Expectations that a phase III trial of Ipsen SA's palovarotene will miss its primary endpoint of reducing abnormal bone growth among people with a rare bone disorder led the company to pause dosing in that study and another as it evaluates next steps.
BEIJING – China-U.S. biotech Transcenta Holding Ltd., headquartered in Shanghai and Boston, completed a series B+ financing round to secure $100 million to continue its efforts in developing oncology and bone disorder drugs and to prepare for an IPO.
PERTH, Australia – On the heels of a $1.15 billion deal between Roche Holding AG and Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. for Sarepta’s gene therapy to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), another therapy to treat DMD is emerging from Down Under.
A medicine Stealth Biotherapeutics Inc. has been developing for the potential treatment of primary mitochondrial myopathy (PMM) missed the co-primary endpoints of a key phase III trial, sending company shares (NASDAQ:MITO) down 65.9% to close at $4.75 on Friday.
In August the FDA was skeptical about Sarepta Therapeutics Inc.’s injectable Vyondys 53 (golodirsen), but that changed swiftly Friday with the agency’s accelerated approval for the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) follow-on therapy, the first treatment specifically for this subtype.
News of a partial FDA clinical hold for pediatric patients after safety reports from an ongoing trial testing palovarotene in fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) identified cases of early growth plate closure sent shares of Ipsen SA (Paris:IPN) falling 13.6% Friday.
In late June, when Pfizer Inc. unveiled the first phase Ib data, mixed safety signal and all, for its Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene therapy, PF-06939926, investors in Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. as well as Solid Biosciences Inc. watched with particular interest. The latter firm seems none the worse for wear, though, raising $60 million in a private placement.
Growing sales of its multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies and lower R&D expenses led Biogen Inc. to beat both top- and bottom-line expectations during the second quarter, despite lower-than-expected sales of its spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) drug, Spinraza (nusinersen).