News

Norway-based Targovax ASA has reported promising Phase 1 data for its oncolytic virus treatment ONCOS-102 in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced, unresectable melanoma. The patients had experienced disease progression despite treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor, yet in the study tumour responses were observed in seven out of 20 evaluable patients.

The first drug for imaging prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positive lesions in men with prostate cancer was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration on 1 December. It is designed to be used with positron emission tomography (PET). The drug, Gallium 68 PSMA-11, is indicated for patients with suspected prostate cancer metastasis who are potentially curable by surgery or radiation therapy. It is also indicated for patients with suspected prostate cancer recurrence based on elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels.

The UK government has authorised the emergency use of a new vaccine for the prevention of Covid-19 from Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE – the first approval of pharmaceutical product based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. The decision, announced on 2 December, was based on a recommendation of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the independent regulator. It follows the publication of Phase 3 data for the vaccine showing that it achieved an efficacy rate of 95%.

France-based MaaT Pharma SA has raised additional money through a government supported programme to accelerate development of a fermentation process for its microbiome-based products. Bpifrance, the national investment bank, has secured an additional €7.35 million for the company in an extension to an existing Series B financing round. This brings the total raised from the round to €25.35 million.

A Swiss start-up co-founded by a former executive at Roche has raised CHF 54 million in a Series A financing round to advance projects for orphan neurological disorders including four products in-licensed from Roche. The company, Noema Pharma AG, was launched in 2019 with seed funding from Sofinnova Partners. Now, less than two years later, it has a pipeline of clinical stage assets.

Galapagos NV has reported positive topline data from an early clinical trial of a small molecule antagonist of GPR84 in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The placebo-controlled study enrolled 68 patients but was not powered to show statistical significance. Nevertheless, patients receiving the treatment GLPG1205 on top of a standard of care showed a smaller decline in forced vital capacity, a measure of lung function, than those receiving a placebo and standard of care.

Moderna Inc is poised to make regulatory filings in the US and Europe today for its Covid-19 vaccines. This follows the release of new data from a Phase 3 study showing that the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine achieved an efficacy rate of 94.1%. The placebo-controlled study involves 30,000 participants.

The German biotech Adrenomed AG has raised €22 million from existing investors to carry forward studies of adrecizumab, its clinical stage monoclonal antibody for the treatment of septic shock. The company is due to present new efficacy data for the compound at a conference on 2 to 4 December.

Destiny Pharma Plc has raised £10.4 million from a share placement and open offer which will finance the acquisition of an anti-infective asset shown to have promise in preventing infection from the bacteria Clostridium difficile. The new shares are to be listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.

AstraZeneca Plc is to further evaluate the dosing for its candidate Covid-19 vaccine AZD1222 in light of interim data from trials in the UK and Brazil showing different efficacy rates for different dosing regimens. The data were disclosed on 23 November and showed vaccine efficacy of 90% when given as a half dose followed by a full dose at least one month apart. An efficacy rate of 62% was achieved when given as two full doses at least one month apart.