DUBLIN – Memo Therapeutics AG raised CHF13.8 million (US$15.3 million) in a first close of a series B round to take forward a patient-derived monoclonal antibody therapy for COVID-19, MTX-Covab, which will move into a phase I/II trial in Germany in the new year.
Lenzilumab, the lead candidate from Humanigen Inc., has taken two large steps forward with positive interim phase III data and some support from the federal government. That, along with an Asia-Pacific region licensing from earlier in the week, has the relatively small company successfully “punching above our weight,” the CEO told BioWorld.
DUBLIN – Canakinumab, an interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta) inhibitor, has joined a growing list of immunomodulatory therapies that have failed to demonstrate efficacy in COVID-19. Novartis AG said that an interim analysis showed the drug did not meet the primary endpoint of clinical response.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) said that it would fund a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine under development by Sichuan Clover Biopharmaceuticals Inc., of Chengdu, China.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Astrazeneca, Astellas, Basilea, Gosun, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lipocine, Sarepta, Sedor, Senhwa.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Affimed, Artiva, Astrazeneca, Felix Bio, ICER, Kannalife, OM Pharma, Roche, TFF, Vaccibody, Vir.
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Anavex, Assembly, Boehringer Ingelheim, Equillium, Homology, Humanigen, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Puma, Seres, Viela.
LONDON – The Danish government has ordered a mass cull of 15 million mink following evidence the animals are harboring a variant of SARS-CoV-2 with mutations in the spike protein through which the virus infects human cells.
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