Here are the latest stories being discussed in biopharma today:

Viking’s GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist shows positive results in patient weight loss

Viking Therapeutics’ GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist, VK2735, used for obesity, saw positive outcomes in Phase II trials – patients lost up to 14.7% of their body weight over 13 weeks. The San Diego biotech company is planning to discuss future developments for this drug with the FDA later this year.

Sarepta FDA approval classified as ‘exceptional’

The FDA’s top cell and gene therapy official Peter Marks have stated that Sarepta’s Duchenne gene therapy approval was an exceptional case, and should not be seen as a regular accelerated approval. Internal documents released by the FDA showed the extent of patient advocates’ influence on Marks’ approval decision.

Roche considers options for IPF drug Esbriet due to generic competition

Roche is considering potential paths for Esbriet, their IPF (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) drug. This comes following patients with the disease opting for generic variations, a common strategy by large pharmaceutical firms to shed non-core assets.

Neuroscience startup raises $26M

Matter Neuroscience has raised an impressive $26m in backing from firms including Polaris Partners and ARCH Venture Partners. The startup aims to develop an app to assist users in understanding their brain chemistry to help improve happiness levels.

Janux’s T cell engager shows early promise in prostate cancer treatment

A Phase Ia dose-escalation data released by Janux Therapeutics saw its stock prices rise by 90%. The company’s cancer drug, JANX007, which targets both prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and CD3, has shown initial effectiveness in treating advanced or metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.