Biotech layoffs crash into startup boom
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Today's Rundown

Featured Story

Another Biogen-Ionis collab hits the dust after phase 1 ALS flop

Biogen and Ionis Pharmaceuticals are packing up and moving on after another antisense ALS candidate flopped in the clinic, less than six months after toferson failed.

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Top Stories

Lilly, after making $1B bet, posts 'compelling' late-phase data on Dupixent rival

Eli Lilly has turned over the cards on its $1.1 billion bid to challenge Sanofi and Regeneron’s Dupixent for the atopic dermatitis market. Analysts at Jefferies called the data compelling, although a hoped-for point of differentiation over the blockbuster incumbent has weakened.

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'Stay alive': Wave of layoffs crashes into biotech startup inferno

At least 30 biopharmas have announced layoffs since September 2021, and the wave is likely to continue as thousands of startups struggle to stay above the competition.

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Sponsored: How creative chemistry and collaboration synthesized a better drug strategy for Enterin

Reshaping the understanding of enteric nervous system (ENS) dysfunction and the progression of Parkinson’s, Pfizer CentreOne helped Enterin synthesize a better chemistry for its lead candidate.

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Amylyx to answer for single-study ALS application at FDA advisory panel

The single clinical trial Amylyx Pharmaceuticals presented to support approval of its ALS drug is “not exceptionally persuasive,” according to the briefing document the FDA released ahead of this week's planned advisory panel, which will review the treatment.

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Verastem takes on debt to get RAS tumor program to finish line

Down to its last $100 million, Verastem Oncology has taken on debt to try to get its lead program over the finish line. The deal sees Verastem tap Oxford Finance for a $150 million credit facility to fund trials in ovarian and non-small cell lung cancers and extend its cash runway through to 2025. 

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How snail venom could spawn new insulin, pain meds

Two studies from the University of Utah have made potential breakthroughs in fast-acting insulin production and somatostatin-analog pain meds from analyzing snail venom.

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Senators ask GAO to examine Medicaid’s low COVID vaccination rates

Two prominent Democratic senators have requested a Government Accountability Office study of why COVID vaccination rates remain far lower among Medicaid enrollees than the general population.

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Abbott snags $1B U.S. government contract for rapid COVID-19 tests

The award is one of several steps toward the Biden administration’s redoubled goal of delivering 1 billion free tests to U.S. homes following the rise of the omicron variant.

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FDA halts use of GlaxoSmithKline and Vir's COVID-19 drug Xevudy in 8 northeast states

The U.S. has paused the distribution of GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology’s antibody drug Xevudy in the northeast, where the new omicron subvariant, BA.2, accounts for more than half of new infections. The states included in the directive are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

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Household-name Moderna rolls out a self-aware campaign for Spikevax vaccine

With Moderna's full approval for its COVID vaccine, Spikevax, comes a full-throttle approach to talking up its shot—and itself.

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NeuraLace taps new CEO to oversee rollout of nerve stimulation device for pain relief

Less than a year after sewing up FDA clearance for its first nerve stimulation device, NeuraLace has brought on a new CEO to guide the clinical rollout of the Axon Therapy system.

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Resources

Industry Report: The Top Four Barriers to Successful KOL Engagement

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

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Learn more about how the versatility of Softgel Technology helped a customer with a volatile compound.

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Webinar: The Faster Path From Pre-Filled Syringe to Auto-Injector

Ypsomed and Catalent Biologics experts discuss strategies for integrated PFS manufacturing and auto-injector assembly to accelerate timelines and more in this webinar.

Whitepaper: Formulation Strategies When Transitioning From Vial to PFS

Learn how formulation development for a PFS affects manufacturing to drive the industry toward optimizing delivery of injectable products and, ultimately, improving patient care.

Events