Collaboration
Lexicon’s LX9851 targets ACSL5, a liver enzyme involved in fat metabolism that helps moderate fat accumulation and slow down gastric emptying.
Merck joins a growing list of companies targeting lipoprotein(a), high levels of which are associated with an elevated risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.
Novo will license UTB251, a triple hormone receptor agonist that in mid-2023 achieved 24% weight reduction at 48 weeks in a mid-stage study.
The deal is the latest in a series of Sanofi investments in its immunology portfolio. According to Sanfoi, DR-0201 can achieve deep B cell depletion, giving it the potential to reset the immune system.
Monday was a busy day for AstraZeneca, which also paid up to $1 billion to acquire Belgian biotech EsoBiotec and its cell therapy pipeline and technology.
Roche and Zealand plan to study petrelintide as a monotherapy and in combination with CT-388, a dual agonist of the GLP-1 and GIP receptors that Roche picked up in its recent acquisition of Carmot Therapeutics.
Ionis will receive $280 million upfront and could get up to $660 million in future milestone payments. Ono will take charge of late-stage development as well as regulatory and commercialization activities.
AbbVie is joining the amylin arena, though the pharma is still far behind leaders Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
The molecular glue space has attracted several Big Pharma players over the past few years, including Novo Nordisk, Pfizer and Novartis.
The licensing deal follows years of controversy for Cassava, as well as the high-profile late-stage failure of its Alzheimer’s disease drug simufilam.
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