Inovio CEO departs amid ‘challenging period'
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Today's Rundown

Catalent Trending Topic: Cell & Gene Therapy
Read on to understand how the industry is addressing gene therapy and cell therapy research and development.

Featured Story

Welcome to New (Bio) Haven: CEO hopes to strike gold twice with remaining R&D crew after Pfizer deal

After selling its potential blockbuster migraine program to Pfizer, Biohaven is hoping to strike gold twice. Its immediate future rests with two looming phase 3 readouts, the first of which is due in a few weeks.

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Top Stories

Strike 2: Roche flunks another phase 3 lung cancer test to leave TIGIT space reeling

Uh-oh. It was easy for Roche to brush off the failure of a high-risk bet on its anti-TIGIT drug tiragolumab in March. The indication was always a long shot. Now, though, tiragolumab has flunked a second phase 3 test, failing to improve on the progression-free survival achieved by Tecentriq alone in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

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Inovio CEO departs, leaving Jacqueline Shea in charge of 'particularly challenging period' in the DNA vaccine biotech's history

Inovio’s founding CEO is throwing in the towel after a bumpy couple of years trying to join the COVID vaccine market. He will be replaced by Jacqueline Shea, Ph.D., who will pick up where he left off during this “particularly challenging period in Inovio's history.”

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Can FDA replicate Operation Warp Speed for rare diseases? Not yet, but Peter Marks has some ideas

Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., head of the FDA's Center for Biologics Research and Evaluation, says the agency needs more staff if it's to replicate the efficiency of the famed federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic for rare diseases. His comments came in a discussion of his center's budget priorities that are up for debate in Congress.

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Takeda scraps dream of getting rare disease drug to market in latest setback to Wave 1 pipeline

Takeda has finally given up on its treatment for the rare genetic disorder Hunter syndrome. After years of talks with regulators, the Japanese drugmaker has decided to cut its losses, further weakening the wave of new products it expects to fuel growth in the years to come.

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Novo Nordisk, Flagship's forward-thinking partnership aims to treat cardiometabolic, rare diseases

Novo Nordisk has struck up a new—and unconventional—partnership with Flagship Pioneering, aiming to quickly create a portfolio of breakthrough medicines for cardiometabolic and rare diseases by leveraging Novo’s disease expertise and the technology from Flagship’s bioplatform companies.

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Bioasis, Neuramedy to cross blood-brain barrier together in $72M licensing deal

Bioasis and Neuramedy are hoping to cross the blood-brain barrier together in a new $72 million biobucks collaboration for a Parkinson’s disease therapy.

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Inflammation space swells further as Nuvig unveils $47M to transform autoimmune therapies

With Big Pharma backing and helmed by a research veteran, Nuvig has exited stealth mode with the bold aim of fundamentally transforming autoimmune disease treatment. The company is based on a “new understanding of how the immune system naturally equilibrates itself,” Nuvig said in a May 11 announcement.

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Rallybio wades into Sanofi storeroom for $3M rare disease deal

Rallybio is making room for a rare disease candidate from Sanofi’s stockroom with a small $3 million upfront cash payment. The biotech will take over development of KY1066, which will be renamed RLYB331, for severe anemia and iron overload in patients who have diseases such as beta thalassemia and a certain type of myelodysplastic syndrome.

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After failed SPAC and phase 3 fumble, Amicus gene therapy hits another delay to approval

As if a SPAC merger crashing and burning alongside a phase 3 failure wasn’t enough for Amicus Therapeutics this year, the company’s late-phase gene therapy has faced another setback in the form of a delayed FDA review.

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Canceled COVID studies hit Science 37's earnings, but FDA's diversity drive offers potential

The cancellation of two COVID-19 studies had a negative impact on Science 37’s first quarter, but the trial tech firm sees an opportunity in the push for more diverse study populations.

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Moderna's new CFO out the door one month into his gig after former employer discloses probe

Only a month after mRNA giant Moderna unveiled a CFO switch, its new finance chief is out the door because his former employer disclosed an internal accounting probe. As a result, Moderna is bringing back its former finance chief David Meline to run its books.

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Here's how Centene is thinking about M&A as it tackles its value creation plan

Centene is in the midst of a companywide value creation initiative. Here's how that work has changed its perspective on mergers and acquisitions.

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Resources

Executive Summary: PBPK Modelling for Optimizing Controlled Release Dosage Form Development

In this executive summary, we describe the benefits of controlled release, look at how to determine whether a drug is suitable for controlled release, review the application of PBPK modelling in controlled release formulation development and discuss how modified release products can be developed to deliver optimal patient outcomes.

Whitepaper: Gain Operational Speed and Velocity by Sharing Quality Incident Data

Quality operations guide your organization through regulatory compliance processes and safeguard your products, processes, and reputation. But your team is capable of so much more. Quality incident data and processes can be a driver of significant business value if shared with other stakeholders.

Whitepaper: Medical Affairs Metamorphosis: Trends Driving Change & What They Mean

Recent trends are driving big changes in Medical Affairs. This paper explores why, and what MA teams can do to stay ahead of the curve.

eBook: Streamline HCP interactions management

Don’t miss these critical considerations when evaluating your HCP interactions management program.

Research: Healthcare Has No Borders: The Role of Rescue Sites in Times of Global Calamity

More than 570 clinical trials in Ukraine have been disrupted. Unanticipated disruptions to medical testing and clinical trials impede progress toward new breakthroughs and new therapies that millions of patients around the world hang their hope on. What role do rescue sites play?

Infographic: United Cargo: Providing Comprehensive Solutions For the Most Critical Shipments

The United Cargo team has made a commitment to pharmaceutical and medical partners that we are equipped to support their vaccine transportation needs safely and effectively across our expansive global and domestic network. The safety and security of these commodities is our priority, and we are proud to be a trusted partner in these efforts. Download infographic now.

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