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June 20, 2023

Verve partners with Lilly on gene editing therapy for heart disease

Lilly will pay the genetic medicine specialist $60 million upfront to work together on a treatment targeting a risk factor known as Lp(a).

By Ned Pagliarulo • June 15, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Emerging biotech

New biotechs continue to emerge despite a challenging market environment that has forced venture firms to build their drug startups more cautiously.

By BioPharma Dive staff

Astellas delves deeper into protein degrading drugs with Cullgen deal

The alliance is Astellas’ second recent partnership involving protein degraders, an emerging area of drug research the company has recently made a focus.

By Ben Fidler • June 15, 2023

Acadia gives once-rejected Prader-Willi drug a second chance

The FDA last year turned back an approval request from the drug’s former developer, Levo Therapeutics. That biotech is now owned by Acadia, which will run a new study designed to boost its odds of success.

By Delilah Alvarado • June 14, 2023

Biogen’s latest board shake-up includes potentially controversial pick

Three board members — Alex Denner, William Jones and Richard Mulligan — will not stand for re-election. Susan Langer, who was previously the company’s head of corporate strategy, has been nominated to fill one of their seats.

By Jacob Bell • June 13, 2023

A cell therapy startup looks to an IPO to avert financial peril

In a sign of the impact the downturn has had on young biotechs, Turnstone Biologics, a former partner of Takeda and AbbVie, is seeking an IPO while acknowledging there is “substantial doubt” it can survive.

By Ben Fidler • June 13, 2023

Built from biotech parts, Beacon launches with $120M to develop eye gene therapies

Beacon Therapeutics will be led by former executives of other ocular gene therapy developers, including Nightstar, Gyroscope and AGTC.

By Jacob Bell • June 12, 2023

Illumina CEO Francis deSouza resigns weeks after surviving Icahn board battle

DeSouza is departing unrepentant about his decision to close the Grail deal, telling colleagues his belief in the merger “remains unshakeable.”

By Nick Paul Taylor • June 12, 2023

Upstream Bio raises $200M in fresh funding for asthma drug

The biotech’s experimental drug, currently in Phase 1 testing, has drawn investor attention despite a difficult funding environment for drug startups.

By Kristin Jensen • June 8, 2023

After years of disappointment, cancer vaccines show new promise

Moderna presented new data at ASCO for its melanoma shot, highlighting progress with a personalized approach that’s also being pursued by BioNTech and Gritstone.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 8, 2023

Armed with new gene therapy tools, a biotech startup promises a better way to target muscle diseases

Two-year-old Kate Therapeutics is launching publicly with $51 million and a licensing deal with Astellas Pharma for a neuromuscular disease gene therapy.

By Ned Pagliarulo • June 8, 2023

Ahead of key meeting, FDA appears open to full approval of Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi

Agency advisers are meeting Friday to discuss whether recent trial data confirm Leqembi’s benefit. A vote is expected in the late afternoon. 

By Jacob Bell • June 7, 2023

With new startup Bitterroot, Forty Seven founder takes aim at heart disease

Co-founded by Stanford University professor Irv Weissman, the company debuted with $145 million and plans to use CD47 antibodies, best known as potential cancer immunotherapies, to reduce the risk of heart attacks. 

By Ben Fidler • June 7, 2023

Using twin viruses, startup AAVantgarde aims to extend gene therapy’s reach

The biotech has raised about $65 million to test two ways to deliver larger genes into the body, which could help gene therapy treat more diseases.

By Ben Fidler • June 6, 2023

FDA sets advisory meeting date for Brainstorm’s ALS cell therapy

Having taken the rare step of filing for approval over protest, Brainstorm will get another chance to make a case for its drug NurOwn during a Sept. 27 meeting of cell, tissue and gene therapy experts.

By Jacob Bell • June 6, 2023

Tasked with steadying BIO, Rachel King faces biotech’s many challenges

As the lobbying group holds its annual meeting in Boston, BIO’s interim leader is trying to focus attention back on the industry’s most pressing priorities, like pushing back on the IRA. 

By Alexandra Pecci • June 5, 2023

An unconventional drug startup lures Vertex founder Josh Boger back to biotech

The pioneering executive has rejoined small startup Alkeus Pharmaceuticals to help launch a Stargardt disease treatment he’s long viewed as a “perfect” drug.

By Ben Fidler • June 5, 2023

Startup Eikon, led by Merck vets, buys drugs from three biotechs and banks another $106M

The California biotech, led by Roger Perlmutter and other former Merck executives, has now raised nearly $775 million since its launch two years ago.

By Gwendolyn Wu • June 1, 2023

Biohaven sends latest drug to FDA, despite past trial setback

The biotech, best known for its success developing migraine medicines, will seek approval of a treatment that failed a Phase 3 trial but showed signs of a positive effect.

By Delilah Alvarado • May 31, 2023

Rain Oncology to cut workforce by 65% after study failure

The company, which went public in 2021 to develop a cancer drug licensed from Daiichi Sankyo, may try to acquire a different tumor-targeting medicine to grow its pipeline.

By Ben Fidler • May 30, 2023

Atea rejects takeover bid from Concentra

The COVID-19 drug developer said the offer from the firm that recently took over Jounce Therapeutics “fundamentally undervalues the company.”

By Gwendolyn Wu • May 30, 2023

Amylyx’s ALS drug could face rejection in Europe

The biotech said a committee advising the European Medicines Agency is “trending” toward issuing a negative opinion of its drug Relyvrio, which was approved in the U.S. last year. 

By Delilah Alvarado • May 30, 2023

Slump in medtech VC activity continues as inflation keeps investors on the sidelines

Investors struck deals worth $1.8 billion over the first three months of the year, down from $3 billion in early 2022.

By Nick Paul Taylor • May 26, 2023

Serial biotech founder Tim Springer on investing in startups and democratizing antibody research

Springer, who became a billionaire after investing in Moderna, highlighted gene therapy and machine learning as two fields he’s optimistic will shape biotech’s future. 

By Gwendolyn Wu • May 26, 2023

Illumina chair loses to Icahn pick as proxy battle ends

The decision to replace board Chair John Thompson could change the company’s course as it decides whether to divest liquid biopsy company Grail.

By Elise Reuter • Updated May 25, 2023