Here are the latest stories being discussed in biopharma today:
1. The FDA has accelerated approval for Day One Biopharmaceuticals’ drug, designed to treat the most common type of brain tumour in children. The drug, tovorafenib (to be marketed as Ojemda) is approved for children 6 months or older with low-grade glioma.
2. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has licensed technology from TreeFrog Therapeutics for $25m to increase cell therapy manufacturing for possible diabetes treatments. Further payments will be made to TreeFrog as the technology proves successful.
3. Gene editing startup Tessera Therapeutics has cut up to 14% of its workforce as it shifts resources towards developing clinical treatments. The move impacts fewer than 50 employees and comes as Tessera anticipates advancing multiple candidates into the clinic.
4. In a first for the radioligand class, Novartis’ drug Lutathera has been approved for adolescents with a rare kind of gut cancer. Lutathera won approval for patients 12 and older with somatostatin receptor-positive gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
5. Pharma companies are currently using fewer environmental, social, and governance (ESG) terms, despite ambitions remaining the same. Mentions of ESG, diversity, or sustainability in pharma 10-K filings dropped 15% in Q1 2024 as compared to the same period in 2023.
6. Eli Lilly has acquired an injectable medicines facility from Nexus Pharmaceuticals to meet increased demand. The facility in Wisconsin is set to commence production at the end of the following year.
7. Inizio Evoke Comms has appointed Stephanie DeViteri as president, welcoming her back to the agency.
8. GNI Group intends to set up a $100m fund with Chinese state-owned enterprises.
9. Shimadzu Corporation has established three R&D centers in the US to anticipate business expansion for pharmaceutical companies.
10. VC legend Bob Nelsen has made a substantial initial investment in the startup Xaira, his largest to date.