Sana, Nexlmmune issue pink slips

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Today’s Big News

Sep 1, 2023

Amgen's $28B Horizon buyout cleared for takeoff after FTC, states settle


CAR-T-focused Sana tight-lipped on how many staff are affected by latest round of layoffs


Getinge heart balloon pumps further deflated by 4 more Class I recalls and 6 reported patient deaths


NexImmune halves head count as cash constraints force focus on core capabilities


Following in Tecentriq's footsteps, Alecensa gives Roche another win in early-stage lung cancer

 

Featured

Amgen's $28B Horizon buyout cleared for takeoff after FTC, states settle

Friday, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said it reached a proposed consent order with Amgen to address “the potential competitive harm” that could result from the merger deal. Now, Amgen is free to go forward with its $28 billion buyout.
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Top Stories

CAR-T-focused Sana tight-lipped on how many staff are affected by latest round of layoffs

Sana Biotechnology isn't revealing how many employees have been affected by its latest round of layoffs, only confirming that the CAR-T-focused company has sought further “operational efficiencies.”

Getinge heart balloon pumps further deflated by 4 more Class I recalls and 6 reported patient deaths

In a flurry of Aug. 31 notices from the FDA, the number of Class I recalls plaguing Getinge’s Cardiosave intra-aortic balloon pumps this year has doubled.

NexImmune halves head count as cash constraints force focus on core capabilities

NexImmune is handing out pink slips again. Running close to the end of its cash runway, the immunotherapy biotech is halving its head count to support investment in its nanoparticle platform.

Following in Tecentriq's footsteps, Alecensa gives Roche another win in early-stage lung cancer

After a groundbreaking approval for Tecentriq, Roche has another positive early-stage lung cancer trial to celebrate. This time, the honor belongs to a targeted therapy in Alecensa.

Otsuka adopts new Mindset, dropping $59M to buy Canadian psychedelic biotech

Japanese pharma Otsuka is acquiring Mindset Pharma for $59 million, adding a suite of preclinical psychedelics. The larger company is looking to build on its portfolio of Lundbeck-partnered antipsychotics that each raked in hundreds of millions of dollars last quarter.

Noah Medical posts first-in-human trial data from its lung-navigating surgical robot

The system combines single-use hardware with real-time imaging software and allows the surgeon to collect biopsy samples from suspicious nodules in the periphery of the lungs via a video-game-like controller.

GSK invests €250M-plus in vaccine manufacturing as Shingrix surges, RSV launch kicks off

GSK is laying out more than 250 million euros ($273 million) to bolster vaccine manufacturing with a new facility in Wavre, Belgium. The unit will handle freeze-dried vaccines, including Shingrix and Arexvy.

Artificial intelligence may influence whether you can get pain medication

Artificial intelligence is working its way into more parts of American life. As AI spreads within the health care landscape, it brings familiar concerns of bias and accuracy and whether government regulation can keep up with rapidly advancing technology.

Bavarian Nordic's COVID shot vanquished by variant vulnerability as phase 3 data reveal flaw

Bavarian Nordic’s vision of ending the COVID-19 vaccine adaptation cycle is over. The Danish drugmaker found its phase 3 trial data support the need for variant-specific vaccines and, because its shot cannot be adapted quickly, has accepted the candidate “no longer represents a commercial opportunity.”

Bayer bets big on Kerendia's potential to treat heart failure

Bayer plans three new trials to assess its potential blockbuster medicine Kerendia in heart failure. The drug was first approved 2 years ago in CKD associated with diabetes.
 
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