Troubled Laronde merges with Senda

Today’s Big News

Oct 20, 2023

ESMO: Amgen cites 'watershed moment' as tarlatamab offers lifeline for hard-to-reach cancer group 


Merck pays $4B upfront for rights to 3 Daiichi ADCs in huge bet on post-Keytruda future


ESMO: Merck, flush with ADCs, eyes differentiation in massive Daiichi deal  


Flagship's embattled Laronde sets sail with Senda in merger


J&J bites back against dengue, linking antiviral to protection from infection in challenge trial


After FDA knockback, Lilly posts 2-year data showing benefit of eczema treatment lebrikizumab


Move over COVID-19 vaccines. Pan-coronavirus shot proves effective against MERS, SARS and more in mice


Chutes & Ladders—Google DeepMind vet to join GSK as VP of artificial intelligence

The Top Line Podcast: Don’t miss out on the newest episode. Listen now.

 

Featured

ESMO: Amgen cites 'watershed moment' as tarlatamab offers lifeline for hard-to-reach cancer group

Amgen is diving deeper into phase 2 tarlatamab data after teasing the molecule's promise a couple of months ago. The asset is one of a handful of bispecific T-cell engagers that have been a focal point of the pharma's oncology work.
 

Top Stories

Merck pays $4B upfront for rights to 3 Daiichi ADCs in huge bet on post-Keytruda future

Merck & Co. has secured a seat at the productive Daiichi Sankyo antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) factory. While AstraZeneca picked up the first two ADCs off the production line, its rival and collaborator Merck is paying $4 billion upfront to co-develop Daiichi’s next three prospects.

ESMO: Merck, flush with ADCs, eyes differentiation in massive Daiichi deal

Merck & Co. has signed a multi-billion dollar deal with Daiichi Sankyo to work on ADCs, setting a theme for the Madrid-based ESMO conference.

Tanvex CDMO - Accelerating Biologics to Patients

Reacting to the growth of biotherapeutics, Tanvex BioPharma USA, Inc., is set to launch Tanvex CDMO, a full-service CDMO specializing in mammalian- and microbial-derived biologics and biosimilars.

Flagship's embattled Laronde sets sail with Senda in merger

Flagship Pioneering’s Senda Biosciences and Laronde are merging into Sail Biomedicines, a new biotech designed to develop programmable medicines with more than $700 million in its combined coffers.

J&J bites back against dengue, linking antiviral to protection from infection in challenge trial

One of the last drugs standing at Johnson & Johnson’s slimmed-down infectious disease unit has come through another test. The oral candidate, JNJ-1802, induced antiviral activity against dengue in a human challenge study, offering J&J encouragement as it works toward data in a larger community-based trial.

After FDA knockback, Lilly posts 2-year data showing benefit of eczema treatment lebrikizumab

Undeterred by the FDA’s rejection earlier this month, Eli Lilly has posted long-term data demonstrating its atopic dermatitis treatment lebrikizumab can provide sustained skin benefits over two years.

Move over COVID-19 vaccines. Pan-coronavirus shot proves effective against MERS, SARS and more in mice

A vaccine designed to target three different strains of potentially lethal coronaviruses, including the one that causes COVID-19, appears to be effective in mice.

Chutes & Ladders—Google DeepMind vet to join GSK as VP of artificial intelligence

British pharma GSK is bringing on a Google DeepMind vet to lead AI/ML work. Y-mAbs names ex-Novartis radiopharma leader as new CEO. CARGO Therapeutics taps Genentech cancer leader to be chief medical officer.

ESMO: Searching for the perfect cup of pharma-branded espress-MO in Madrid

If anyone in Spain is wondering where the espresso machines are, they are at the exhibit hall for the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress, where one faces an important question: From which Big Pharma will I accept my complimentary espresso beverage?

ESMO: In PD-1 battle GSK waged on Merck, Jemperli appears to show survival edge over Keytruda in lung cancer

Last year, a first-of-its-kind head-to-head clinical trial between two PD-1 inhibitors went in GSK’s favor. Now, the British pharma has some new patient survival data to celebrate.

