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May 31, 2019

Welcome to FierceLifeSci Weekly Digest, your roundup of the biggest and most popular stories from each of our publications.

Featured Story

Mass exodus of Amgen sales reps sparks legal battle with multiple myeloma rival Karyopharm

After 19 salespeople resigned from Amgen last year to join Karyopharm, which is preparing to launch a rival multiple myeloma drug, Amgen sued, alleging theft of trade secrets. Now, as it awaits an FDA decision on its multiple myeloma drug selinexor, Karyopharm is fighting to get the suit thrown out.

Top Stories Of The Week

Biotech IPO bonanza, again, as 5 go for collective $600M-plus in offerings

Just before Memorial Day weekend, five biotech companies dropped their initial public offering plans, adding up to $611 million in anticipated cash.

Novartis' Kymriah head jumps ship to T-cell biotech Atara as its R&D chief quits

Novartis has lost its head of oncology and lead for its global head, cell and gene therapy unit Pascal Touchon as he steps up to become the CEO and president of California biotech Atara Biotherapeutics.

FDA approves Zimmer's novel diagnostic for detecting infections in orthopedic joint replacements

The FDA has approved a new diagnostic tool to help determine whether swelling around a prosthetic joint replacement is being caused by an infection.

Novartis slaps $2M-plus price tag on newly approved gene therapy Zolgensma—and cost watchdogs approve

Industry watchers have been speculating for months about just how high Novartis would price gene therapy Zolgensma—and just how payers would cover the "transformative" spinal muscular atrophy treatment. Now, they have their answers.

Editor's Choice—Novartis grabs blockbuster cancer nod for Piqray on double good news day

Novartis’ promise of 25 potential blockbuster launches is steadily coming to fruition. On the same day the FDA approved gene therapy Zolgensma, the U.S. regulator also waved through breast cancer drug Piqray.

Editor's Choice—AstraZeneca pivots to early-stage cancer in search of a niche

AstraZeneca is set to prioritize the treatment of early-stage cancers under the leadership of oncology research chief José Baselga, M.D., Ph.D. Talking to The Wall Street Journal, Baselga sketched out why he thinks splitting off from the congested pursuit of late-stage cancers will benefit AstraZeneca and patients.

Fred Hutchinson team uses gold nanoparticles to improve CRISPR gene editing

The CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system has been hailed as a promising solution to a range of genetic diseases, but the technology has proven difficult to deliver into cells. Scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center developed gold nanoparticles that can deliver CRISPR to mouse models of HIV and inherited blood disorders.

Gilead's new chief steals Bristol-Myers Squibb's Mercier for top commercial job, putting Hamill out in the cold

Bristol-Myers Squibb is losing another key commercial cog, and this time Gilead's the culprit. The Big Biotech poached Johanna Mercier, who led the U.S., Germany, France and Japan for BMS, to serve as its next commercial chief. And behind the scenes, it gave ex-CCO Laura Hamill a $1.75 million cash goodbye.

Iovance Biotherapeutics adds to cell therapy manufacturing boom

In a transcontinental move, a California biotech working on a cell therapy for solid tumors will build its first manufacturing site in Philadelphia.

Resources

[Case Study] Clinical Supply Management

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[Video] Demand Led Services and Clinical Supply Efficiency

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[eBook] Strategies for Efficient Clinical Supply Management and Forecasting

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[Executive Summary] Achieving a Successful Drug Product Tech Transfer

Download the executive summary to learn key considerations for a successful technology transfer for manufacturing drug products, including a case study on overcoming challenges in a process transfer for a sterile diluent.

[Whitepaper] Delivering oral solid dose product to Phase I Clinic in 14 weeks

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[Whitepaper] Choosing the Best Sterile Dosage Form for Phase I Clinical Supply Needs

Choosing the Best Sterile Dosage Form for Your Phase I Clinical Supply Needs.

[Whitepaper] Agile Competitive Intelligence: A 3-Step Mobile Research Strategy

What is agile competitive intelligence, and how can help healthcare researchers stay ahead of the curve?

[eBook] 2018 Weekly Compendium

The Biopharma industry is moving at lightning speed and it can be a challenge to keep pace. Here at Biotech Primer we spend hours each week researching, writing, and editing original content for the Biotech Primer WEEKLY with one goal in mind: to help everyone better understand the latest science and technology driving today’s healthcare industry.