By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Meghana Keshavan
Published on 2024-01-24 14:06:14
Lilly’s gene therapy has successfully restored hearing in an 11-year-old boy with a genetic form of deafness caused by a mutation in the otoferlin gene. This gene therapy, developed by Eli Lilly and Akuous, was delivered directly to the ear, in a closed system, without affecting other cells in the body. After proving safe, the treatment is now being tested on more children in the U.S. and showed promising results, allowing children to hear for the first time.
In other news, Novo Nordisk is investing in a new obesity treatment by collaborating with Swiss biotech EraCel Therapeutics to develop a novel approach to control appetite and body weight. This investment is seen as a potential tandem solution to work with existing obesity drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic.
Moreover, the biopharma sector has dominated stock sales this year, accounting for over half of all sales. This surpasses previous years and represents a significant shift in the market. Additionally, European and Chinese investors have seen declines in venture deals, while the U.S. venture ecosystem appears to be strengthening.
Furthermore, Accent Therapeutics, a startup developing pills to modify RNA for cancer treatment, has received a $75 million Series C round of funding, backed by Bristol Myers Squibb and the venture arm of Johnson & Johnson. This funding will help to push the company’s candidates into clinical trials.
In other industry trends, the newsletter includes bipartisan efforts to reduce pharma patent thickets and a plea to the U.S. Supreme Court from Danco to reverse abortion pill curbs.
The large pharma-backed efforts highlight the industry’s focus on innovative treatments and advancements. Additionally, the recent investment trends emphasize the growing interest and developments in biopharma and biotech-related fields.
Read the original article on Africa Health News
