Lynparza (olaparib) has demonstrated another benefit for patients with a specific genetic mutation – this time in a Phase 3 trial of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Lynparza is a poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor that is already approved for ovarian, breast and pancreatic cancers.
Immunic Inc is to test its lead anti-inflammatory product IMU-838 as a potential COVID-19 therapeutic after preclinical studies showed the small molecule drug was active against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Separately, the company has announced the pricing of a new share issue which is expected to yield a net $14 million.
US-based SwanBio Therapeutics Inc has raised an additional $52 million in an expanded Series A financing to advance a candidate gene therapy for the inherited neurological disorder adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN). The new financing brings the total raised in the round to $77 million. It will enable to company to conduct studies leading up to a first clinical trial as well as build up its manufacturing capacity.
NOXXON Pharma NV has secured financing of up to €14.2 million in convertible bonds enabling it to continue the clinical development of its RNA oligonucleotide drugs for cancer. The convertible bond agreement is with Atlas Special Opportunities LLC. The full financing agreement, if drawn in total, will allow the Germany-based company to finance its activities to the beginning of 2022, including the completion of an ongoing trial in patients with newly diagnosed brain cancer.
Norway-based Targovax ASA is to work with Valo Therapeutics Oy to investigate a new vaccine platform that could target a range of difficult-to-treat cancers. Targovax has an oncolytic virus product, ONCOS-102, in early clinical development against a number of cancers including mesothelioma where it recently generated positive data. It also has recent experience with a cancer vaccine targeting tumours expressing mutated forms of RAS.
A second pharma partnership is poised to start a human trial of a candidate vaccine for COVID-19 using messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. Germany-based BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc will test BioNTech’s BNT162 programme in approximately 200 healthy subjects between the ages of 18 and 55. Permission to start the trial was granted by the German regulator, the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, the companies announced on 22 April.
The Roche group achieved sales of CHF 15.143 billion ($15.6 billion) in the first quarter as demand for new products more than offset the impact of competition from biosimilar medicines. Sales at constant exchange rates were up by 7%.
Sangamo Therapeutics Inc is to exclusively license cellular conversion technology from UK-based Mogrify Ltd in order to develop allogeneic cell therapies for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The two companies announced the agreement on 21 April, but did not disclose the size of the upfront and milestone payments.
A partnership that brings together industry, pharmaceutical regulators and the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) is being created to speed up the development of therapies and vaccines for COVID-19. The planned alliance is the work of the NIH and its sister foundation, the Foundation for the NIH.
Roche has announced plans to launch a new serology test to detect protective antibodies in people who have been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The test is expected to be available by early May in countries that recognise the CE registration mark. The company is also applying to the US Food and Drug Administration to get emergency use authorisation for the US market.