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Brandon May

Drug Development
Aclaris Stock Jumps 200% As RA Drug Candidate Shows Durable Clinical Activity
An investigational oral MK2 inhibitor from Aclaris Therapeutics was safe and associated with promising reductions in inflammatory markers in a 12-week, Phase II a study of patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis.
January 20, 2021
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3 min read
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Brandon May
Courtesy of Michael Vi/Getty Images
Business
Lilly’s Loxo Oncology Stakes Up to $1 Billion in Merus’ T-Cell Antibody Cancer Candidates
Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly is betting big on clinical-stage oncology company Merus, agreeing to pay up to $1.6 billion to the Netherlands-based biotech for a research and development collaboration focused on up to three early experimental cancer drugs.
January 19, 2021
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3 min read
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Brandon May
FDA
FDA Grants Rare Pediatric Disease, Orphan Drug Designation to Taysha’s Rare Epilepsy Candidate
The U.S. FDA has granted rare pediatric disease and orphan drug designations for Taysha Gene Therapies’ AAV9-based gene treatment candidate currently in development for epilepsy caused by SLC13A5 deficiency.
January 19, 2021
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3 min read
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Brandon May
Deals
Acquisitions of Biotech Startups Increased in 2020, With No Signs of Slowing Down
Many buyers are becoming increasingly interested in buying these promising companies before they go public, as this often makes the purchase more economically feasible.
January 14, 2021
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2 min read
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Brandon May
Drug Development
Emerging COVID-19 Variants Across Globe Appear More Infectious Than Original Strain
A total of 50 countries have reported cases of B117, the more transmissible variant of COVID-19 which was first reported in the U.K. The number of countries reporting this emerging strain is up 40 from last week.
January 14, 2021
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2 min read
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Brandon May
Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
Business
Takeda Operations Heat Up with New Research Partnerships and Acquisitions
Major players in the biotech industry are moving full steam ahead in their 2021 operations goals despite the ongoing pandemic, with global pharmaceutical giant Takeda being no exception.
January 13, 2021
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3 min read
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Brandon May
Deals
Emerging Seattle-Based Sana Biotechnology Seeks to Raise $150 Million IPO
Sana Biotechnology has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to raise up to $150 million in an initial public offering to help support the company’s cell-based therapy discovery and development operations.
January 13, 2021
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3 min read
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Brandon May
Courtesy of Michael Vi/Getty Images
Business
Enara Bio, Boehringer Ingelheim Agree to Collab on Immunotherapy Discovery Research
The collaboration, which will leverage Enara’s Dark Antigen™ discovery platform, will work toward discovering and validating novel “Dark Antigens” in up to three tumor types in both lung and gastrointestinal cancer.
January 12, 2021
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3 min read
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Brandon May
Pete Marovich/Getty Images
Policy
Clash Over FDA’s Top Lawyer Appointees Causes Further Discord Between Agency and HHS
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is experiencing abrupt and noticeable personnel changes as it continues to clash with the Health and Human Services, the department that oversees the agency and its operations.
January 12, 2021
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2 min read
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Brandon May
Drug Development
Herd Immunity to COVID-19 Likely Will Not Be Achieved in 2021, Experts Suggest
The advancing rollout of currently approved coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines provides hope to many that existing lockdowns and social restrictions will soon be lifted, but experts suggest a “return to normal” likely won’t occur until herd immunity is achieved.
January 12, 2021
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2 min read
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Brandon May
Pictured: Red and white Lilly sign on building/Mic
Business
Eli Lilly Partners with Blacksmith Medicines in $300 Million Seed Funding Deal
Blacksmith Medicines announced on Friday it had secured a multimillion dollar seed funding deal from Eli Lilly and has entered into a research collaboration with the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant to advance human metalloenzyme targets.
January 8, 2021
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3 min read
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Brandon May
Business
Biopharma Companies Entering 2021 With New Collabs, Partnerships
Here’s a run-down of some of the most recent collaboration announcements this week.
January 8, 2021
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4 min read
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Brandon May
Courtesy nitpicker/Shutterstock
Business
BMS Kicks Off 2021 with $70 Million Collab for Next-Gen T Cell Cancer Therapies
ArsenalBio has entered into a multi-year discovery partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb to develop next-generation T cell therapies for solid tumors.
January 7, 2021
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3 min read
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Brandon May
Drug Development
Research Consortium to Study If COVID-19 Increases Long-Term Risk of Dementia
In a recent paper published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia, a team of researchers is calling for more prospective studies that will look into the impact coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has on brain functioning.
January 6, 2021
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2 min read
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Brandon May
Courtesy of Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
Business
AbbVie Says Goodbye to Sosei’s Neurological-Focused Muscarinic Agonist Programs
Sosei Group Corporation has announced it is regaining the worldwide rights to its muscarinic agonist programs after AbbVie said it is backing away from the program.
January 5, 2021
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3 min read
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Brandon May
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