Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Meghana Keshavan
Published on 2024-02-14 13:32:34
In today’s biotech news, Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi has failed to capture the market, Latigo Biotherapeutics has emerged as a competitor to Vertex Pharmaceuticals in pain management, and Replicate Bioscience has reported positive Phase 1 results for their srRNA rabies vaccine. Additionally, biosimilars for Humira have not gained traction in the market, pointing to the need for policy reform to increase their uptake.
Latigo Biotherapeutics, a new startup incubated by Westlake Village BioPartners, has launched with $135 million in funding. The company aims to compete with Vertex Pharmaceuticals in the development of pain medicines. Their Phase 1 trial for LTG-001, a non-opioid pain medicine that targets the sodium channel NaV 1.8, has been completed. Latigo believes that their drug will be safe and potentially work faster than Vertex’s VX-548, which also targets NaV 1.8.
In other news, Biogen’s Leqembi, an Alzheimer’s drug, has experienced low usage rates, leading to a stock slump for the company. Despite the initial hype surrounding its launch, only about 2,000 patients in the U.S. are taking the medicine. Biogen’s CEO expects an uptick in usage, with 3,800 early-stage patients signing up on registries to receive the drug. However, obstacles, such as the requirement for patients to undergo brain scans or spinal taps, have hindered the drug’s adoption. The company aims to have 10,000 patients taking the medicine by April, but acknowledges that it will take time for patients to become eligible.
Meanwhile, biosimilars for Humira, a blockbuster drug used to treat autoimmune diseases, have seen limited adoption due to policy barriers. Despite the availability of nine biosimilars for Humira, their uptake remains low, with less than 2% of the market accounted for by biosimilar competition. Policymakers have been called to address anti-competitive practices from pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and prioritize patient access to more affordable drugs.
Replicate Bioscience has reported positive results for its srRNA rabies vaccine in a Phase 1 clinical trial. The vaccine induced strong immune responses even at extremely low doses, exceeding the World Health Organization’s defined surrogate level of protection for rabies virus. The company’s CEO has expressed optimism about the vaccine’s potential and the power of their srRNA technology.
In summary, these developments in the biotech industry highlight the importance of fostering competition, addressing policy barriers, and promoting innovation to improve patient access to life-saving medications. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be essential to prioritize patient needs and collaborate to achieve breakthroughs in healthcare.
