Cargo loads $200M; Chroma catches $135M

Today's Big News

Mar 1, 2023

Alzheimer's meds are here. But for the Down syndrome community, it's still the 1980s


Sarepta's DMD gene therapy inches closer to market as FDA declines to hold advisory meeting


Chroma bags another 9-digit financing, taking $135M series B to bolster epigenetic-focused platform


New Ambrx CEO spies path for ousted breast cancer med as partner posts encouraging phase 2 results 


Atea dumps dengue drug as 'unevaluable' endpoint causes timelines, forecast costs to spiral


PMW sidelines two programs as lead tumor suppressor candidate picks up pace in clinic 


Vertex pays ImmunoGen $15M to use antibody-drug conjugates to improve CRISPR therapy

 

Featured

Alzheimer's meds are here. But for the Down syndrome community, it's still the 1980s

Thirty years ago, the Down syndrome community helped scientists uncover critical learnings about the genetic basis of Alzheimer’s disease. Now in 2023, these patients still don't have access to emerging treatments.
 

Top Stories

Sarepta's DMD gene therapy inches closer to market as FDA declines to hold advisory meeting

The FDA won’t be holding an advisory panel meeting for Sarepta Therapeutics’ SRP-9001, which is now that much closer to becoming the first gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Chroma bags another 9-digit financing, taking $135M series B to bolster epigenetic-focused platform

Chroma has tacked on another nine-digit fundraising round less than 18 months after unveiling with $125 million. The company has yet to unveil its pipeline but is touting preclinical data that will be unveiled throughout the year.

Talent, Training and Scientific Infrastructure. All in NC.

Growth in North Carolina’s life sciences has outpaced most U.S. life sciences hubs. Top talent, infrastructure, and business-friendly climate are why companies are choosing the Tar Heel state.

New Ambrx CEO spies path for ousted breast cancer med as partner posts encouraging phase 2 results

Ambrx walked away from a breast cancer drug in October, citing the competitive pressure from AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo’s blockbuster Enhertu. But new CEO Daniel O’Connor has spied an opportunity to get the drug back in the clinic.

Atea dumps dengue drug as 'unevaluable' endpoint causes timelines, forecast costs to spiral

Clinical data have convinced Atea Pharmaceuticals it cannot make the numbers add up in dengue. Based on the results, the antiviral biotech calculates it would take at least three years and cost several hundred million dollars to run phase 2 studies, prompting it to put the program on the back burner.

PMW sidelines two programs as lead tumor suppressor candidate picks up pace in clinic

PMW Pharmaceuticals has pressed pause on two preclinical tumor candidates to funnel all resources into getting its lead precision oncology med through the clinic.

Vertex pays ImmunoGen $15M to use antibody-drug conjugates to improve CRISPR therapy

Are antibody-drug conjugates the key to better gene editing treatments? That is a question posed by the latest deal by Vertex, which is paying ImmunoGen $15 million upfront to explore the use of ADCs with its near-approval CRISPR/Cas9 therapy exagamglogene autotemcel.

NAFLD organoids offer insights and identify a potential therapeutic gene target

Despite being an earlier disease stage, there’s relatively little focus on developing NAFLD treatments compared to NASH therapies, largely because there are no reliable models for understanding the condition. That could change with the first organoids for studying the condition.

Fierce Biotech Fundraising Tracker '23: Cargo loads $200M; Chroma catches $135M

Alongside the new year, we've launched a new Fierce Biotech Fundraising Tracker to keep the pulse on the industry's financing.

After wild pandemic ride, is Novavax destined to be the little engine that couldn’t?

Five weeks into his job as the new CEO as Novavax, John Jacobs raised the possibility on Tuesday afternoon that the company may not survive 2023. “Uncertainty,” was used often during the company’s fourth quarter conference call, so much so that the company did not provide guidance on its expected revenue in 2023.

