PHARMA TECH

BeiGene-Novartis PD-1 deal; Sinovac vaccine; Celltrion antibody COVID-19 data

Novartis | January 19, 2021

Novartis plunked down up to $2.2 billion for BeiGene's China-approved PD-1 drug tislelizumab to complement its own checkpoint inhibitor. Hear what BeiGene CEO John Oyler has to say about tislelizumab's position in and outside China. Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine reported confusing data from Brazil, raising doubt about its true efficacy. Celltron's anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody improved patients' outcomes in a phase 2/3 trial. And more.

Novartis paid $650 million upfront and committed up to $1.55 billion in milestones to license certain rights to BeiGene’s PD-1 inhibitor tislelizumab in major markets outside China. The Swiss pharma is not abandoning its own checkpoint inhibitor spartalizumab despite a recent phase 3 trial failure; instead, it views the two PD-1s as “complementary.”

BeiGene retains the right to co-market tislelizumab in North America. The Novartis deal gives the Chinese biotech a chance to get help “learning how to commercialize and build some capabilities” beyond China, BeiGene CEO John Oyler said in an interview. He believes the drug could compete in Asian-prevalent cancer types and its value in large indications will show over time. The CEO also believes the PD-1/L1 class has reached a pricing sweet spot in China where additional major price cuts aren’t likely.

Brazilian researchers first said Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine, CoronaVac, was 78% effective in a local phase 3 trial. But then, a few days ago, they released new data of just 50.4% efficacy. The gap was caused by the omission of “very mild” infections in the previous data. The misstep led to criticism of the trial organization, Brazil’s Butantan biomedical center, as well as suspicion about CoronaVac’s true efficacy. Turkey just authorized the shot for emergency use based on a reported 91.25% efficacy in an interim analysis of its local trial.

Spotlight

Oligonucleotides are short strands of synthetic DNA or RNA that can selectively alter gene expression and protein production.

Spotlight

Oligonucleotides are short strands of synthetic DNA or RNA that can selectively alter gene expression and protein production.

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CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals Adopts Digital Validation

CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals | March 15, 2023

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Massive Bio and NeoGenomics Announce Collaboration to Accelerate Oncology Drug Discovery and Improve Patient Care

Businesswire | March 27, 2023

Massive Bio, Inc., a private AI-enabled oncology startup that provides virtual and in-person concierge services for cancer patients, and NeoGenomics, Inc. a leading provider of cancer-focused genetic testing services and global oncology contract research services, today announced a collaboration with the goal of accelerating the development of new cancer therapies and ultimately improving the lives of millions of cancer patients around the world. NeoGenomics will identify patients in real time who may be eligible for clinical trials based on biomarker status. Following initial contact and outreach provided directly from NeoGenomics to the treating physician, Massive Bio will help obtain patient consent and expediate additional screening and potential enrollment. This partnership will help to quickly identify patients eligible for clinical trials and help patients and providers make an informed decision regarding their potential treatment avenue. By combining their respective strengths in biomarker testing, data analysis, machine learning, and biomarker and genomic profiling, the collaboration between NeoGenomics and Massive Bio have achieved a significant milestone in the oncology industry. "Our mission at Massive Bio is to provide cancer patients with the best possible care and treatment options,” said Selin Kurnaz, PhD, CEO and co-founder of Massive Bio. “By partnering with NeoGenomics, a leading player in the cancer diagnostics industry that shares Massive Bio’s commitment to advancing cancer research and improving patient outcomes, we can leverage their expertise in oncology diagnostics to accelerate the identification of patients who may be eligible for clinical trials." “NeoGenomics’ advanced diagnostic tools and U.S. footprint, combined with Massive Bio's AI capabilities and concierge services in oncology, will enable us to match patients to clinical trials faster and more efficiently, resulting in improved outcomes and reduced costs,” said Vishal Sikri, President of the Advanced Diagnostics Division of NeoGenomics. “We are thrilled to partner with Massive Bio to advance precision medicine and improve the delivery of healthcare services to patients, pharmaceutical partners, and healthcare providers." Dr. Arturo Loaiza-Bonilla, MD, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Massive Bio, added, "This collaboration between NeoGenomics and Massive Bio will enable us to provide patients with personalized care and support throughout their cancer journey, and move the needle forward in precision oncology and research." AboutMassive Bio Massive Bio empowers cancer patients to find their best treatment options, using artificial intelligence to improve equitable access and precision targeting for clinical trial matching, drug matching, and drug development. Massive Bio combines its best-in-class AI platform with technology-enabled services to remove barriers in clinical trial enrollment, value-based oncology decisions, and data-driven cancer treatment. The company serves more than two dozen pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, and hospital networks, and has been awarded an SBIR contract by the National Cancer Institute. Massive Bio was founded in 2015 by clinical, technology, and M&A executives, and has a global presence with nearly 100 people in 12 countries.

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Curia Collaborates with Corning to Advance Biopharmaceutical Continuous-Flow Development and Manufacturing Programs

Globenewswire | March 24, 2023

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