PHARMACY MARKET
businesswire | April 03, 2023
Xeris Biopharma Holdings, Inc. a growth-oriented biopharmaceutical company committed to improving patient lives by developing and commercializing innovative products across a range of therapeutic areas, today announced that it has entered into a platform research evaluation collaboration and option agreement with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, Xeris will use its proprietary drug-formulation platform, XeriJect™, to develop ultra-highly concentrated, ready-to-use, small volume subcutaneous injections of two undisclosed monoclonal antibodies developed by Regeneron. Xeris will receive an upfront payment and potential milestone payments for preclinical achievements. Regeneron has an option to commercially license the Xeris technology for such molecules and nominate additional molecules for reformulation and potential commercialization. Specific financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“We are excited to be working with Regeneron on a platform collaboration basis, which builds on our prior feasibility studies and reflects the significant progress and investment we have been making into the development of XeriJect™,” said Paul R. Edick, Chairman and CEO of Xeris Biopharma. “Through our novel drug-formulation platform, we aim to provide our biologic development collaborators with the competitive advantage of delivering a significantly improved patient and provider experience through stable, ready-to-use, ultra-highly concentrated, small-volume subcutaneous injection formulations. This agreement with Regeneron is another in a series of collaborations Xeris has recently undertaken with top pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.”
About XeriJect™
Xeris’ drug-delivery system, XeriJect, provides innovative, ready-to-use, viscoelastic pharmaceutical suspensions that have the potential to improve drug delivery, lower treatment burden and improve patients' lives across a broad range of therapeutic categories. XeriJect suspensions maximize drug loadings at >450mg/mL, enable small volume subcutaneous injections, do not settle on storage and are ready-to-use. The suspensions use FDA-approved excipients and leverage known manufacturing processes. XeriJect formulation technology is well suited for drugs and biologics including large molecules such as proteins, monoclonal antibodies, and vaccines. The technology is protected by an extensive patent estate, trade secrets and know-how, and it is available for licensing.
About Xeris
Xeris is a growth-oriented biopharmaceutical company committed to improving patients’ lives by developing and commercializing differentiated and innovative products across a range of therapies. Xeris has three commercially available products: Gvoke®, a ready-to-use liquid glucagon for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia; Keveyis®, a proven therapy for primary periodic paralysis; and Recorlev® for the treatment of endogenous Cushing’s syndrome. Xeris has a diverse pipeline of development and partnered programs using its formulation sciences, XeriSol™ and XeriJect™, to support long-term product development and commercial success.
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RESEARCH, BUSINESS INSIGHTS
Medidata Solutions | March 13, 2023
Medidata, a leading provider of innovative software solutions for clinical trials that streamline the clinical trial process, reduce time and cost, and accelerate the development of new treatments, recently announced that Allucent, a contract research organization (CRO) that brings innovation to biopharma firms, is expanding the global use of Medidata's Clinical Cloud to enhance its clinical trial operations offering.
This agreement extends Allucent's current usage of Medidata's technology, which includes eCOA, Rave EDC, RTSM, and Rave Imaging, supporting crucial development areas such as rare and orphan indications, oncology and cell and gene therapies. As part of the deal, Allucent's team achieved 100% Rave EDC certification, reinforcing their dedication to quality and providing clients with industry-leading technology.
Allucent is a sponsor of Medidata NEXT London and will give a presentation on data analytics for early-phase oncology trials. The presentation will cover how working with Medidata has helped them apply visualization techniques and strategies to extract the total value of information for all stakeholders.
Medidata is a Dassault Systèmes company poised to drive the digital transformation of life sciences in the age of personalized medicine with its 3DEXPERIENCE platform. This platform is the first end-to-end scientific and business solution, from research to commercialization.
Medidata's head of Global Sales, Janet Butler, commented, "Allucent is leveraging the power of the Medidata Clinical Cloud to solidify their position at the forefront of clinical technology." She further emphasized, "Their work with novel therapies requires agile, patient-centric solutions. We are proud to build on our eight-year collaboration to advance the digital transformation of life sciences and deliver clinical innovations to help reach their goals."
