Solanezumab, a monoclonal antibody that was being tested in patients with mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease, won’t be submitted for registration following the drug’s failure to meet its primary endpoint in a Phase 3 trial, Eli Lilly and Company announced on 23 November.
Juno Therapeutics Inc of the US suspended a trial of its chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for leukaemia for a second time on 23 November following the deaths of two patients from cerebral edema.
Kite Pharma Inc plans to make a US regulatory submission for its lead chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma starting at the end of December. Following talks with the Food and Drug Administration, the US company announced in early November that it will make a rolling regulatory submission.
Novartis has taken steps to broaden its portfolio of drugs treating haematologic disorders with the acquisition of Selexys Pharmaceuticals Corp of the US which has a product for treating a complication of sickle cell disease that recently completed Phase 2.
Cell Medica Ltd has expanded an existing partnership with the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, US to develop allogeneic cell therapies based on engineered immune cells generated from healthy donors. The cells are invariant natural killer T (NKT) cells.
CureVac AG, which is developing vaccines based on messenger RNA technology, has raised $29.5 million from two new German investors to advance its portfolio. This follows a private share placement in 2015 that raised $110 million.
Evotec AG reported a 37% increase in revenue to €120.6 million for the first nine months as its drug discovery business on behalf of Sanofi SA moved into high gear and revenue from other long-term partners increased.
France-based Nicox SA said it anticipates a regulatory review of its glaucoma drug latanoprostene bunod to take place soon, and if the result is positive, the treatment could be on the US market by mid-2017.
AstraZeneca Plc is accelerating development of its oncology portfolio and tightening its therapeutic focus with an eye to returning to growth by 2018, or possibly earlier. The company’s third quarter results, released on 10 November, showed group revenue down by 4% to $5.7 billion, but new therapies in oncology and diabetes posted stronger sales.
Syncona LLP, the evergreen investment fund of the Wellcome Trust, is poised to increase its investment in UK life science through a merger with the Guernsey-based investment fund BACIT Ltd. The new group will keep the Syncona name and be listed on the London Stock Exchange.