Sequana Medical NV received premarket approval from the U.S. FDA for its Alfapump system to treat recurrent or refractory ascites due to liver cirrhosis. Data from the Poseidon pivotal study showed the implantable device, which removes ascites from the abdomen into the bladder, can eliminate the need for therapeutic paracentesis, improving the quality of life of patients.
Centennial Therapeutics LLC has divulged ketohexokinase (KHK) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of nonalcoholic or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (NASH/MASH).
Onconic Therapeutics Inc., a subsidiary of Jeil Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., saw its shares (KOSDAQ:476060) ascend for two consecutive days after debuting with a ₩20.15 billion (US$13.89 million) IPO on the Korea Exchange Dec. 19. Seoul, South Korea-based Onconic’s Kosdaq IPO offered about 1.55 million shares at ₩13,000 each, which was lowered from its original price band of ₩16,000 to ₩18,000 per share after demand forecasting.
Onconic Therapeutics Inc., a subsidiary of Jeil Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., saw its shares (KOSDAQ:476060) ascend for two consecutive days after debuting with a ₩20.15 billion (US$13.89 million) IPO on the Korea Exchange Dec. 19. Seoul, South Korea-based Onconic’s Kosdaq IPO offered about 1.55 million shares at ₩13,000 each, which was lowered from its original price band of ₩16,000 to ₩18,000 per share after demand forecasting.
Shares in Zealand Pharma A/S (CO:ZEAL) dropped 22.4% to as low as DKK587 (US$82.16) on Dec. 20, after the U.S. FDA issued a complete response letter (CRL) for glepaglutide in the treatment of short bowel syndrome.
The potential for TL1A-targeting duvakitug to impact unmet needs of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), and to provide antifibrotic effects for a host of other diseases, boosted shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Sanofi SA by 26.5% and 6.7%, respectively, as the partners released what analysts called “best-in-class” results from the phase IIb Relieve UCCD study and prepare for a phase III trial in 2025.
The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommended 17 drugs for approval at its December meeting, bringing the total for 2024 to 114. That is up from the 77 drugs recommended for approval in 2023, of which 39 were novel.
South Korean billionaire and chairman of Celltrion Group Jungjin Seo is returning Celltrion Inc. to its contract manufacturing organization (CMO) roots, as it relies on biosimilar sales to anchor the company in a fiercely competitive novel drug R&D arena.
Recently presented preclinical data show that EA Pharma Co. Ltd.'s EA-3571 is a highly potent dual inhibitor of enteropeptidase and trypsin with luminal action, resulting in potential anti-insulin resistance and fat-burning properties.