LONDON – There was a marked increase in the projected return on investment in pharma R&D in 2021, which rose to 7%, the highest level since 2014. That was up from a lowly 2.7% in 2020 and – even worse – 1.8% in 2019, according to the 12th annual report tracking ROI by the consultants Deloitte. But while 7% is a significant improvement, it is still below the projected ROI when the first edition of ‘Measuring the Return from Pharmaceutical Innovation’ was published in 2010, in response to concerns that pharma was spending more and more on R&D while getting less out. At that point, projected ROI was 10.1%.

Cansino Biologics Inc. has received marketing approval from the NMPA for its ACYW-135 meningococcal conjugate vaccine, Menhycia, making it the first of its kind to be authorized in China. The approval marks “an important step in accelerating the development of China’s meningococcal vaccine immunization strategy,” the company said.

Merck & Co. Inc., building on a year-old deal with Aligos Therapeutics Inc., has moved to in-license an early stage nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) oligonucleotide program Aligos had previously advanced independently. The amended deal also gives Merck the right to add a new NASH target to the partnership, in addition to those already part of the agreement. With Aligos eligible to receive up to $460 million in development and commercialization milestones as well as tiered royalties on net sales per target, its rewards could reach $1.38 billion.

Antibiotics continue to take a beating as top-line results from Summit Therapeutics Inc.’s phase III study of ridinilazole failed to meet the primary endpoint for sustained clinical response and treating C. difficile infection (CDI). Looking for an upside on its lead candidate’s results, the company noted participants treated with ridinilazole had substantially less recurrence of CDI, the most common cause of diarrhea in hospitalized patients, as compared to those who were administered vancomycin (nominal p-value = 0.0002).

Daré Bioscience Inc.’s investors will have to wait a while for details regarding a commercialization partnership centered on Xaciato (2% clindamycin phosphate gel, formerly known as DARE-BV1) as a single-dose treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in females 12 years of age and older. Approved Dec. 7, Xaciato is expected to launch next year.

What one analyst called “the single most important” nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor in development – Merck & Co. Inc.’s islatravir – has met rocky terrain, with the firm and its partner, Gilead Sciences Inc., pausing combo trials.