(Source – Business Wire)
About Medidata Solutions
Medidata Solutions is a New York-based global provider of cloud-based software solutions for clinical trials. Its platform, the Medidata Clinical Cloud, enables pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device companies, and academic research organizations to manage all aspects of clinical trials, including study design, data capture, management, and analysis. Medidata's platform can capture real-time data from multiple sources, including electronic health records and wearable devices, to monitor patients closely, identify potential safety issues earlier, and make informed decisions about trial design and treatment protocols. The platform also features advanced analytics tools like machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms to help researchers analyze and interpret their data. In 2019, Dassault Systèmes, a global leader in 3D design software and simulation solutions, acquired Medidata, further enhancing its platform.
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PHARMACY MARKET
Globenewswire | May 16, 2023
Athenex, Inc. a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies for the treatment of cancer and related conditions, today announced that, following an ongoing strategic review, it has reached agreement with its lenders to move forward with an expedited sales process of the Company’s assets across its primary businesses: Athenex Pharmaceutical Division (“APD”), Orascovery, and Cell Therapy.
To best facilitate this process, Athenex and certain of its subsidiaries filed voluntary proceedings under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. This will enable the Company to divest its assets and wind down the Athenex platform in an orderly fashion, while seeking to maximize value for its stakeholders. The Company anticipates concluding the expedited sales process by July 1, 2023, with the Chapter 11 cases continuing thereafter to resolve claims.
Athenex has also reached an agreement with its secured lenders, subject to court approval, for the consensual use of cash collateral, which will enable the Company to, among other things, satisfy certain obligations to its vendors for authorized goods received and services rendered after the filing. Athenex Pharma Solutions (“APS”), which includes the Company’s manufacturing facility in Clarence, New York, is expected to continue its operations for at least the next 90 days, to provide commercial supply of tirbanibulin ointment. In addition, APD is continuing to operate in the ordinary course and fill customer orders with the ample inventory it has on hand.
Dr. Johnson Lau, Chief Executive Officer of Athenex, on behalf of the management team and the Athenex Board of Directors, said, “Throughout our history, we have sought to become a leader in bringing innovative cancer treatments to the market and improving patient health outcomes. Our team was successful in bringing tirbanibulin, through regulatory approvals, to the U.S. market and a number of EU countries, as well as Taiwan. Unfortunately, our oral paclitaxel product candidate received a complete response letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and this significant regulatory setback, coupled with challenging biotech markets and the difficult economic environment, put tremendous pressure on our ability to continue to fund our businesses.
“Over the past two years, we made considerable progress in refocusing our business around our promising NKT cell therapy platform, monetizing non-core assets to improve our balance sheet and extending our cash runway, paying down $108 million of debt, and undertaking a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives to create value for our stakeholders. While we explored every viable avenue to avoid this outcome, an orderly sales process represents the best path forward at this time.
“Our goal remains to identify purchasers who will continue development of the important drug candidates for which we have established a good foundation, and to bring them to market on behalf of medical practitioners and, most importantly, for patients. We are incredibly thankful to our team for their dedication to Athenex and will look to support our colleagues through this transition period.”
Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP is acting as Athenex's legal counsel. MERU is serving as its financial advisor and Cassel Salpeter & Co., LLC as its investment banker.
About Athenex, Inc.
Founded in 2003, Athenex, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to becoming a leader in the discovery, development, and commercialization of next-generation cell therapy products for the treatment of cancer. The Company’s mission is to become a leader in bringing innovative cancer treatments to the market and to improve patient health outcomes. In pursuit of this mission, Athenex leverages years of experience in research and development, clinical trials, regulatory standards, and manufacturing. The Company is focused on its innovative Cell Therapy platform, based on natural killer T (“NKT”) cells.
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