AstraZenecas Farxiga pads its case for new heart-helping approval

FiercePharma | August 20, 2019

AstraZeneca is still stinging after its SGLT2 diabetes drug Farxiga was waved off by the FDA in Type 1 disease. But heres something that could ease the pain- New outcomes data showing Farxiga cut cardiovascular risks in heart failure patients with or without diabetes. In a phase 3 trial, Farxiga cut the risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization in patients with reduced ejection fraction HFrEF, when added to standard treatments for heart failure. The data could help Farxiga score a CV risk-reduction approval, a distinction its rivals in the SGLT2 class already have. The trial, dubbed Dapa-HF, was the first to test an SGLT2 drug against heart failure in patients with or without Type 2 diabetes, the company said. It pitted Farxiga plus standard therapy against standard therapy alone. AstraZeneca plans to take the data to regulators "as soon as possible," Mene Pangalos, EVP of BioPharmaceuticals R&D, said in a statement.

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Bluepharma, a Portuguese pharmaceutical company, has just opened a state-of-the-art industrial unit specialized in the production of oral solid high potent drugs, namely in the oncology area.

Spotlight

Bluepharma, a Portuguese pharmaceutical company, has just opened a state-of-the-art industrial unit specialized in the production of oral solid high potent drugs, namely in the oncology area.

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KSQ Announces ONO’s Acquisition of Multiple Research-stage Oncology Programs

KSQ Therapeutics | January 30, 2023

KSQ Therapeutics, a leading clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases, recently announced that Ono Pharmaceutical (ONO) has acquired multiple research-stage DNA damage response (DDR) programs. The programs were identified using KSQ's CRISPRomics platform technology. All of the programs are new and have the potential to be first-in-class therapies. ONO's Discovery & Research Executive Director/ Senior Executive Officer Toichi Takino commented, "ONO appreciates the ability of KSQ's CRISPRomics platform technology to discover novel therapeutic targets with high selectivity for cancer cells." He added, "Through this acquisition agreement, we expect that the programs acquired from KSQ will lead to the creation of innovative medicines that will help treat cancer patients." (Source – Business Wire) KSQ's Chief Executive Officer Qasim Rizvi commented, "This acquisition of multiple research-stage oncology programs by ONO is further validation of the power of our platform to identify novel oncology targets and develop potential first-in-class programs." He added, "This is an important transaction for KSQ, enabling us to focus on our other programs. We look forward to watching ONO's progress as they advance these programs toward clinical studies." (Source – Business Wire) As per the terms of the agreement, ONO will pay KSQ a double-digit million upfront payment, prospective near-term milestone payments with potential long-term value in the triple-digit millions, and net sales-based royalties. About KSQ Therapeutics Founded in 2015, KSQ Therapeutics is a clinical-stage firm using its CRISPRomics® discovery platform to systematically decode the genome and identify optimal gene targets for oncology and autoimmune disease. It utilizes the platform for innovative drug development across diverse therapeutic domains and is actively creating a proprietary pipeline of tumor- and immune-focused drug candidates. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, KSQ was formed by functional genomics thought leaders and CRISPR screening technology pioneers.

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Certara Acquires AI Company Vyasa to Boost Scientific Innovation

Certara | January 05, 2023

Certara, Inc. announced the acquisition of Vyasa Analytics, LLC, which offers scalable deep-learning software that enables life sciences enterprises to make predictions and answer complicated queries across structured and unstructured bio-medical data. The acquisition will improve Certara's software by giving its end-to-end platform cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) features. Certara said it was excited to announce that it had bought Vyasa, a cutting-edge company that would improve its software platforms and give it more options across many product lines. It went on to say that by introducing AI into its product line, the company is establishing capabilities that will allow it to maintain its leadership in biosimulation use cases in drug research and development. Established in 2017, Vyasa software offers businesses a revolutionary artificial intelligence-powered platform that allows them to integrate and analyze material across their company data landscape. LAYAR is a flexible, modular data fabric that can be used to analyze numbers, words, and pictures. It is Vyasa's most important product. It uses artificial intelligence to help people make better decisions during all stages of drug development. About Certara Certara, a pharmaceutical manufacturing firm with headquarters in Princeton, is focused on accelerating the creation of medications by transforming the traditional drug discovery and development process utilizing its biosimulation software, technology, and services. There are around 2,000 biopharmaceutical businesses, academic institutions, and regulatory bodies from 62 countries among its clientele.

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Rallybio Corporation and EyePoint Announce Research Cooperation

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals | February 28, 2023

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