First engineered B cell given to human

Today’s Big News

Dec 15, 2023

Pfizer finds room for ADC snack after swallowing Seagen, inking deal for mesothelin candidate


Fractyl, hoping its GLP-1 gene therapy can take on Wegovy, plans IPO


In a world first, Immusoft gives engineered B cell in a clinical trial, starting new phase of 15-year odyssey


Chutes & Ladders—Jay Bradner is back at Big Pharma to lead R&D at Amgen


Gene therapy curbs seizures in mice with hard-to-treat form of childhood epilepsy


New study finds cause and potential treatment for dangerous morning sickness

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

 

Featured

Pfizer finds room for ADC snack after swallowing Seagen, inking deal for mesothelin candidate

Pfizer just swallowed a $43 billion ADC company and still isn’t full. Hours after Pfizer closed the Seagen buyout, Nona Biosciences put out news that the Big Pharma has committed $53 million in upfront and near-term payments for rights to its mesothelin-targeted ADC, dubbed HBM9033.
 

Top Stories

Fractyl, hoping its GLP-1 gene therapy can take on Wegovy, plans IPO

With the gold rush in obesity meds showing no sign of abating, Fractyl Health is gearing up to go public as it gathers preclinical evidence that its GLP-1 gene therapy could take on Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy.

In a world first, Immusoft gives engineered B cell in a clinical trial, starting new phase of 15-year odyssey

Immusoft has administered an engineered B cell to a human for the first time, marking a milestone in its long-running quest to create a new type of medicine.

Standardizing software: Supporting small pharma with SAP

Aparna Seksaria and Kevin Brophy sit down with Fierce Biotech’s Rebecca Williamson to talk about the importance of levelling the playing field by offering leading-edge software solutions to the smaller businesses in the pharma sphere.

Chutes & Ladders—Jay Bradner is back at Big Pharma to lead R&D at Amgen

Jay Bradner is back after a little more than a year off, taking the R&D reins at Amgen. Genentech swiftly names interim CEO Magargee to the permanent role. Moderna sidelines CCO Garay.

Gene therapy curbs seizures in mice with hard-to-treat form of childhood epilepsy

A new form of gene therapy designed to treat the most treatment-resistant form of childhood epilepsy appears to reduce seizures in mice.

New study finds cause and potential treatment for dangerous morning sickness

A new study led by a Fiercest Women in Life Sciences 2023 awardee points to a cause and a potential treatment for severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, with findings in both mice and in humans. 

'The Top Line': A closer look at the Fierce 50

The Fierce 50 honorees range from tech innovators to researchers developing novel therapies to providers on the frontlines of changing care. This week on "The Top Line," senior editor Paige Minemyer sat down with staff writers Dave Muoio and Anastassia Gliadkovskaya as well as senior editor Heather Landi to discuss a few of the honorees in more detail.

Fierce Pharma Asia—BMS’ $8.4B ADC bet; China’s reimbursement update; FDA’s CAR-T roadblock

Bristol Myers Squibb inked an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) licensing deal worth up to $8.4 billion. AstraZeneca and Gilead's ADCs passed on China's national insurance scheme. The FDA put three CAR-T candidates from CARsgen Therapeutics on a clinical hold. And more.

Happy Cringemas? Life sciences investor Blackstone taps Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour for kooky corporate video

“Don’t confuse us with BlackRock,” sing the staffers from venture capital firm Blackstone, a major life sciences funding business. It may well be that BlackRock, known for its own controversies, may not want to be associated with Blackstone.

New year, new name as Pipeline, Novozymes and Chr. Hansen rebranded to reflect new focus

With a new year on the horizon, a clutch of companies have decided on new names for 2024. Pipeline Therapeutics has become Contineum Therapeutics, while Novozymes and Chr. Hansen have picked Novonesis as their new shared identity.

CVS, Oscar Health and Geisinger join 25 other payers, providers to sign AI safety pledge

More than two dozen healthcare payers and providers are making voluntary safety, security and transparency commitments to the White House regarding the use of artificial intelligence.
 
Fierce podcasts

Don’t miss an episode

'The Top Line': A closer look at the Fierce 50

The Fierce 50 honorees range from tech innovators to researchers developing novel therapies to providers on the frontlines of changing care. This week on "The Top Line," senior editor Paige Minemyer sat down with staff writers Dave Muoio and Anastassia Gliadkovskaya as well as senior editor Heather Landi to discuss a few of the honorees in more detail.
 

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