AbbVie hands Genmab $750M in latest bid to grow cancer drug business

Best known for Humira, AbbVie has made a concerted effort to build its cancer drugs business, with mixed results. The Genmab alliance could take the Illinois drugmaker in a new direction.

By Ben Fidler • June 10, 2020

Drug regulators in agreement on coronavirus vaccine trials, FDA official says

Health agencies will be under pressure to clear promising vaccines quickly. But Peter Marks, a top FDA official, said regulators will still want to see large trials to provide proof of safety.

By Jonathan Gardner , Ben Fidler • June 9, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Cell therapy

The continued emergence of CAR-T therapy has fueled research into next-generation approaches and new applications, such as its use in autoimmune diseases.

By BioPharma Dive staff

China's Innovent buys rights to Roche cancer technology

The deal covers research into cell therapies and bispecific antibodies, and grants Roche an option to develop any resulting product outside of China.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 9, 2020

Lundbeck to cut more than 100 jobs as it remodels R&D

The roughly 130 to 160 positions are in R&D and R&D-related functions, a company spokesperson confirmed, and the majority of them are in Lundbeck's Denmark offices.

By Jacob Bell • June 9, 2020

Alnylam details data for kidney disease drug under FDA review

Treatment with lumasiran significantly lowered levels of a key chemical correlated with kidney failure, paving the way for what would be Alnylam's third drug approval.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 8, 2020

Sarepta, with new data, plans final push for limb-girdle gene therapy

New results show a higher dose of Sarepta's gene therapy outperformed a lower one, a finding its CEO believes should build confidence in several of its other experimental treatments.

By Ben Fidler • June 8, 2020

Fresh off ASCO myeloma data, Legend Bio gets $424M in biotech's biggest IPO of 2020

The China-based cell therapy developer, whose myeloma therapy is a rival to one from Bristol Myers and Bluebird, outraised this year's previous top initial biotech stock offering.

By Ben Fidler • June 5, 2020

Amid a pandemic, Atlas becomes latest venture firm to raise cash for drug startups

Atlas Venture started its 12th fund in March. By early June it had received more than $1 billion in demand, mostly from returning limited partners.

By Jacob Bell • June 5, 2020

AstraZeneca puts $55M into Accent as pharmas continue push to drug RNA

The deal follows similar pacts involving Merck, Biogen, Roche and others, reflecting growing interest by pharmaceutical companies in the emerging field. 

By Ben Fidler • June 4, 2020

COVID-19 studies of malaria, blood pressure pills come under scrutiny

The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine issued "statements of concern" regarding two high-profile trials they published, citing gaps in a database used by the authors.

By Jonathan Gardner • Updated June 4, 2020

Biotech IPOs near last year's pace, despite COVID-19 pandemic

A successful IPO from Pliant Therapeutics is the first of five potential offerings by biotechs this week, suggesting activity is picking up following earlier coronavirus-related disruption.

By Ben Fidler • June 3, 2020

Regeneron expands Intellia gene editing deal as its post-Sanofi future emerges

Regeneron and Intellia will grow their alliance and work on hemophilia, an already competitive space that includes several experimental gene therapies. 

By Jonathan Gardner • June 1, 2020

Details lacking, but new remdesivir data point to a benefit for 'moderate' COVID-19 patients

The results suggest that Gilead's drug may help a broader swath of patients with coronavirus disease, though the magnitude of benefit is unclear. 

By Jacob Bell • June 1, 2020

Lilly wins first-ever FDA approval for drug that can spot Alzheimer's 'tau tangles'

Tauvid, which identifies the size and spread of tau protein clusters in the brain, could help Alzheimer's researchers as they shift away from a long-dominant focus on amyloid beta.

By Jacob Bell • May 29, 2020

With new Allogene data, same promise, questions surround 'off the shelf' CAR-T

Updated results from Allogene at ASCO's virtual meeting are encouraging, but still don't show whether its allogeneic approach can match autologous CAR-T.

By Ben Fidler • May 29, 2020

Novartis teams with Mass. Eye & Ear to join coronavirus vaccine chase

The Swiss pharma has become the latest large drugmaker to enter the worldwide race to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, tapping a project developed by gene therapy experts at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital.

By Jonathan Gardner • May 28, 2020

U.K. grants early access to Gilead's remdesivir for COVID-19 patients

Supplies of the antiviral drug are tight, however, with many of the doses donated by Gilead reserved for use in the U.S. 

By Kristin Jensen • May 27, 2020

Gilead puts $375M into Arcus in latest push to broaden cancer business

The alliance, inked two months after a $5 billion buyout of cancer biotech Forty Seven, extends Gilead's effort to establish itself as a major player in oncology.

By Ben Fidler • May 27, 2020

Venture capital found its footing in biotech. Then came the virus.

There's been no better time for venture firms to invest in drug startups than the past few years. But when a virus upended the world, it raised new questions about what types of investors and investments would succeed moving forward.

By Jacob Bell • May 26, 2020

Intercept shares fall as FDA again delays closely watched NASH drug

The FDA has asked for more data on obeticholic acid, which could be the first-ever marketed medicine for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The latest delay means the drug likely won’t be approved by the agency's June 26 deadline.

By Jonathan Gardner • May 22, 2020

Sunovion crowds a new group of Parkinson's drugs, with uncertain sales prospects

Kynmobi has become the fourth drug the FDA has approved since late 2018 for the "off" episodes Parkinson's disease patients experience. The coronavirus pandemic may complicate an already challenging launch.

By Ben Fidler • May 22, 2020

AstraZeneca, Merck race past Clovis as PARPs break into prostate cancer

The approvals of Lynparza and Rubraca within days of one another mark the arrival of PARP inhibitors as treatments for prostate cancer — a role that could grow in the coming years.

By Ben Fidler • May 20, 2020

More questions than answers as Moderna's coronavirus vaccine speeds ahead

Preliminary results from a Phase 1 study were enough to add $5 billion to Moderna's market capitalization. But they don't answer key questions about the vaccine's safety and effectiveness. 

By Jonathan Gardner • May 19, 2020

Biotech companies raise cash as coronavirus updates lift stocks

Eight publicly traded drugmakers, including Moderna, announced plans Monday to raise nearly $3 billion via offerings of new stock and debt.

By Ned Pagliarulo • May 19, 2020

Moderna delivers first human data for a coronavirus vaccine

The first volunteers who received low or medium doses of Moderna's vaccine produced what look to be meaningful immune responses, but it's unclear whether that will lead to disease prevention.

By Ben Fidler • May 18, 2020