The antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) juggernaut powers on, with Japan’s Taiho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. set to acquire Araris Biotech AG for up to $1.14 billion. Of that, $400 million will be up front, with the remainder tied to milestones with a maximum value of $740 million, around the progress of three ADCs for treating solid and hematological cancers. These programs, based on Araris’ novel multi-payload linker technology, are currently in preclinical development. Au, Switzerland-based Araris will continue working on the programs and further developing the Aralinq linker technology, operating as a subsidiary. “It is in the interest of Taiho that they want to keep the site and all the employees. We will be fully owned by Taiho, but we will stay in Switzerland,” said Dragan Grabulovski, CEO and co-founder of Araris.

HS data positive with Incyte’s JAK1-targeter povorcitinib

Incyte Corp. unveiled top-line results in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) from its pivotal phase III Stop-HS clinical trial program evaluating the safety and efficacy of oral small-molecule JAK1 inhibitor povorcitinib in adults with moderate to severe disease. Stop HS1 and Stop HS2 met the primary endpoint at both tested doses (45 mg and 75 mg). A significantly higher proportion of patients treated with povorcitinib once daily vs. placebo achieved Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response, at least a 50% reduction from baseline in the total abscess and inflammatory nodule count, with no increase from baseline in abscess or draining tunnel count. Shares of the Wilmington, Del.-based firm (NASDAQ:INCY) were trading at $61.38, down $6.49. HS is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition characterized by boils and abscesses that form under the skin.

Avidity eyes 2025 BLA on back of positive DMD data

While data on functional endpoints are expected in the fourth quarter, Avidity Biosciences Inc. is moving ahead with plans for a BLA filing by the end of 2025 for del-zota, its antibody-oligonucleotide conjugate, in Duchenne muscular dystrophy with mutations amenable to exon 44 skipping. The company reported top-line data from its phase I/II Explore44 study, showing statistically significant increases in dystrophin reduction, as well as marked reductions in creatine kinase, a biomarker associated with muscle damage. Del-zota, or delpacibart zotadirsen, is “on track to be our first commercial launch,” said Avidity President and CEO Sarah Boyce during a March 17 call with investors.

Look, Ma, no adcom

In a break with tradition, the U.S. FDA last week selected the strains for the next flu vaccine without convening its vaccine advisory committee. Instead, the agency brought together 15 scientific and public health experts from within the FDA, the CDC and the Department of Defense to review U.S. and global surveillance data and make the recommendations for the next flu season. That group met the same day that the agency’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee had been scheduled to make the selection. The cancellation of the adcom meeting last month sparked concerns in Congress, especially given Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy’s stance on vaccines.

Alteogen in $1.35B Medimmune deal; Astrazeneca bids $1B for Esobiotec

Alteogen Inc. signed its first billion-dollar partnership this year for ALT-B4 technology through two separate contracts with Astrazeneca plc’s U.K.- and U.S.-based Medimmune subsidiaries worth up to $1.35 billion combined. Disclosed near market closing hours on March 17, Daejeon, South Korea-based Alteogen said that it inked the exclusive licensing deals with Cambridge, U.K.-based Medimmune Ltd. and Gaithersburg, Md.-based Medimmune LLC on March 15. Medimmune functions as the global biologics R&D arm of Cambridge, U.K.-centered Astrazeneca. The pharma company separately disclosed on March 17 an offer of $425 million up front and $575 million in potential regulatory milestones to acquire Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium-based Esobiotec BV, an in vivo cell therapy company with a nanobody lentiviral platform that targets cancer through a simple intravenous injection.

Insilico advancing AI platform with $110M Asian-backed series E round

Artificial intelligence (AI) drug developer Insilico Medicine raised $110 million in a series E round led by an Asian private equity fund, Value Partners Group, that will see Insilico advance its pipeline and AI platform developments. Those developments include refining AI models and algorithms and updates and expansions to Insilico’s state-of-the-art automatic lab to further automate and streamline R&D processes. Funds will also help advance its lead candidate for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis to clinical validation. Insilico Medicine founder and CEO Alex Zhavoronkov told BioWorld in an earlier interview that he spends as much time as possible in China, because that's where the artificial intelligence (AI) drug development company conducts synthesis and tests for early stage discovery.

Also in the news

Accropeutics, Acelyrin, Ani, Azurity, Basilea, BMS, Collegium, Covis, Eton, Galderma, Idorsia, Innovent, Inovio, Korro, Medexus, Mind Medicine, Pfizer, Sutro, Zenas