Sanofi wants to conjure 'magic' in cancer again

Today's Big News

Feb 6, 2023

J&J's latest data for nipocalimab in fetal disorder suggests Momenta acquisition may still pay off


Boarding priority review track, Biogen and Sage get August decision date for depression drug approval


Bruised by high profile cancer setbacks, Sanofi CEO plots early-stage path ‘back to the magic’


BMS returns $475M IL-12 oncology asset to Dragonfly’s pond


GSK's retrospective trial diversity study shows there's more work to do


Ex-Shire drug improves outcomes in autoimmune disease, setting Certa on path to phase 3


4D in unknown dimension as FDA slaps hold on Fabry gene therapy trial

 

Featured

J&J's latest data for nipocalimab in fetal disorder suggests Momenta acquisition may still pay off

When Johnson & Johnson acquired nipocalimab as part of the $6.5 billion takeover of Momenta, the hype surrounding the therapy was focused on its potential as a treatment for the hot disease area of myasthenia gravis. But a top-line phase 2 readout for the drug in a fetal disorder is a reminder that nipocalimab could have a far broader reach.
 

Top Stories

Boarding priority review track, Biogen and Sage get August decision date for depression drug approval

Add Aug. 5 to your diaries. That is the FDA's decision date for Biogen and Sage Therapeutics' zuranolone, which the agency has accepted for priority review as an oral treatment of major depressive disorder and postpartum depression.

Bruised by high profile cancer setbacks, Sanofi CEO plots early-stage path 'back to the magic'

Could we see Sanofi give up on cancer? Not according to Paul Hudson, although the CEO admitted that after some struggles with its headline candidates, the French pharma might seek solace earlier in its pipeline.

BMS returns $475M IL-12 oncology asset to Dragonfly’s pond

Things are abuzz at Bristol Myers Squibb as the Big Pharma drops an IL-12 oncology candidate back into Dragonfly’s pond. The return comes just days after the planned summer departure of BMS R&D head Rupert Vessey was announced.

GSK's retrospective trial diversity study shows there's more work to do

What if the biopharma industry used epidemiology data, rather than the U.S. Census Bureau to build clinical trial rosters? GSK put the idea to the test in a 17-year retroactive study of clinical trial data from 495 trials, finding that there’s plenty of work to be done to ensure clinical research is representative of the patients who suffer from diseases.

Ex-Shire drug improves outcomes in autoimmune disease, setting Certa on path to phase 3

Certa Therapeutics’ attempt to resurrect an ex-Shire drug has delivered midphase data. Nine years after Shire paid $75 million to acquire FT011, the Australian biotech has linked the candidate to improvements in the symptoms of a rare autoimmune disease in a small clinical trial.

4D in unknown dimension as FDA slaps hold on Fabry gene therapy trial

4D Molecular Therapeutics is on shaky ground as its Fabry disease gene therapy program, dubbed 4D-310, has been hit with an FDA clinical hold.  

The top 10 medtech M&A deals of 2022

In 2021, light at the end of the COVID tunnel spurred an explosion of medtech deals. But in 2022, that exuberance waned.

Anatomy of a launch: As Leqembi takes first steps, Eisai maps Alzheimer's med's rollout

As Eisai focuses on laying the commercial groundwork for Leqembi ahead of a potential full approval, the company "will make every effort to support healthcare providers and patients for those who are able to access" the new Alzheimer's drug, Eisai's Ivan Cheung said Monday.

Bayer taps longtime partner Huma to build online risk prediction tool for heart disease

From the start, Bayer and Huma’s relationship has been a mutually beneficial one, with the Big Pharma contributing funding to Huma through its Leaps by Bayer VC arm and, in return, gaining access to the startup’s digital health technologies.

Astellas goes 'aggressive,' elevating chief strategy officer Okamura to replace CEO Yasukawa

In five years under Kenji Yasukawa, Astellas had a successful rebound after revenues bottomed out in 2020. Now Astellas has tabbed chief strategy officer Naoki Okamura as its new CEO to "go on the aggressive."

Why more granular racial, ethnic data could improve maternal outcomes

Broad racial and ethnic categories used by public health officials don’t consider nuances within those categories, says a new study. Such knowledge might help to cut down on preterm births and low birthrates.

Top 10 most anticipated drug launches of 2023

For the third year in a row, Evaluate Vantage’s most hotly tipped drug approval when it comes to future sales potential is an Alzheimer’s therapy, but there is far more caution in this year’s list than we have seen before.
 
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'The Top Line': What we can expect for the obesity market in 2023 and a recap of drugs approved last year

This week on "The Top Line," we discuss what we can expect from the obesity market in 2023. We also recap the drugs approved last year.
 

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

 

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