Building upon its already impressive obesity drug portfolio, Novo Nordisk A/S has licensed a triple agonist of the receptors for GLP-1, GIP and glucagon from United Biotechnology Co. Ltd. China-based United is getting $200 million up front and the chance to earn up to $1.8 billion in milestone payments. UBT-251 is in the early stages of development for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes. Another giant in the obesity space, Eli Lilly and Co., is developing its own triple glucagon hormone receptor agonist, retatrutide (LY-3437943), which showed substantial weight loss reductions in a phase II study.

Opthea in freefall after phase III fail in wet AMD

Opthea Ltd. is considering its options after lead candidate sozinibercept (OPT-302) failed the phase III Coast trial in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Sozinibercept is a soluble form of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR-3) expressed as an immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) Fc-fusion protein that binds and neutralizes VEGF-C and VEGF-D on their endogenous receptors. The global Coast phase III trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of intravitreally administered 2-mg sozinibercept every four or eight weeks in combination with 2-mg aflibercept every eight weeks after a loading phase for the treatment of wet AMD. The trial did not meet its primary endpoint of mean change in best corrected visual acuity from baseline to week 52.

Astrazeneca invests $9B+ in China: three deals and an R&D center

Astrazeneca plc is investing more than $9 billion in China, signing two R&D deals with Chinese companies Harbour Biomed Ltd. and Syneron Bio, and a joint venture with Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co. (Biokangtai), along with establishing a new R&D center in Beijing. Astrazeneca is currently the largest multinational pharma company operating in China. China accounts for 11% of Astrazeneca‘s global revenue and is growing. The company told BioWorld that it will continue to make investments if they complement its strategy. In the last few years, Astrazeneca entered into licensing agreements with 12 companies worth $9.7 billion.

Unity eyes path forward for UBX-1325 despite missed DME endpoint

Shares of Unity Biotechnology Inc. (NASDAQ:UBX) sank 30% on news that its phase IIb Aspire study testing UBX-1325 head-to-head against Eylea (aflibercept, Sanofi SA) in diabetic macular edema (DME) fell short of statistical noninferiority on the primary analysis endpoint. But that’s not the full story, according to company executives, who pointed to showing UBX-1325 proved numerically superior to aflibercept in seven out of 10 time points and resulted in visual gains compelling enough to advance into further studies. The compound, a small-molecule Bcl-xL inhibitor, also offers a potentially new mechanism of action in DME, a population still in need of new treatment options despite the success of anti-VEGF therapies.

Augustine Therapeutics closes $85M series A for HDAC6 inhibitors

Eight months after announcing the $18.5 million first tranche of its series A, Augustine Therapeutics has closed the oversubscribed round at $85 million and is now ready to begin clinical development of its novel histone deacetylase-6 (HDAC6) inhibitors. After testing on healthy volunteers, the lead compound AGT-100216, will move into a phase I/II proof of concept study in the inherited peripheral nervous system disease Charcot-Marie-Tooth.

CDC’s ACIP meeting rescheduled

A meeting of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) was rescheduled for April 15, according to the Federal Register. The postponement of the meeting initially set for February, along with the cancellation of the agency’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meeting in March, alarmed U.S. legislators as it came around the same time as the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine skeptic, as the secretary of Health and Human Services. ACIP’s agenda for the April meeting include discussions on numerous vaccines, including those for chikungunya and meningococcal disease.

Also in the news

Alnylam, Arcellx, Dyne, Eisai, Elevar, Glenmark, Hutchmed, Iecure, Johnson & Johnson, Nanoscope, Novartis, Opus Genetics, Pharmaessentia, Pint, Rentschler, Secretome, Telix, Valo Health, Visen