Memo Therapeutics AG has added a further CHF20 million (US$22 million) to its series C, bringing the total for the round to CHF45 million and enabling the company to expand the phase II trial of its lead program, AntiBKV, in neutralizing BK virus infection in immune compromised kidney transplant recipients.
Cancer vaccines specialist Infinitopes Precision Immunomics Ltd. announced the closing of a £12.8 million (US$16.1 million) seed round and outlined plans to start a phase I/IIa study of the lead program in the third quarter of this year.
Novartis Pharma AG continues to build up its radiopharmaceutical powerhouse and has expanded a peptide discovery collaboration with Peptidream Inc. in a deal worth up to $2.71 billion. Under the multi-program agreement, Kawasaki, Japan-based Peptidream will use its peptide discovery platform system technology to identify and optimize novel macrocyclic peptides against targets selected by Novartis for potential conjugation to radioligand therapies or other applications for both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.
Newron Pharmaceuticals SpA added heft to the data supporting evenamide, reporting positive top-line results from a phase II/III placebo-controlled trial of the glutamate inhibitor in patients with chronic schizophrenia who were receiving a second-generation antipsychotic, but having an inadequate response to that treatment.
The latest World Health Organization’s (WHO) Pandemic Agreement falls short of protecting all countries in future pandemics, said international patient groups and public health organizations.
The industry in the U.K. is starting to get concerned about the U.S. Biosecure Act and the possible impact on its ability to use Chinese service providers, and the implications for future dealmaking with U.S.-based companies.
Looking beyond the U.S. biopharma industry, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is now pushing the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations to get on board with the World Health Organization’s proposed Pandemic Accord aimed at making diagnostics, treatments and vaccines available to everyone who needs them.
Amidst a slew of end-of-week, positive EMA Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) opinions is Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s Fruzaqla (fruquintinib). The selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors-1, -2 and -3 is for adults with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer.
Flindr Therapeutics BV has raised €20 million (US$21.4 million) in a series A round to advance small-molecule immune modulators aimed at targets it has identified in cancer patients who respond to existing immunotherapies.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. has tapped into Treefrog Therapeutics SA’s high-throughput stem cell manufacturing technology in a deal worth potentially up to $780 million to help it advance its type 1 diabetes programs, including phase I/II asset VX-880.