January 10th, 2020 Xconomy National — A letter signed by 215 people involved in the biopharma industry, including CEOs and investors, published Wednesday promised to put the “interests of patients first.” Six CEOs, including five who run public companies, co-authored the letter. Signatories agreed to what they dubbed a New Commitment to Patients, a list… Continue reading Biotech Roundup: Drug Pricing Promises, Bone Disease Data, IPO Plans & More
Author: Xconomy Online News
Ionis Adds Former Grail Chief Commercial Officer to Executive Team
January 9th, 2020 Xconomy San Diego — Ionis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IONS) appointed Onaiza Cadoret-Manier as its chief corporate development and commercial officer, a newly created position. Cadoret-Manier was most recently chief commercial officer at Grail, a Menlo Park, CA-based startup spun out from Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN) that is working to develop tests to detect cancer… Continue reading Ionis Adds Former Grail Chief Commercial Officer to Executive Team
Empirico Raises $17M, Inks 3-Year Antisense Collaboration with Ionis
January 9th, 2020 Xconomy San Diego — Empirico, a biotech that has developed tools to analyze genomics data and use those insights to identify potential therapeutic targets, has signed a collaboration deal with antisense drug developer Ionis Pharmaceuticals that includes a $10 million equity investment. The 14-person startup, founded in 2017, has developed technology that… Continue reading Empirico Raises $17M, Inks 3-Year Antisense Collaboration with Ionis
Mirati Adds Execs With Commercial Experience at Spark, Bristol-Myers
January 8th, 2020 Xconomy San Diego — Cancer drug developer Mirati Therapeutics is beefing up its leadership team as its lead programs advance through human testing. The San Diego-based company (NASDAQ: MRTX) this week added two executives to its C-suite as part of a strategic effort to ready the biotech for its potential transformation into… Continue reading Mirati Adds Execs With Commercial Experience at Spark, Bristol-Myers
Apellis Rare Blood Disease Drug Tops Alexion’s in Head-to-Head Test
January 7th, 2020 Xconomy Boston — Apellis Pharmaceuticals wants to offer patients who have an ultra-rare blood disease another treatment option. The drug developer Tuesday revealed late-stage clinical trial data suggesting its experimental therapy works better than a blockbuster Alexion Pharmaceuticals medicine that is currently the standard of care. The Apellis (NASDAQ: APLS) drug, pegcetacoplan,… Continue reading Apellis Rare Blood Disease Drug Tops Alexion’s in Head-to-Head Test
Takeda to Fund AI Projects at MIT as Part of New 3-Year Collaboration
January 7th, 2020 Xconomy Boston — Takeda is teaming up with MIT to advance projects intended to enhance its understanding of how to best use artificial intelligence to solve some of the biopharma industry’s biggest challenges. The Japanese company (NYSE: TAK) will fund six to 10 projects per year for three years. Financial terms of… Continue reading Takeda to Fund AI Projects at MIT as Part of New 3-Year Collaboration
Celgene-Seeded PharmAkea Sells Last Fibrotic Drug Candidate to Galecto
January 7th, 2020 Xconomy San Diego — When a group of scientists from Amira Pharmaceuticals wanted to start a new biotech after the company’s 2011 acquisition by Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene provided seed funding. Eventually Celgene kicked in $35 million more for a research collaboration, an equity stake, and an exclusive option to acquire the startup,… Continue reading Celgene-Seeded PharmAkea Sells Last Fibrotic Drug Candidate to Galecto
Black Diamond Lines Up IPO as Lead Cancer Drug Nears Clinic
January 7th, 2020 Xconomy Boston — Cancer research is leading some companies to molecular targets that have eluded new medicines. Phase 1-ready biotech Black Diamond Therapeutics hopes its approach to such cancer targets leads it to the public markets. Black Diamond filed paperwork with securities regulators late Friday for an IPO. The Cambridge, MA-based firm… Continue reading Black Diamond Lines Up IPO as Lead Cancer Drug Nears Clinic
Merck Ramps Up KRAS Chase Through Licensing Deal With Taiho, Astex
January 6th, 2020 Xconomy New York — The KRAS gene has become a hot target for cancer research for a growing number of drug developers. Merck, which is already testing a KRAS vaccine candidate, is now spreading its bets with a licensing deal for small molecule KRAS drugs being developed by two Otsuka Pharmaceutical subsidiaries.… Continue reading Merck Ramps Up KRAS Chase Through Licensing Deal With Taiho, Astex
Amarin’s Fish-Oil Pill Wins FDA Nod to Cut Heart Attack, Stroke Risk
December 13th, 2019 Xconomy New York — A prescription fish-oil pill by Amarin Pharma on Friday received the regulatory nod to expand its use as a supplementary treatment, alongside statins, to more patients at risk of heart attack or stroke. The FDA on Friday approved the drug, icosapent ethyl (Vascepa), for use as a secondary… Continue reading Amarin’s Fish-Oil Pill Wins FDA Nod to Cut Heart Attack, Stroke Risk