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Jan 17, 2023

A trio of biotechs consolidate as M&A fails to materialize at JPM

NewAmsterdam's Amgen castoff cuts LDL cholesterol in phase 2, opening new front in race to market

Elicio uses struggling Angion as route to Nasdaq ahead of cancer vaccine's phase 2 move

First hiccup for Basilea's anti-infective strategy as biotech hands back antifungal 9 months after licensing it

Abionyx hails success of bid to resurrect failed cholesterol drug—without dishing data to back up claims

Featured

A trio of biotechs consolidate as M&A fails to materialize at JPM

By Max Bayer

Many left last week’s J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference a bit disappointed after relatively quiet M&A activity failed to wake up a bear industry slumbering through hibernation. Three separate mergers announced Tuesday show that many biotechs with a core asset are looking for new ways to survive.

NewAmsterdam's Amgen castoff cuts LDL cholesterol in phase 2, opening new front in race to market

By Nick Paul Taylor

NewAmsterdam Pharma has advanced its bid to write a new chapter in the story of an Amgen castoff by linking the CETP inhibitor to reductions in LDL cholesterol when used as an adjunct to high-intensity statin therapy. The Dutch biotech plans to start a phase 3 trial on the strength of the data.

Elicio uses struggling Angion as route to Nasdaq ahead of cancer vaccine's phase 2 move

By James Waldron

In a merger with troubled Angion Biomedica, Elicio Therapeutics has spied an opportunity to finally list on the Nasdaq as it prepares to push a cancer vaccine into phase 2 trials.

Using real RWD to better understand and engage neuro patients

First hiccup for Basilea's anti-infective strategy as biotech hands back antifungal 9 months after licensing it

By James Waldron

There’s no going back from Basilea’s pivot away from oncology to focus solely on anti-infectives, but the Swiss biotech’s decision to hand back an antifungal program only nine months after licensing is a reminder it won’t always be easy.

Abionyx hails success of bid to resurrect failed cholesterol drug—without dishing data to back up claims

By Nick Paul Taylor

Abionyx Pharma has hailed the success of a phase 2a clinical trial designed to resurrect a cholesterol drug that first flamed out almost a decade ago. But with the French biotech yet to share numbers from the study, it is unclear whether the mimic of HDL cholesterol has a future in the treatment of septic patients.

Pfizer pledges to sell all its products at cost to poor countries

By Kevin Dunleavy

Pfizer has expanded its program to provide drugs at cost to the world’s poorest countries from 23 patented medicines to its entire suite of approximately 500 products.

Akili lays off 30% of workforce, slims pipeline to bring prescription video games into 'mainstream medical care'

By Andrea Park

Akili Interactive is kicking off 2023 with a goal of shrinking its operational footprint and cutting costs to help expand the commercial reach of its digital therapeutics in a trade-off that will cost 46 jobs and a handful of pipeline projects.

Johnson & Johnson cuts production of underperforming COVID vaccine: WSJ

By Eric Sagonowsky

After mounting a large research and production effort in support of its COVID-19 vaccine, Johnson & Johnson is scaling back production because of low demand, WSJ reports.

Protesting 'punitive' clawbacks, AbbVie and Eli Lilly bow out of British drug pricing scheme

By Fraiser Kansteiner

As drug pricing tensions flare on both sides of the Atlantic, two pharma heavyweights are bowing out of a longstanding cost and access scheme in the U.K.

Fierce Healthcare's Fierce 15 of 2023

By Heather Landi,Healthcare Staff

Meet the winners of Fierce Healthcare's Fierce 15 of 2023.

Fierce podcasts

Don't miss an episode

'The Top Line': FDA's stance on cancer drug approval, plus this week's headlines

This week on “The Top Line,” we discuss the FDA's shifting stance on cancer drug approvals. Plus, we cover the annual JPM week and other top headlines from this week.

'Podnosis': Digital redlining in healthcare and breaking down barriers to care for gender-diverse populations

'The Top Line': 2022's rotten tomatoes, plus this week's headlines

Resources

Whitepaper

Quality attributes that are important for GMP-grade NTPs

What makes nucleotides suitable for current good manufacturing practices?

Medical Affairs Metamorphosis V: The (R)evolution in Medical Communications

This paper explores how Medical Affairs is adapting medical communications to meet the demands of a new environment (part 5 in a series).

Sponsored by: Blue Matter, strategic consultants in the life sciences

On-Demand Webinar

Writing the Future of Antibody Discovery Solutions

See how high-throughput DNA synthesis combined with antibody engineering expertise provides end-to-end antibody discovery solutions.

Scale-Up Strategies for Late-Stage Cell Therapies

Readers will learn manufacturing by Design Builds on Quality by Design, De-risking the Tech Transfer Process, and more.

Sponsored by: Catalent

Whitepaper

Lipid-Based Drug Delivery System to Bring Poorly Soluble Drugs to Market

How can Lipid-Based Drug Delivery System help bring poorly soluble drugs to market?

Sponsored by: Catalent

Whitepaper

Linear Compression vs. Parallel Processing: Speeding Biologics Through Development and Into Clinical Trials

Download this paper to learn considerations on how to move a biologic through clinical trials faster, advantages of Parallel Processing, and more.

Sponsored by: Catalent

Whitepaper

Intranasal Drug Product Development: Formulation to Manufacturing

What are key considerations for intranasal delivery in the treatment of acute and chronic conditions?

Clinical Supply Solutions for the Asia-Pacific Region

Learn how Catalent’s extensive network across APAC can meet a wide range of clinical supply needs for sponsors conducting trials within the region.

Sponsored by: Catalent

Whitepaper

Supply Services to Support Clinical Trials in Japan & Beyond

Explore Catalent’s newest clinical supply facility in Japan, including the comprehensive services & solutions it offers to help support trials both in-country & around the world.

Sponsored by: Catalent

Case Study

A Strategy to Standardize Process Characterization & Late Phase Development

Learn more on an approach for process characterization for the production of a monoclonal antibody, which will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the process by targeting the right design and number of experiments.

Sponsored by: Catalent