Plus the top stories of the week

This Week

May 24, 2024

Pfizer, busy with $4B savings drive, plots even more cuts out to 2027 


Exscientia cuts a quarter of staff while preserving AI-generated pipeline


Biogen says hello to HI-Bio, inking $1.15B buyout to expand in immunology


FDA snubs another China-made PD-1 with rejection of Elevar, Hengrui's liver cancer combo 


Home COVID testmaker Cue Health to shut down operations, lay off staff: report


Amgen's 'watershed' lung cancer drug nabs FDA nod in deadly, tough-to-treat form of the disease

 

Featured

Pfizer, busy with $4B savings drive, plots even more cuts out to 2027

Pfizer has made frequent headlines in recent months as it moves forward with a campaign to save $4 billion in annual costs by the end of this year. Now, the company has unveiled another savings drive that will run longer.
 

Top Stories

Exscientia cuts a quarter of staff while preserving AI-generated pipeline

Exscientia is initiating “efficiency measures” to save cash, which will include a workforce reduction of around a quarter of staff while preserving the AI drug hunter’s existing pipeline.

Biogen says hello to HI-Bio, inking $1.15B buyout to expand in immunology

Biogen is placing a $1.15 billion bet on Chris Viehbacher’s diversification vision. The upfront payment has secured Biogen a deal to buy Human Immunology Biosciences (HI-Bio), a biotech that is preparing to advance an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody into phase 3 in multiple rare immune-mediated indications.

FDA snubs another China-made PD-1 with rejection of Elevar, Hengrui's liver cancer combo

China-made PD-1 inhibitors continue to struggle at the FDA. This week, the U.S. agency rejected Elevar Therapeutics and Jiangsu Hengrui Pharma's PD-1 combination in liver cancer.

Home COVID testmaker Cue Health to shut down operations, lay off staff: report

According to a report from the San Diego Union-Tribune, the company will shutter operations at the end of this week, while laying off its remaining staff and leadership.

Amgen's 'watershed' lung cancer drug nabs FDA nod in deadly, tough-to-treat form of the disease

Seven months after Amgen’s chief medical officer referred to trial results for the company's investigational lung cancer immunotherapy as a “watershed moment,” the FDA has signed off on Imdelltra (tarlatamab) to treat patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC).

Erasca lays off 18% while swapping out KRAS program for fresh anti-tumor options

Erasca is spending a combined $22.5 million upfront to import fresh preclinical KRAS and molecular glue assets while clearing space in its own pipeline and laying off 18% of its employees in the process.

Parallel Bio serves up ‘clinical trial in a dish’ as animal model alternative

Immunology startup Parallel Bio has released a model of the human immune system that is said to capture the way immunotherapies affect the body more accurately than animals. The so-called “Clinical Trial in a Dish” can purportedly save drug companies up to $1 billion and more than six years of development time. 

Who distrusts the FDA? Survey shows gender, location and politics are key factors

A survey has shown the demographics most likely to be distrustful of the FDA. The results suggest the agency needs to win the trust of conservative women in rural communities who are in poor health or dissatisfied with their healthcare.

Chinese CDMO Asymchem expands footprint with deal to take over former Pfizer UK site

Pfizer downsized much of its operations at the site, where it first discovered Viagra, last year. Now, Asymchem has inked a lease to take over the facility. Asymchem will begin operations there this summer and employ some former Pfizer staffers.
 
Fierce podcasts

Don’t miss an episode

From cell collection to commercial contracting: Advancements in cell & gene therapy manufacturing (Part II)

This week’s episode of “The Top Line” is the second part of a three-part series exploring the latest advancements in cell and gene therapy manufacturing.
 

Resources

eBook

Get to eSignature Faster: Maximize the Value of Your eSignature Investment with True Forms Automation

This eBook offers insights for business leaders looking to do more with reduced budgets by using the power of SmartIQ’s true forms automation to eliminate the need to print, sign, and scan/mail physical documents, increase operational efficiency, and reduce disparate systems.
Research

Tapping the power of consumer attitudes

Download this research report to discover how a new predictive model built on consumer attitudinal data can generate improved results for health marketers.
Whitepaper

Driving DTC Adoption With Telehealth Programs

Virtual care programs represent a compelling opportunity for decision makers in life sciences companies to drive growth, innovation, and value creation. Download now to learn more.

Whitepaper

Speed literature reviews 3x with AI

How one top pharma increased literature reviews efficiency by 3x powered by AI -- download today
Whitepaper

Comprehensive Cell Solutions: Focus on Cellular Therapy Collections

Precision collection of cell therapy source material doesn’t happen by chance. Our new whitepaper illuminates the science and strategies for successful apheresis.
Whitepaper

In Vitro Antibodies – Next-Gen Science Delivers Optimized Candidates

Learn how Specifica’s in vitro antibody discovery platform can deliver better antibodies than traditional immunization approaches.
Whitepaper

Using Synthesis and Route Design Technology to Approach API Complexity

Small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) continue to grow more complex. Download the white paper to learn more about using synthesis and route design technology to approach API complexity. 
Whitepaper

Branded Digital Companions in Biopharma

This paper defines “digital companions” in biopharma, explores their value from the patient & company perspectives, & outlines a process for successfully fielding a new digital companion.
eBook

Designing Patient-Centered Endpoint in Rare Disease Trials

To make every rare disease trial count, we design patient-centric, relevant strategies for sponsors and caregivers to produce impactful results every time.
 

Industry Events

On Helix

Date: ‌4 ‌July ‌2024 ‌- ‌Location: ‌Babraham ‌Research ‌Campus, ‌Cambridge ‌UK