Jounce to lay off half its workers, merge with UK biotech Redx

The cancer biotech will combine with Redx Pharma, with the resulting company focusing on Redx’s programs for cancer and fibrotic disease.

By Christopher Newman • Feb. 23, 2023

Rubius, after layoffs and executive turnover, sets plan to dissolve

Four years after going public with a multibillion dollar valuation, the once high-flying biotech has decided to shut down and liquidate its assets. 

By Christopher Newman • Feb. 22, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Cell therapy

Six CAR-T cell therapies are now approved in the U.S., and their continued emergence has helped fueled further research into next-generation approaches.

By BioPharma Dive staff

Moderna inks another gene editing deal

The messenger RNA specialist said Wednesday it is teaming up with Life Edit Therapeutics to develop therapies that can modify genes “in vivo.”

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 22, 2023

Biotech veteran Jodie Morrison on building drug ‘platforms’ and a support group for CEOs

There comes a time when companies with platforms need to focus on their most advanced prospects, Morrison said, rather than sink all of their funds into building the technology.

By Gwendolyn Wu • Feb. 21, 2023

Apellis wins FDA approval of first drug for type of vision loss

Syfovre is the first marketed treatment for geographic atrophy, a common and irreversible eye condition. But questions linger about its benefit and safety.

By Ben Fidler • Updated Feb. 17, 2023

Talaris restructures, ending effort to develop a cell therapy for kidney transplants

Following a patient death and difficulty enrolling study participants, the company is laying off a third of its staff and ending a pair of studies for a two-decade-old program once owned by Novartis.

By Ben Fidler • Feb. 16, 2023

With Aera, CRISPR pioneer Feng Zhang goes after gene therapy’s delivery problem

The company’s platform technology is built on research from Zhang’s lab at the Broad Institute, which focuses on proteins that could be used to package and deliver nucleic acids.

By Gwendolyn Wu • Feb. 16, 2023

With sales falling, Biogen’s new CEO says transformation is needed

“There's an urgent need to restore growth to the company,” Christopher Viehbacher told investors Wednesday, on an earnings call that detailed a 7% decline in the company’s total revenue.

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 15, 2023

PureTech, tweaking research, trims a ‘small number’ of positions

The biotech company creator is deprioritizing work on its “Orasome” drug delivery technology after what it described as a “key go/no go” experiment.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Feb. 14, 2023

New cancer cell therapy biotech emerges, backed by MD Anderson and Replay

Syena will develop TCR-based natural killer cell therapies, building on research done by MD Anderson’s Katy Revzani and using technology from Replay.

By Delilah Alvarado • Feb. 14, 2023

GSK backs away from COVID collaboration with Vir

The British drugmaker will retain an interest in COVID antibody drug sotrovimab, which was withdrawn from the U.S. market, and a second treatment still in early-stage trials.

By Jonathan Gardner • Feb. 14, 2023

With latest startup, repeat biotech founder Craig Crews tries to ‘hold and kill’ tumors

Formed by the Yale scientist and Arvinas founder, Halda Therapeutics is developing a twist on targeted protein degradation, an area of research that’s recently caught drugmakers’ attention.

By Ben Fidler • Updated Feb. 14, 2023

A new generation of biotech leaders is emerging. Can they change how drug startups are built?

Through social media, virtual meetings and mentorship programs, a growing group of entrepreneurs is looking for new ways to build drug companies.

By Gwendolyn Wu • Feb. 14, 2023

Frequency to cut jobs after clinical trial setback

The biotech, which has been working on drugs for hearing loss, will lay off 55% of its workforce and discontinue work on two experimental treatments.

By Delilah Alvarado • Feb. 13, 2023

Analyze whole genome sequencing samples at the speed of light

Deliver fast and reliable results at low cost with a tool for whole genome analysis in just minutes

Feb. 13, 2023

Another biotech IPO hits the market, as Mineralys raises $192M

In pricing an IPO, Mineralys followed closely behind Structure Therapeutics’ offering, suggesting an opening investment window.

By Gwendolyn Wu • Feb. 9, 2023

FDA offers former biotech unicorn Intarcia a chance for a panel review

Intarcia, which once held a multibillion-dollar valuation, deflated following the FDA’s 2017 and 2020 rejections of its drug-device combination for diabetes.

By Jonathan Gardner • Feb. 9, 2023

Idorsia shares sink on ‘unexpected’ failure of drug study

The Actelion spinout’s drug clazosentan, which is approved for use in Japan, didn’t significantly outperform a placebo in a Phase 3 study of patients with a particular type of stroke.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Feb. 6, 2023

Magenta to explore sale, merger after study setback

The biotech recently stopped a trial of its experimental conditioning regimen over safety concerns. Now it’s halting further development work as it undertakes a strategic review.

By Gwendolyn Wu • Feb. 3, 2023

COVID-19 vaccine maker Medicago to close down

The company, which worked with GSK to develop a coronavirus shot, is ceasing operations after its corporate parent cut off further investment. 

By Delilah Alvarado • Feb. 3, 2023

Biotech startup Structure pulls off rare IPO, raising $161M

Structure, which is developing a competitor to marketed diabetes and obesity drugs from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, had one of the strongest Wall Street debuts for a new company since 2021.

By Gwendolyn Wu • Feb. 2, 2023

3 more biotechs announce layoffs as industry cost-cutting continues

Evelo Biosciences, Quince Therapeutics and Inovio are the latest to pare down workforces in the face of clinical setbacks and depressed stock prices.

By Delilah Alvarado • Feb. 1, 2023

Biotech CFOs eye research cuts, partnerships amid sector retrenchment: report

The report, a yearly poll of 100 financing executives by accounting and consulting firm BDO, revealed the many levers young drugmakers are pulling to conserve cash.

By Ben Fidler • Jan. 30, 2023

Celularity warns of layoffs for ‘substantial portion’ of its staff

After a strategic review, the Celgene spinout said it won’t advance two experimental cancer therapies that use “natural killer” cells.

By Christopher Newman • Jan. 27, 2023

Veteran biotech leader George Scangos to step down as Vir CEO

The former Biogen head is retiring after taking Vir from a small startup to a publicly traded developer of infectious disease drugs. Bayer executive Marianne De Backer will succeed him.

By Ben Fidler • Jan. 25, 2023