Moderna chairman pens annual letter
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Editor’s Note: Fierce Biotech will not be publishing Monday, Jan. 17 in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. We will return to your inboxes on Tuesday, Jan. 18.

Today's Rundown

Featured Story

Licensing and research tie-ups trump M&A at conference in 'reflection of last year'

Just like at last year's J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, M&A is so 2019. In the third winter of COVID-19, the drug development world hasn’t executive on the type of megamergers we saw in 2019, such as Bristol Myers Squibb’s $74 billion Celgene deal, which dropped in the lead up to the healthcare industry's largest gathering. 

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Top Stories

FDA approval, global partnership on the agenda at Mithra as phase 3 menopause trials hit goals—with one blemish 

Mithra has brushed off a missed co-primary endpoint in one of its two phase 3 clinical trials and given a bullish update on the menopause drug, which it expects to gain a global partner this year and go on to win approval on both sides of the Atlantic in 2024. Shares in the Belgian biotech rose 9% to around €22 ($25).  

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'Shots on goal' to 'deterministic' drug development: Flagship CEO, Moderna Chair Noubar Afeyan pens first annual letter

Written in the middle of the largest pandemic wave to-date, Flagship Pioneering CEO and Moderna Chairman Noubar Afeyan, Ph.D., penned his first annual letter documenting the sea changes in biotech. He also called on more preemptive measures for future pandemics and tackling the underlying diseases of common illnesses.

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Decentralized trials, broader service offerings and novel drugs key trends in the CRO space

Resurgent demand was a common theme for CROs presenting at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference with Icon, Syneos and PPD owner Thermo Fisher daring to look beyond the pandemic toward changing industry needs.

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EMA sets out plan to accelerate clinical trials, reduce administrative burden

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) wants to speed up your clinical trials. Through the Accelerating Clinical Trials in the EU (ACT EU) initiative, the EMA and other bodies have set out 10 actions they plan to prioritize in 2022 and 2023 to transform how studies are initiated, designed and run.

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Galapagos execs troll for deals at J.P. Morgan but will hold off on signing for CEO-in-waiting

After dropping a late-stage asset and hitting an FDA roadblock in the JAK inhibitor class last year, Galapagos is in need of a 2022 rebound. With active discussions underway at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference to find an acquisition target and a new CEO expected within weeks, the biopharma is trying to spark a revival. 

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Fending off heart disease by blocking how immune cells 'smell' their surroundings

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology have discovered that macrophages in arteries could "smell" its surroundings to trigger inflammation in atherosclerosis. Blocking a key protein receptor involved in the process could be a promising target for treating cardiovascular disease, they said.

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Verana Health lands J&J, Novo backing in $150M round to fund real-world database for drug, device development

With a new CEO at the helm, the recent launch of an artificial-intelligence-powered data analytics engine and, now, the close of its largest funding round to date, Verana Health appears ready to make good on its promise to revolutionize both drug development and healthcare delivery.

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Idorsia makes friends with Jen Aniston for new sleep campaign, as it preps for insomnia drug launch

The average person doesn’t have a lot in common with Jennifer Aniston—her fame, her money, her looks (that hair!) However, there is one thing 25 million Americans do share with the A-lister—insomnia.

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Fierce Pharma Asia—Takeda, Denali's Alzheimer's hiccup; Daiichi Sankyo's R&D reorg; J&J, Legend's CAR-T supply prep

The FDA has slapped a clinical hold on Takeda and Denali Therapeutics' phase 1-ready Alzheimer's candidate. Daiichi Sankyo is shutting down its Plexxikon R&D facility. Legend Biotech talks manufacturing learnings from Bristol Myers Squibb's CAR-T rival.

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Chutes & Ladders—Galapagos says new CEO expected within weeks, not months

Galapagos CEO Onno van de Stolpe will likely be replaced in the coming weeks after a 23-year career at the biopharma, and a new chief scientific officer is also on the way. Charles River Labs CFO David Smith will depart the contract research organization this year. And Ogilvy Health named Adam Hessel its chief creative officer.

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