Shionogi, in collaboration with Nagasaki University (Administrative Office: Nagasaki; President: Takeshi Nagayasu, M.D., Ph.D.), the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (Head Office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Director: Takashi Wakita), and the non-profit research and development organization Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), has announced a partnership aimed at developing new preventive drugs for malaria. This collaborative effort, selected for funding by the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund), signifies a crucial step in addressing one of the world’s major infectious dise ..read more

CRISPR Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CRSP), a company dedicated to pioneering gene-based medicines for severe illnesses, has unveiled its financial performance for the first quarter ending March 31, 2024. CEO and Chairman of CRISPR Therapeutics, Dr. Samarth Kulkarni, highlighted the notable progress made during the quarter. This includes the successful launch of CASGEVY and the addition of promising in vivo programs targeting various diseases to the company’s portfolio, based on encouraging preclinical data. Furthermore, the advancement of clinical trials across oncology, autoimmune, diabetes, and car ..read more

Soleo Health, a prominent provider of specialized pharmacy services for rare and ultra-rare diseases, has been designated as a limited distribution specialty pharmacy partner for dispensing RYPLAZIM® (plasminogen, human-tvmh), developed by Kedrion Biopharma. RYPLAZIM, the first and only FDA-approved treatment for plasminogen deficiency type 1 (PLGD-1) in the United States, addresses a condition affecting approximately 500 individuals in the country. PLGD-1, categorized as an ultra-rare disease, leads to diminished levels of plasminogen activity, often resulting in fibrinous lesions on various ..read more

Total knee replacement surgery is a prevalent procedure, with approximately 790,000 surgeries performed annually in the U.S. This number is expected to rise due to factors like an aging population, increasing rates of obesity, and a growing number of younger individuals seeking knee replacements. The primary reason for total knee arthroplasty, or knee replacement surgery, is osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition where the protective cartilage in the knee wears down over time, leading to bone-on-bone contact and pain. Other reasons include rheumatoid arthritis and knee injuries. Advancements ..read more

BeiGene, a leading global oncology firm, has unveiled its first-quarter 2024 results alongside significant business updates. John V. Oyler, Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO at BeiGene, expressed satisfaction with the robust financial performance, citing substantial revenue growth propelling the company into the top 15 global oncology innovators based on total oncology sales. Oyler highlighted operational improvements, noting enhanced operating leverage towards sustainable profitability. Financial Highlights: Net product revenues surged to $746.9 million, marking an 82% increase over the prior ye ..read more

Merck (NYSE: MRK), also known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, reported today that the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-B21 trial assessing KEYTRUDA, Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, alongside chemotherapy as an adjuvant treatment, with or without radiotherapy, did not achieve its primary goal of disease-free survival (DFS) for newly diagnosed, high-risk endometrial cancer patients following curative surgery. During a pre-planned interim analysis by an independent Data Monitoring Committee, the addition of KEYTRUDA to chemotherapy, with or without radiotherapy, did not meet the predetermined statistic ..read more

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) announced its consolidated financial performance for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024, while reaffirming its full-year 2024 financial outlook. Reshma Kewalramani, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and President of Vertex, expressed satisfaction with the robust beginning to 2024, citing a 13 percent increase in product revenue and exemplary operational execution. Notable achievements included furthering their leadership in cystic fibrosis (CF), advancing the global launch of CASGEVY™, and initiating the submission process for suzetrigine in m ..read more

Lupin, a leading pharmaceutical company, has recently welcomed two distinguished individuals, Mr. Jeffrey Kindler and Mr. Alfonso “Chito” Zulueta, to its Board as Independent Directors. Mr. Kindler boasts an illustrious career as a healthcare executive, investor, and advisor, accumulating over four decades of invaluable business experience. He has held prominent leadership roles at renowned companies such as Pfizer, where he served as Chairman & CEO, as well as at McDonald’s Corporation and General Electric Company. Prior to these, he was a partner at the prestigious law firm Williams & ..read more

AstraZeneca has confirmed the successful conclusion of its equity investment agreement with Cellectis, a clinical-stage biotech firm. The investment, along with a research collaboration deal unveiled in November 2023, aims to harness Cellectis’ proprietary gene editing technologies and manufacturing capabilities to develop up to 10 innovative cell and gene therapy products targeting areas of significant unmet medical need, such as oncology, immunology, and rare diseases. Financial Breakdown: In the fourth quarter of 2023, Cellectis received an initial payment of $105 million from AstraZeneca ..read more

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) has granted Priority Review for the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for EPKINLY® (epcoritamab-bysp) aimed at treating adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date is set for June 28, 2024. Additionally, an additional Phase 3 clinical trial has been initiated to evaluate epcoritamab in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide compared to chemoimmunotherapy in previously untreated follicular lympho ..read more