A study recently published in Nature on the use of mRNA “vaccines” targeting cancer neoantigens in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has generated considerable attention in scientific circles. However, with only 14 patients treated in this Phase I trial, it is far too early to declare a breakthrough. Still, the highly encouraging data breathe new life into a cancer vaccine approach that in recent years had fallen behind antibodies, ADCs and checkpoint inhibitors.

Photo credits: Alex Shuper

Italy’s Angelini Pharma has signed a multi-year research collaboration and licensing agreement with Massachusetts-based Quiver Bioscience to discover new treatments for genetic epilepsies, including developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs). Under the agreement, Quiver could receive up to $120 million in milestone payments plus royalties if Angelini advances drug targets emerging from the collaboration. Financial terms for the upfront payment were not disclosed. Angelini will also receive exclusive access to data generated during the research term.

Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality and European Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management. Source: EC - Audiovisual Service. Photographer: Aurore Martignoni

A group of vaccine developers, biotech firms and public health institutes, including Bavarian Nordic and Sanofi, has secured framework contracts under a €225 million EU initiative to accelerate the development of next-generation influenza vaccines.

Most inflammatory arthritis patients on MoonLake Immunotherapeutics’ sonelokimab met the response criteria, furthering the Swiss biotech’s attempt to challenge UCB for a blockbuster market.

Picture: Unsplash

Cambridge, UK-based Syndex Bio has announced on Monday the introduction of its proprietary mcPCR™ (methyl-copying PCR) platform at the Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) meeting in Orlando, Florida, alongside the close of an oversubscribed $15.5 million seed financing round led by ARCH Venture Partners, with participation from +ND Capital, OMX Ventures and Meltwind Advisory LLP.

PD affects an estimated six to 11 million people worldwide

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).

A pause in the collaborative Alzheimer trial of Johnson & Johnson and partner AC Immune from Switzerland raises some questions. Whether the pause has something to do with overall recruting difficulties or with the application of the drug under investigation is not yet clear.

In an interview with European Biotechnology Magazine during J.P. Morgan Week in San Francisco, Dr. Jian Zhang, Acting CEO of BioDlink, explains how a partnership-first approach and deep ADC expertise help him offer biotech companies a competitive edge.

Altesa COPD

Forbion has led a $75 million investment in Altesa BioSciences, positioning the biotech to run a phase IIb trial in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients in the second quarter.

California-based Unnatural Products, Inc. (UNP) has signed a research collaboration and licensing agreement with Basel-based multinational pharmaceutical company Novartis to develop macrocyclic peptide therapeutics for an undisclosed cardiovascular program.