GoodRx, Sanofi to offer insulin for $35, regardless of insurance, at select pharmacies

All Americans with a valid prescription, regardless of their insurance status, can use GoodRx at more than 70,000 retail pharmacies to access a 30-day supply of Lantus for $35.

With COVID windfall in rearview mirror, Roche starts to flesh out blood cancer ambitions

After a boom during the pandemic, sales from COVID-19 drugs are now nonexistent at Roche. But the Swiss pharma’s blood cancer portfolio is enjoying a rejuvenation.

'The Top Line': Leqembi's full approval and the future of Alzheimer's treatment

In this episode of "The Top Line," Fierce's Fraiser Kansteiner engages in a conversation with Alexander Scott, senior vice president of integrity at Eisai, to discuss the full approval of Leqembi and what it means for Eisai and, most importantly, for Alzheimer's patients.

Fierce Pharma Asia—J&J and Yuhan's lung cancer win; Elevar and Hengrui’s $600M-plus commercialization pact

The combination of Johnson & Johnson’s Rybrevant and the Yuhan-partnered lazertinib triumphed over AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso in a head-to-head study. Elevar and Hengrui inked a commercialization deal potentially worth more than $600 million. Plus more.
 
Fierce podcasts

Don’t miss an episode

'The Top Line': Leqembi's full approval and the future of Alzheimer's treatment

In this episode of "The Top Line," Fierce's Fraiser Kansteiner engages in a conversation with Alexander Scott, senior vice president of integrity at Eisai, to discuss the full approval of Leqembi and what it means for Eisai and, most importantly, for Alzheimer's patients.
 

Resources

Whitepaper

What Are the Benefits of Generative AI for Pharma?

From trial site feasibility and patient populations to data analysis, generative AI has the potential to revolutionize drug discovery and clinical trial recruitment at both the therapeutic area and indication level.

eBook

Improving yield and reproducibility with advanced sample prep

Learn how to get better results from suboptimal biospecimens for NGS and protein analysis.
Whitepaper

Accelerate drug discovery with high-performance computing powered by the cloud

Accelerate drug discovery with high-performance computing (HPC) powered by the cloud
Whitepaper

Discover Strategies for Combatting Disruptions in Gene Therapy Development

Cell and gene therapy development has exploded, with Q4 2022 showing more FDA approvals than over the past five years combined.[1]
Whitepaper

Understanding the hidden value of quality

Uncover the keys to efficient bioprocessing, including how outsourcing quality management can reduce risk, save time and money, and expedite biologics development.
Webinar

From Lead Optimization to Drug Candidate Triage: A Data-Driven Approach to Drug Discovery

Embark on an in-depth journey through the pivotal Make-Test-Decide Workflow, where collaboration and data-driven decisions play a paramount role in the intricate landscape of drug discovery. Watch now to learn how cloud implementation fosters accessibility and collaboration, revolutionizing research across locations and companies.

Whitepaper

Ensuring a Reliable Biopharmaceutical Supply in the EU

Economic and regulatory factors are making biopharma supply chains more complex in the EU. This paper explores strategies that biopharma companies can use to better manage complexity, cost, and risk.
Whitepaper

Biology Informatics Solutions Brochure

From Assay Development Through Large Molecule Development. Streamline your R&D workflows and gain valuable insights with our Biology Solutions Brochure. Download now to discover how to control your laboratory workflows across various assay techniques, modalities, and data types.
eBook

An Introduction to Organ-on-a-Chip Technology

Emulate in vivo biology with next-generation in vitro technology.
 

Industry Events

Genesis 2023

 

Upcoming Fierce Events

14-15
Nov
Free Virtual Event
14-16
Nov
London, UK
5
Dec
Edison Ballroom, New York City
9-10
Jan
San Francisco, CA
16-18
Jan
Virtual Event

View all events