Entries by Thomas Gabrielczyk

Go Jelly, go

The UK-based pioneer in marine biotechnologies Jellagen has closed a £3.8m funding round to boost sales of its next-generation jellyfish-based medicine. Lead investor were Newable Private Investing and the Development Bank of Wales.

Irish Iterum files for IPO on Nasdaq

Iterum Therapeutics plans to raise up to US$92m in an initial public offering on US technology stock market Nasdaq. The Irish company develops oral and IV antibiotics for urinary tract infections and intra-abdominal infections.

Near-term capital for Neurimmune

US biotech company Biogen has exercised the option of a one-off payment to Swiss developer Neurimmune. If Biogen’s Alzheimer’s candidate Aducanumab is approved, the sales-related payments to Neurimmune will thus be reduced by 5%.

Diabetes drug reverses PAH

A new study shows that a drug approved for the treatment of diabetes reverses pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and prevents right heart failure in rats. Ekaterina Legchenko and colleagues say their findings could lead to new therapies for PAH and other chronic heart and lung conditions.

AZ’s Durvalumab/Tremelimumab combo flops in NSCLC

British drug maker AstraZeneca has failed to expand the reach of  its combo of PD-1/CTLA4 checkpoint blockers Durvalumab/Tremelimumab. The approved second-line NSCLC treatment missed to prolong progression-free and overall survival in patients with low PD-L1 expression.

Palbociclib companion biomarker unraveled

Researchers at the Universities of Dundee and Newcastle have identified a previously unknown target for the breast cancer drug palbociclib, which can be used to identify treatment responders. 

GMP and new processes: be prepared for hassle

Poor aseptic practices can rapidly ruin market supply of products outsourced for production. This year, Celltrion came under fire from FDA inspectors. At the end of January, the producer received a warning letter affecting the production of Inflectra biosimilar infliximab-dyyb (CT- P13) co-marketed with Pfizer. In mid-February, the FDA added a warning concerning rituximab and trastuzumab biosimilars produced for Teva, as well as for its fast-track migraine mAb fremanezumab.