120 jobs on the line as Boston Scientific slims down Texas facility acquired in Preventice buyout

Amid Boston Scientific’s decision to transfer some work out of a facility in Houston in the coming months, more than 100 jobs are hanging in the balance.

Novartis halts Pluvicto new patient starts, struggles with radiotherapy's supply amid manufacturing expansion

Novartis has been experiencing challenges meeting the demand for Pluvicto. And as demand climbs, the company has decided to pause accepting new patients until it has “more clarity on the FDA’s approval” of a manufacturing site in New Jersey.

FDA expands clearance of Theranica's neuromodulation armband for migraine

A wearable device from Theranica Bio-Electronics that was cleared by the FDA in 2019 to ease the symptoms of migraine may now take a much more proactive approach to that treatment.

FDA turns down Cytokinetics’ once-promising heart failure drug omecamtiv

The FDA has given Cytokinetics a thumbs down for omecamtiv mecarbil, a once-promising candidate for heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction. The decision was not a surprise given that an FDA advisory committee voted 8-3 in December to recommend against approval.
 
Fierce podcasts

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'The Top Line': Could a SITC checklist maximize the value of immuno-oncology combo late-stage trials?

This week on "The Top Line," we discuss a checklist that the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer released last October. The guidelines are designed to maximize the value of phase 3 immuno-oncology combination trials. We also cover the top headlines from this week.
 

Resources

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Answering your specific questions about mRNA/saRNA manufacturing

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US/EU Governance: The Importance of Company Culture and Proven, Real-World Solutions

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Proven Pharmaceutical Go-To-Market Model

Download Herspiegel Consulting’s Go-To-Market Model, based on 100+ launches, to learn the critical components, and timelines for commercial success.

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Strategizing for Clinical Trial Diversity

Like many top 10 and global pharma companies, an H1 client needed to diversify both its patient outreach and site investigator profiles for upcoming trials.
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The Power of Small & Safety: Nanoplasmid™️ Vector Platform

Discover the Power of Small with NanoplasmidTM – the next-generation plasmid for manufacturing today’s cell and gene therapies.

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Leveraging Archetypes for Effective Launch Strategy

Learn more about critical success factors for your next launch based on the experience of 100+ pharma product launches.
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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.

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Intranasal Drug Product Development: Formulation to Manufacturing

What are key considerations for intranasal delivery in the treatment of acute and chronic conditions?
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Step-wise strategy to address process characterization and late phase development

Learn more on Catalent’s step-wise approach for the definition and execution of Process Characterization for the production of a monoclonal antibody for late phase process characterization and development.

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Running Decentralized Trials at Scale

Explore how clinical supply can be scaled up as decentralized programs progress, and how technological solutions can accelerate trial deployment.
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Key Clinical Supply Issues Sponsors Should Consider with their CRO

As sponsors increasingly look to CROs to support their clinical studies, making and addressing certain clinical supply considerations at the outset of the relationship can reduce the risk of potentially unforeseen impact to budget and time later. Discover key issues sponsors should consider to help their CRO or partner of choice better understand their clinical supply needs.

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Specialized Expertise for Management of Clinical Supply Budgets

For sponsors, cost is a key concern when it comes to managing the supply of their clinical trials. A financial project analyst (FPA) is a specialized expert who can help control clinical supply costs and keep the project within budget. Explore the critical role that a Financial Project Analyst plays in clinical trial supply and budget management.
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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.
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Designing an Optimal APAC Clinical Supply Chain

Discover key considerations that every trial sponsor should know when navigating the complex clinical supply distribution landscape across Asia-Pacific.
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Roles and Responsibilities of Specialized Clinical Supply Experts

How can specialized expertise help you optimize your clinical supply chain? Learn about the roles and responsibilities of unique experts such as clinical supply management, project management, and financial project analysis.
Research

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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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.
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Questions You Need to Ask Your CRO About Clinical Supply

Planning on using a CRO to support your next clinical study? This infographic outlines critical areas to address at the start of the relationship in order to ensure that budget and timelines keep on track for the duration of the trial.
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.

 

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