Amgen to test new way to lower heart risk with large drug trial

Buoyed by strong mid-stage study results, the biotech will soon start a cardiovascular outcomes trial of a drug designed to target a genetic risk factor called lipoprotein(a).

By Ned Pagliarulo • Nov. 7, 2022

Cell line characterization and selection made easy

Build confidence and efficiency into your research with traceable and reliable cell line 'omics data.

Nov. 7, 2022

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

Galapagos to cut 200 jobs amid research revamp

The workforce reduction is part of a “new strategic direction” for Galapagos, which intends to stop developing drugs for fibrosis and kidney disease.

By Jacob Bell • Nov. 4, 2022

Artiva cancels IPO plans and cuts a deal with Affimed

With public offerings difficult to pull off, Artiva is focusing its energy on developing a cancer drug with the German biotech.

By Gwendolyn Wu • Nov. 3, 2022

Building a biotech in a downturn: 3 lessons from VCs and startup CEOs

In a panel discussion hosted by BioPharma Dive, venture capitalists and CEOs discuss how startups can navigate a challenging market as well as possible ripple effects from the new U.S. drug pricing law.

By Gwendolyn Wu , Christopher Newman • Nov. 3, 2022

Rubius replaces CEO as it cuts more jobs and considers a sale

The struggling biotech’s CFO and top lawyer are also departing amid a new round of layoffs for a company formed by Flagship Pioneering and once worth nearly $2 billion.

By Kristin Jensen • Nov. 3, 2022

Surface Oncology to lay off 20% of staff in restructuring

In cutting jobs, the biotech joins a lengthening list of drug companies forced to trim their workforce this year. It plans to stop work on an antibody cancer drug to focus resources on two other candidates.

By Delilah Alvarado • Nov. 2, 2022

Alkermes, continuing transformation, plans to split in two

The biotech’s transition from drug delivery specialist to maker of novel medicines led to competing neuroscience and oncology divisions. The latter will soon become a separate company.

By Ben Fidler • Nov. 2, 2022

RA Capital backs another startup hunting for a better antidepressant

Lusaris Therapeutics is launching with $60 million to develop an under-the-tongue form of 5-MeO-DMT, a psychoactive compound found in the glands of the Sonoran Desert toad.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Nov. 2, 2022

CSL bets on mRNA vaccines in deal with Arcturus

The drugmaker agreed to pay $200 million upfront and potentially billions more to license the technology and knowhow from Arcturus to make preventive shots for COVID-19, influenza and other respiratory infections.  

By Kristin Jensen • Nov. 2, 2022

Armed with $120M, HI-Bio joins race to develop better autoimmune disease drugs

HI-Bio, incubated by Arch and holding rights to two drugs from MorphoSys, is one of several recently launched startups to tout a precision medicine approach to treating inflammatory disease.

By Gwendolyn Wu • Nov. 1, 2022

Replay launches gene therapy spinout Eudora, putting ‘hub-and-spoke’ plans to work

The public debut of Eudora comes three months after Replay emerged with $55 million and gene delivery technology it claims can outperform AAV viral vectors.

By Delilah Alvarado • Oct. 31, 2022

Boost agility and speed in your drug development research

How flexible API access to integrated 'omics data helps boost agility and speed in drug research.

Oct. 31, 2022

Gilead, fueled by latest approval, sees CAR-T sales take off

After a slow start, Gilead’s CAR-T business is growing fast, enabling it to pull ahead of rival cell therapy developers like Bristol Myers Squibb and J&J.

By Jacob Bell • Oct. 28, 2022

An unusual alliance opens a gene and cell therapy hub outside Boston

Landmark Bio, armed with $75 million and a wide range of backers, is the latest company to emerge with plans to open a “bottleneck” to development of the complex medicines.

By Gwendolyn Wu • Oct. 27, 2022

For Biogen investors, company’s outlook rests on next Alzheimer’s drug

Analysts pressed the company during its latest earnings presentation for more details about the Alzheimer’s drug it’s developing with Eisai — and how the partners plan to avoid some of the pitfalls experienced with Aduhelm. 

By Jacob Bell • Oct. 25, 2022

With new startup, immunotherapy pioneer Lieping Chen tries to turn ‘cold’ tumors ‘hot’

Chen, who discovered the cancer-protecting protein PD-L1, will work closely with startup Normunity to find targets that can help the immune system reach ‘cold’ tumors.

By Ben Fidler • Oct. 25, 2022

Verge Genomics’ Alice Zhang on a young biotech founder’s ‘superpower’ and going from target to drug

“Every struggle that I've had has woven a sense of persistence into my DNA,” said Zhang, in an interview about leading a biotech startup as a young CEO.

By Gwendolyn Wu • Oct. 25, 2022

Vaxcyte rides investor enthusiasm for early pneumococcal vaccine data

Encouraging study results for a vaccine with broader coverage than Pfizer’s Prevnar 20 sent Vaxcyte’s valuation soaring and could make the company a potential takeover target.

By Jonathan Gardner • Oct. 24, 2022

Simplify IP for your gene therapy with OTS backbones, plasmids and enzymes

Read how IP-simplified products can transform your speed to market without needing to reassess operations midway through to commercialization.

Oct. 24, 2022

Gilead, working to improve cancer cell therapy, partners with California startup

Synthetic biology technology developed by the startup, Refuge Biotechnologies, could help Gilead produce safer and more effective CAR-T treatments for certain blood cancers. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • Oct. 20, 2022

AbbVie to buy UK biotech DJS for $255M

The deal gives AbbVie an experimental medicine for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, as well as a platform for designing antibody drugs that can target proteins known as GPCRs.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Oct. 20, 2022

Zymeworks strikes deal with Jazz as HER2 drug developers adjust their plans

The high bar set by AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo’s HER2-targeting drug Enhertu appears to have influenced Zymeworks’ decision, while leading to a restructuring at Ambrx Biopharma.

By Kristin Jensen • Oct. 19, 2022

A startup plans an IPO to give a shelved Lilly drug another shot

Acrivon Therapeutics is looking to fund a development approach it claims could improve the prospects of a cancer drug Lilly scrapped after testing it in a handful of trials. 

By Gwendolyn Wu • Oct. 19, 2022

‘In vivo’ cell therapy: expanding beyond CAR-T

At least five startups have emerged with new ways to genetically modify immune cells within the body, an approach that, if successful, could widen the field of CAR-T treatment.

By Ben Fidler • Oct. 18, 2022