Entries by Victor Kotsev

Novo Nordisk partners with MIT spinout Vivtex in deal worth up to $2.1bn to advance oral biologics for obesity

Denmark’s Novo Nordisk has signed a collaboration with Boston-based Vivtex Corporation to develop next-generation oral biologic medicines for obesity, diabetes and associated metabolic diseases. Vivtex is eligible to receive upfront payments, research funding and milestone payments totalling up to $2.1 billion (approximately €1.78bn), as well as tiered royalties on net sales of any resulting products.

Lario Therapeutics wins $2.4m grants to advance calcium channel drugs for Parkinson’s and PTSD

Edinburgh-based Lario Therapeutics has received $2.4 million (approximately €2m) in grant funding from The Michael J. Fox Foundation and Wellcome to expand its drug discovery platform targeting voltage-gated neuronal calcium channels implicated in several central nervous system disorders. The approach is rooted in genetics that the company believes could open new fronts in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Compass Pathways clears second phase III hurdle for psilocybin in treatment-resistant depression

The share price of London-based Compass Pathways soared over 30% on Tuesday after the company reported that its synthetic psilocybin formulation COMP360 had met the primary endpoint in the second of two pivotal phase III trials in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), confirming consistent results across 839 patients and clearing the path toward what would be the first regulatory filing of a classic psychedelic for a psychiatric indication.

Lundbeck’s migraine drug hits phase II goal, though IV-only path narrows commercial prospects

Denmark-based Lundbeck has reported positive top-line results from the intravenous arm of its phase IIb PROCEED trial of bocunebart (Lu AG09222) in migraine prevention, putting the neuroscience specialist on course for phase III discussions with regulators. The milestone comes after the company was forced to abandon the drug’s subcutaneous formulation last year — a setback that had cast a shadow over the entire PACAP-targeting approach.