MAES-AREA-EnglosLille-based Genfit SA has discontinued Phase II development of its lead drug candidate VS-01, a liposomal ammonia scavenger designed to prevent organ failure in acute chronic liver failure (ACLF). The company will reprioritise its (preclinical) pipeline, including VS-01, which will be further developed in the area of urea cycle disorder (UCD).
wikipedia - PyMOL rendering of PDBLisbon’s immuno-oncology company Mondego Bio Lda has left stealth mode through a Series A financing led by Biovance Capital, supported by OrbiMed and Torrey Pines.
Henk Vrieselaar - stock.adobe.com Roche has signed a definitive merger agreement to acquire 89bio and its Phase III candidate pegozafermin, an FGF21 analogue for the treatment of moderate to severe metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). The deal is expected to close in Q4 2025.
Adobe stock photos - nadiaCSL has signed an option and collaboration agreement with VarmX valued at up to US$2.2bn. The company will pay US$117m upfront and will fund a global Phase III trial of VMX-C001.
adobe stock photos - kemolBritish Enhanced Genomics Ltd has extended its Series A funding to US$19m. Investors include BGF, Parkwalk, and Meltwind.
Rosa Therapeutics IncMonte Rosa Therapeutics Inc, founded in Basel in 2018, can look forward to an upfront payment of US$120m for its second collaboration and licensing deal with Novartis AG to develop protein degraders. A total of US$5.7bn is on the table for the new development of an anti-inflammatory candidate that is not part of Monte Rosa’s pipeline.
FDAThe FDA under President Trump is heading for a radical break with decades of practice: the external advisory committees that have long served as critical checks in approval decisions are to be largely sidelined. George Tidmarsh, head of the Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research, has dismissed the panels as redundant and instead wants to rely on the publication of Complete Response Letters (CRLs). Officially, the move is framed as efficiency – in reality, it raises serious questions about the agency’s transparency.
adobe stock photo - TokoThe Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has warned that the UK could miss its target of becoming the number one in European life sciences by 2030.
Alchemab Therapeutics LtdBritish antibody specialist Alchemab Therapeutics Ltd has secured a US$32m Series A extension after it completing preclinical development of ATLX-1282 and starting a Phase I clinical trial.
FRAXA Ewsearch OrganisationIn a US$450m deal with UK-based Kaerus Bioscience Ltd, Servier SA has acquired the development and commercialisation rights to KER-0193, a Phase II-ready drug candidate for the treatment of rare Fragile X syndrome, the most common monogenic cause of autism.