Here are the latest stories being discussed in biopharma today:
Alnylam delays ATTR readout as it changes study design
Biotech firm Alnylam is adjusting its study of ATTR amyloidosis drug vutrisiran, delaying the Phase III readout from early this year to late June or early July. Changes include adding a subgroup of patients receiving only vutrisiran to the primary analysis. The adjustment resulted in an 8% drop in Alnylam’s shares.
‘Obesity plus’: What’s next for GLP-1s?
Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, both set to make billions of dollars annually off their GLP-1 drugs, face demands for improved alternatives from patients and prescribers, who cite several side effects. As a response, industry insiders are now focusing on an “obesity plus” or “GLP-1 plus” potential.
Apnimed, a late-stage sleep apnea biotech, eyes IPO in the second half
Apnimed, a biotech firm with a novel sleep apnea drug in Phase III, is considering an IPO in the second half of this year. Despite the slowdown of biotech entries to Wall Street, the company believes it’s well-positioned to meet investor demands after another private financing expected in the first half of this year.
Carolyn Bertozzi and Versant’s new biotech unveil $94M plan to use protein degraders in ADCs
Firefly Bio, a new biotech firm launched with a $94 million Series A, plans to combine antibodies with protein degraders rather than employing traditional cytotoxic drugs. The company, co-founded by Nobel laureate Carolyn Bertozzi, views the use of degraders in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) as a burgeoning field in biopharma.
KalVista wants to raise $160M; Prime Medicine’s upsized offering; Applied Tx’s PhIII data
Following a pivotal readout, KalVista Pharmaceuticals intends to raise $160 million. The company’s oral drug for hereditary angioedema has shown promising results in a Phase III study, offering relief from the disease’s swelling attacks faster than a placebo.