Company News

The Philadelphia, US, based biotech company NodThera Ltd has started dosing patients in a trial of a small molecule drug for obesity that targets a protein in an inflammasome complex in the brain. The Phase 2 study will enrol 160 patients who are obese and may or may not also have type 2 diabetes. The trial will be carried out over 24 weeks with headline data expected in the second quarter of 2026. Although it is small, the trial is being positioned to test a relatively new concept: whether it is possible to change the course of obesity by correcting underlying metabolic dysfunction.

The European Medicines Agency is to update the side effect profile for semaglutide following evidence from epidemiological studies that use of the drug is associated with a very rare eye condition known as non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION). This may cause loss of vision. The decision was announced on 6 June and will affect the labelling of three approved semaglutide products, Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy. All three are produced by Novo Nordisk A/S and are on the market in the EU.

Eli Lilly and Co has entered into an exclusive licencing agreement with Sweden-based Camurus AB to use its technology to deliver incretin products to people with obesity and diabetes over extended periods – thereby reducing frequent administration. Based in Lund, Camurus has developed a technology called FluidCrystal that consists of a lipid-based liquid combined with a dissolved active ingredient. Upon injection, the medical compound is slowly released and gradually degrades in a patient’s tissue.

Sanofi SA is to acquire Blueprint Medicines Corp, expanding its immunology pipeline with a marketed product for systemic mastocytosis, a rare blood disorder that can affect multiple systems in the body. Sanofi is to pay $129 per share in cash for the US company, representing a deal value of $9.1 billion at the transaction close in the third quarter. This figure could rise to $9.5 billion if one of the company’s clinical programmes meets specific development and regulatory milestones.

Indivior Plc, a company that is developing medicines to treat opioid use disorders, has announced plans to consolidate the trading of its shares on Nasdaq in the US. Consequently, it has initiated a delisting from the London Stock Exchange which will take effect on 25 July. “A single primary listing on Nasdaq best reflects the profile of Indivior’s business,” David Wheadon, the company’s chairman, said in a statement on 2 June.

Immunic Inc has raised $65 million from a public share offering to advance its pipeline of small molecule therapies for chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The offering consists of warrants to purchase stock in the company which can be exercised at different periods up until 3 June 2030. It closed on 3 June. Immunic could receive up to an additional $130 million if the warrants are exercised in full for cash. The financing was co-led by BVF Partners and Coastlands Capital with Leerink Partners as the bookrunner.

Orionis Biosciences has announced a second strategic collaboration with Genentech to discover and develop a new class of monovalent molecular glue medicines for cancer, in a deal worth $105 million upfront and more than $2 billion in potential milestone payments.

France-based Sanofi SA posted strong sales and business operating income for the 2025 first quarter due to continued demand for Dupixent and a strong performance by newer treatments and vaccines. Sales reached €9.9 billion, up by 10.8% in actual exchange rates and by 9.7% at constant rates. Business operating income for the quarter was €2.9 billion, a rise of 20.1% on the first quarter of 2024. The company left its full-year profit and sales forecasts unchanged, with the expectation that sales will continue to grow strongly.

The Swiss pharmaceutical group Roche reported 2025 first quarter sales of CHF 15.4 billion ($18.6 billion) for an increase of 7% in Swiss francs and 6% at constant exchange rates. Group sales were driven by higher demand for newer medicines and diagnostics. The strongest performers in its pharmaceutical division were Phesgo, a combination therapy for breast cancer, Vabysmo, a drug for severe eye diseases, and the allergy treatment Xolair. For the year as a whole, group sales are expected to increase in a mid-single digit range at constant exchange rates.

People suspected of having Alzheimer’s disease will in future be able to have another option for receiving a confirmed diagnosis following the approval of a new blood test by the US Food and Drug Administration. The approval, announced on 16 May, is for an in vitro diagnostic device, the first of its kind. It is called the Lumipulse G pTau217/beta-amyloid 1-42 plasma ratio. The developer is Fujirebio Diagnostics Ltd of Japan.