Anocca AB has secured the first regulatory authorization in Europe for a CRISPR-Cas gene-edited T-cell receptor T-cell therapy trial, with the phase I/II study now due to start over the next three months at sites in Sweden, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.
Despite missing the primary endpoint in a phase III study of solriamfetol in major depressive disorder, Axsome Therapeutics Inc. still sees a path to another phase III study. It’s a path some analysts and investors are concerned about, though its precision-medicine approach got plenty of nods of approval.
GRI Bio Inc.’s oral version of tazarotene is showing phase IIa promise in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The peek at interim safety with the compound, a RAR-βɣ dual agonist designed to inhibit the activity of human type 1 invariant natural killer T cells, consisted of a preplanned analysis of two-week results in the biomarker study. GRI-0621 at 4.5 mg once daily proved safe and well-tolerated in the first 12 patients.
The use of an AI tool could speed up the time it takes to do pregnancy scans by almost half and it is still able to identify any abnormalities in the fetus, researchers found. Results from a study showed the AI tool used to assist with 20-week pregnancy scans reduced the scan length by more than 40% and still maintained the same accuracy and reliability of diagnoses.
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization Inc. filed its BLA with the U.S. FDA for sibeprenlimab to treat immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). The company’s first BLA, sibeprenlimab is a monoclonal antibody (MAb) that selectively inhibits the activity of APRIL (A PRoliferation-Inducing Ligand) in adults with IgAN.
After announcing that lead candidate sozinibercept (OPT-302) failed the phase III Coast trial in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Opthea has now decided to close the Coast trial as well as the Shore trial. As reported by BioWorld, Opthea announced last week that it was considering its options after lead candidate sozinibercept (OPT-302) failed the phase III Coast trial in wet AMD.
Vaxcyte Inc. characterized its latest phase II data with VAX-24 as positive but Wall Street wasn’t so sure about the dose-finding outcomes with the 24-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), and shares of the San Carlos, Calif.-based firm (NASDAQ:PCVX) closed March 31 at $37.76, down $31.70, or 46%.
Relacorilant, a cortisol modulator from Corcept Therapeutics Inc., produced new and strong phase III results in treating platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The company also has relacorilant in studies that could eventually lead to approval in other indications. In the near term, though, the positive data led to the company’s stock (NASDAQ:CORT) closing 109% higher at $114.22 per share on March 31.
It was a mixed day for Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., which disclosed separately on March 28 both the termination of a $336 million licensing deal with CS Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and upbeat plans to unveil three new oncology assets at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research in April.