Entries by Joachim Eeckhout

Roche and Zealand’s obesity contender clears phase 2, but investors were looking for more

Roche and Zealand Pharma have delivered a clinically positive phase 2 readout for petrelintide, their amylin-based obesity drug, but the market reaction made clear that “positive” is no longer enough in the weight-loss race. After the companies reported that patients achieved up to 10.7% mean weight loss at 42 weeks, shares in both partners fell sharply as investors questioned whether the candidate can stand out in an increasingly crowded field.

Alfasigma bets up to $690M on GSK’s late-stage PBC itch drug ahead of FDA decision

Italian drugmaker Alfasigma has struck a licensing deal to take over global rights to linerixibat, GSK’s late-stage candidate for cholestatic pruritus in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), in a transaction that could be worth up to $690 million to the British pharma group. Under the agreement, GSK will receive $300 million upfront, with additional regulatory and commercial milestones plus tiered double-digit royalties on worldwide sales.

UCB licenses Antengene’s ATG-201 in $1.1B autoimmune masked T-cell engager deal

UCB is adding a new kind of immune-cell weapon to its immunology arsenal. The Belgian biopharma said it has struck a global licensing deal with Hong Kong–based Antengene for ATG-201, a CD19/CD3 bispecific T-cell engager (TCE) designed to deplete B cells; an approach that has long been validated in autoimmune disease, but is now being re-engineered with next-generation biologics that promise deeper, more durable effects.

Boehringer steps back from MASH programm as OSE restructure its pipeline

French biotech OSE Immunotherapeutics is narrowing its ambitions to just two late-stage programs after a one–two hit: AbbVie backing away from an inflammation partnership and Boehringer Ingelheim halting the liver-disease leg of a separate collaboration following a mid-stage failure. The company now says it will concentrate resources on its cancer vaccine Tedopi and its IL-7 receptor antibody lusvertikimab, while pausing or ending several earlier-stage efforts to conserve cash and push toward near-term clinical catalysts.   

From cell therapy to combat rifles: Genenta bets its future on becoming Italy’s national-security dealmaker

Few biotech pivots are as jarring as Genenta’s latest move.

The Milan-based company, which went public in late 2021 on the promise of a novel cell-based gene therapy platform, is now effectively abandoning the single-asset biotech playbook. Instead, it wants to become something far closer to a holding company for defense, aerospace, cybersecurity, and national-security assets, starting with a manufacturer of tactical rifles.

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SFDA vs EMA: What Biotech Leaders need to Know

As the regulatory strategy becomes a boardroom-level concern for biotech executives pursuing global expansion, knowing how the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) differ is crucial, particularly as Saudi Arabia accelerates its ambition to become a global life sciences hub. Although both regulators adhere to international norms, their differences in review speed, procedural flexibility, and strategic positioning can have a direct impact on competitive advantage, investment planning, and time to market.