Athersys out $100M after C-suite exodus
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Today's Rundown

Featured Story

AbbVie dumps Alector's Alzheimer's immunotherapy after phase 1 review

Alector’s new approach to amyloid beta has ended the way of many of the old ideas for how to tackle the troublesome peptide. After going over data including phase 1 results, AbbVie has severed its ties to the potential Alzheimer’s disease immunotherapy—and the asset has vanished from Alector’s pipeline.

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Top Stories

Schrödinger eyes 'hundreds' of programs over a decade amid clinical-stage evolution

Led by former top Merck scientist Karen Akinsanya, Schrödinger is expanding its horizons, developing wholly-owned, clinical-stage assets for the first time. But even as phase 1 nears, the company is realistic about its commercial-stage ambitions.

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Athersys loses $100M funding deal as C-suite exits allow backer to turn tail

Athersys’ jettisoning of three members of its C-suite has cost it a $100 million financing package. Given an opportunity to cut and run in the wake of the departures, Aspire Capital Fund has terminated the deal and left Athersys looking for a new source of funding.

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Sponsored: Decentralized clinical trials, patient experience and the role of supply chain management

The rise of clinical trial complexity has been well-documented but the impact on logistics is not well understood. Here, we look at decentralized trials, patient experience and the role of logistics.

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Adverum lays off 78 employees, bets it all on embattled eye treatment

Adverum Biotechnologies is slashing its workforce by nearly 40%, cutting 78 employees under a new restructuring plan that will funnel resources to ixo-vec, a wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treatment candidate.

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Dynacure calls it quits on top asset to the dismay of the myotubular myopathy community

Dynacure is winding down work on its top asset to treat myotubular and centronuclear myopathies, a decision that's made the team "overwhelmed with disappointment." The news came in a letter published by an advocacy and research organization focused on the rare diseases.

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Provention snags $60M in private placement as future of diabetes therapy hangs in the balance

Provention Bio may be waiting a bit longer for the FDA's decision on its diabetes prevention drug teplizumab, but at least the biotech has $60 million cash in the meantime to work through launch preparations.

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CASI pockets $5M for autoimmune drug deal as China's Precision secures $21M funding

Precision Autoimmune Therapeutics has scooped up $21 million in first-round financing, allowing the Chinese company to make good on the promise of a delayed payment to U.S.-based CASI Pharmaceuticals for the license of a autoimmune disease drug.

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Ex-Theranos President Balwani found guilty on all 12 fraud charges

Another chapter in the saga of disgraced blood testing company Theranos has drawn to a close after a California jury on Thursday delivered its verdict in the criminal fraud trial of Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, the startup’s former president and chief operating officer.

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Amid drug pricing debate, feds reveal plan to crack down on 'incremental' patents

Watch out, pharma—the federal government has its eye on add-on drug patents that can lead to higher prices. In a new effort, the FDA and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are teaming up to take a close look at patenting procedures.

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Scientists explore 'mosaic' nanoparticles, inhaled COVID-19 vaccine options

Scientists are continuing to explore fresh ways to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations, including recent research into so-called mosaic nanoparticles and easy-to-store inhaled options.

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More than 600 providers impacted by ransomware attack on payment vendor

A payment vendor was hit with a ransomware attack back in February that may have exposed patient data from more than 600 healthcare providers and organizations. Also this week, federal officials issued a warning that hackers sponsored by North Korea's government have been using the Maui ransomware to target healthcare and public health services providers since last May.

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Blood thinner's ability to boost fat burning could inspire new obesity therapies

Scientists in Germany have identified a molecular mechanism by which brown fat increases energy expenditure and showed how an anticoagulant may stimulate that process in mice.

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'The Top Line' podcast: Biotech's beef with FDA's accelerated approval reforms, plus this week's headlines

This week on "The Top Line," we discuss proposed reforms to FDA’s accelerated approval program—and what the biotech industry has to say about them. The Fierce team gets creative with our own biopharma competition. Plus, news from Vertex, Biogen and Eisai, Orchestra and more.

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Chutes & Ladders—Catalent taps new CEO, execs play C-suite musical chairs

Catalent's new chief executive Alessandro Maselli is taking the reins from longtime CEO John Chiminski, who will assume the role of executive chair for the manufacturer’s board of directors.

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Fierce Pharma Asia—BeiGene R&D chief's I-O ambitions; Legend scraps CAR-T program

BeiGene's R&D chief talks about the company's PD-1 and TIGIT programs. Legend Biotech nixed an early CAR-T program after coming off an FDA clinical hold. Eisai and Biogen scored an FDA priority review for their Alzheimer's follow-up drug. And more.

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Resources

Executive Summary: Highly Potent API Drug Product Development and Manufacturing using Micronization Technology

Pharmaceutical drug developers continue to realize the strong therapeutic potential of highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPIs). This is particularly true for therapeutic areas such as oncology, where highly potent drugs are becoming more commonplace.

Event: Cancer Progress 2022: Event Highlights & Session Recordings

Check out our 22 on-demand panels, featuring 100+ speakers. Tap into discussions of scientific progress in oncology around development, regulatory, clinical, commercial and investment perspectives.

Executive Summary: Effective Scale-Up and Technology Transfer Strategies for Spray Dried Pharmaceutical Products

Pharmaceutical development companies face several challenges when developing orally bioavailable formulations of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Up to 70% of new drug molecules are poorly soluble in gastrointestinal fluids and can exhibit poor absorption across the gut wall.

Case Study: Roche cuts feasibility process by 36%

Explore how Cognizant SIP helped Roche streamline its global feasibility process.

eBook: 12 Pitfalls in Europe

For an emerging biopharma company, Europe can be very attractive. But it can also be complex and confusing. This e-book covers the 12 most common pitfalls for companies entering European markets for the first time, offering guidance to help growing companies avoid them and succeed.

Whitepaper: The Most Suitable Dosage Form Technologies for the Oral Delivery of Lipid-Based Formulations

What is the most suitable dosage form technology for the Oral Delivery of Lipid-Based Formulations?

Whitepaper: Jump Start for Biotech: New Lab Startup Guide

Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific The journey for starting or expanding a lab can be exhilarating, while also being challenging--learn how this free program provides savings and solutions to support your goals.

Article: 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.

eBook: Download the Cell Therapy Handbook

Explore the new cell therapy handbook from Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Whitepaper: Catalent Pulmonary & Nasal Delivery Capabilities Sheet

Did you know Catalent has newly expanded in-house capabilities spanning clinical and commercial scale manufacturing for DPIs, unit-dose, bi-dose and preserved multi-dose nasal sprays?

eBook: Orally Inhaled & Nasal Drug Delivery: A Pipeline of Opportunities

Orally Inhaled & Nasal Drug Delivery: A Pipeline of Opportunities

Whitepaper: Intranasal Drug Product Development: Formulation to Manufacturing

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

Events