Sanofi SA is getting deeper into oncology and immunology therapy development through buying Dren Bio Inc.’s myeloid cell engager for deep B-cell depletion, DR-0201. The deal could reach as high as $1.9 billion for privately held Dren. Sanofi is paying $600 million up front, and milestone payments to come could add up to $1.3 billion. The CD20-directed bispecific antibody is in an interventional phase I study of adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is set to conclude in 2026. It also is in a phase I basket study for treating autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Elevation buries Claudin 18.2 ADC for cancer, slashes staff by 70%

Elevation Oncology Inc. has nixed its lead pipeline product, a Claudin 18.2 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) called EO-3021, on disappointing phase I data, sending shares tumbling by 48% and placing its preclinical HER3 ADC to the forefront of development. Stepping away from an asset that was the company’s main focus in recent years means a 70% workforce reduction, bringing its staff down to about 10 employees from 34, and a process to evaluate strategic options. The company’s stock (NASDAQ:ELEV) fell by 23 cents to 25 cents in early trading on March 20, after losing significant value last August when initial phase I data were reported in patients with advanced, unresectable or metastatic solid tumors likely to express Claudin 18.2, including gastric, gastroesophageal junction, pancreatic or esophageal cancers. What prompted Elevation’s decision to terminate development of EO-3021 are further data from the dose-escalation and expansion stages of the phase I trial that showed an objective response rate (ORR) of 22.2% among 36 evaluable patients with gastric or GEJ cancer, well below the 42.8% ORR seen with seven patients in August.

Taimed’s long-acting HIV treatment offers alternative to daily ART therapy

Taimed Biologics Inc’s TMB-365/TMB-380 long-acting combination of broadly neutralizing antibodies regimen for HIV maintenance could reshape HIV treatment management, offering a viable alternative to daily combination antiretroviral therapy, the company said after reporting on phase IIa results. Taimed’s data position TMB-365/TMB-380 as a frontrunner in the HIV treatment space, offering clear advantages over existing long-acting treatment options, said Taimed CEO Jimmy Chang.

UK trade association says drug rebate hurting industry

Pharma companies in the U.K. say the rebate they are required to make on drug sales is making the country “un-investible,” prompting staff cuts and leading clinical research partnerships to be unwound. Rather than the 15.3% rebate on branded drugs companies expected to pay this year, the rate has leapt to 22.9%. That has left the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicine Pricing and Access (VPAG) “in crisis,” according to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industries (ABPI).

Hepatic stellate cells shape and control liver function

Researchers at the German Cancer Research Center Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum and their collaborators have cast new light on the mechanisms by which hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) control liver metabolism and regeneration. The work builds on the concept of angiocrine signaling, established 15 years ago, which holds that endothelial cells are not just passive responders to external signals such as inflammatory cytokines or angiogenic stimuli, but that from their location at the interface of circulation and organs, HSCs control local tissue function by secreting paracrine-acting factors, called angiocrine factors.

Also in the news

Aadi, Acumen, Allovir, Ampersand, Applied, Auron, Benitec, Cargo, Genenta, Henlius, Hutchmed, Immunovant, Innovent, Kalaris, Maat, Mineralys, Novartis, Purdue, Regenxbio, Roivant, Satellos, Summit, Tvardi, UCB, Whitehawk