reading “Akouos Aims for an IPO to Advance Hearing Loss Gene Therapy to Clinic”
Legend Biotech’s Upsized IPO Lands $424M for Multiple Myeloma Drug
The biggest life sciences IPO of the year so far belongs to Legend Biotech. The cancer drug developer was able to raise $423.8 million after pricing its shares well above the targeted price range. Legend, which has executive offices Somerset, NJ, had planned to sell 18 million shares in the range of $18 to $20 … Continue reading “Legend Biotech’s Upsized IPO Lands $424M for Multiple Myeloma Drug”
Bio Roundup: Race and Pharma, ASCO Recap, Warp Speed Ahead & More
Race is not a topic that often comes up in pharmaceutical discussions but perhaps it should. Disease doesn’t discriminate by race, but health and economic disparities put some groups at higher risk than others. And yet clinical trials fail to reflect the broad spectrum of patients that drug makers aim to treat. Racial disparities are … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Race and Pharma, ASCO Recap, Warp Speed Ahead & More”
Cullinan Oncology Reels In $98M to Advance Cancer Drug Pipeline
Cullinan Oncology emerged nearly three years ago with an approach to cancer drugs its founders said would improve the odds of success. Now it has a pipeline of seven compounds and a fresh $98.5 million to advance all of them. The new cash announced Thursday is a Series B round of funding that added the … Continue reading “Cullinan Oncology Reels In $98M to Advance Cancer Drug Pipeline”
Aruvant Taps Sarepta’s Palaniappan as Chief Technology Officer
Aruvant Sciences has appointed V. “Palani” Palaniappan to serve as chief technology officer. He comes to the clinical-stage gene therapy developer from Sarepta Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SRPT]]), where he was senior vice president and head of technical operations. His experience also includes positions at Takeda Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TAK]]), Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]), and Nexstar Pharmaceuticals. … Continue reading “Aruvant Taps Sarepta’s Palaniappan as Chief Technology Officer”
SwanBio Therapeutics Appoints Zelenkofske Chief Medical Officer
Gene therapy developer SwanBio Therapeutics has appointed Steven Zelenkofske to serve as its chief medical officer, the same role he held most recently at Achillion Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired by Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALXN]]) last year. His experience also includes positions at uniQure (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QURE]]), Regado Biosciences, AstraZeneca (NYSE: [[ticker:AZN]]), Sanofi-Aventis, Boston Scientific (NYSE: [[ticker:BSX]]), … Continue reading “SwanBio Therapeutics Appoints Zelenkofske Chief Medical Officer”
Pliant Therapeutics Prices IPO, Lands $144M to Test Fibrosis Drugs
Pliant Therapeutics is now a public company, raising $144 million from its IPO, plus more from a separate transaction with partner Novartis. South San Francisco-based Pliant priced its offering of 9 million shares at $16 apiece, which was the high end of its revised price range. When the biotech initially set IPO terms last week, … Continue reading “Pliant Therapeutics Prices IPO, Lands $144M to Test Fibrosis Drugs”
Grail Plants a Seed in RTP, Pledges $100M Investment in New Site
Grail, a clinical-stage company developing cancer tests intended to detect early signs of the disease from a small blood sample, has agreed to invest $100 million in a new outpost planned for Research Triangle Park, NC. The new Grail site will have a laboratory and warehouse space, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday after an agreement … Continue reading “Grail Plants a Seed in RTP, Pledges $100M Investment in New Site”
Chinook, Aduro Merger Plan Sets Up New Kidney Disease-Focused Biotech
Chinook Therapeutics and Aduro Biotech, each pursuing different approaches to the same rare disease, are now converging on a path to combine their operations into a single company focused on developing new treatments for kidney disorders. The merger agreement announced Tuesday will result in a business whose ownership will be split evenly between the shareholders … Continue reading “Chinook, Aduro Merger Plan Sets Up New Kidney Disease-Focused Biotech”
Regeneron Pays Intellia $100M to Add Hemophilia to CRISPR R&D Pact
Four years after Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Intellia Therapeutics began working together to research the use of CRISPR/Cas9 to treat liver diseases, the partners are expanding their pact to bleeding disorders. The deal announced Monday covers the development of potential treatments for hemophilia, which stems from genetic mutations that lead to insufficient levels of blood clotting … Continue reading “Regeneron Pays Intellia $100M to Add Hemophilia to CRISPR R&D Pact”