Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Damian Garde
Published on 2024-01-30 14:45:01
The morning begins with updates from Pfizer, Kura Oncology, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Gilead Sciences. Pfizer has reported fourth-quarter results and reaffirmed its 2024 guidance, while Kura Oncology reported no cases of differentiation syndrome in a new study combining its experimental menin inhibitor, ziftomenib, with chemotherapy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has acquired 2Seventy Bio’s pipeline of cell therapies for cancer and other diseases, and Gilead Sciences has increased its ownership stake in Arcus Biosciences.
In other news, a novel pain medicine from Vertex Pharmaceuticals has met its primary goals in three Phase 3 studies, positioning the company to submit an FDA application by the middle of the year. If successful, the oral, non-addictive pain medicine could become a multibillion-dollar product. Another development involves Cour Pharmaceuticals, which has raised a $105 million Series A round to further pursue its approach of using proprietary polymer nanoparticles to trick the immune system into recognizing and targeting specific cells for treatment.
And as the biotech landscape continues to evolve, Janet Woodcock, a longtime FDA official, is retiring from the agency. Woodcock discussed her tenure and the agency’s complex relationship with Congress, among other topics, in an exit interview with STAT.
Additionally, Ultima Genomics is launching a line of instruments meant to challenge Illumina’s near-monopoly on genome sequencing. The company aims to offer a sequencer that can read up to 20,000 human genomes a year for $1.5 million, which, factoring in the cost of reagents, would equate to $100 per genome.
The day’s reads cover a range of topics, from the potential of GLP-1 drugs in treating mental illnesses to proposed price cuts in the pharmaceutical industry. This content offers a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in the biotech sector and is a must-read for anyone interested in staying informed.
