BUSINESS INSIGHTS, VIEWS AND ANALYSIS
Rancho BioSciences | February 02, 2023
On February 1, 2023, Rancho Biosciences, a leading provider of data sciences services, announced that BenevolentAI has joined the SCDS consortium as its fifth member. Rancho Biosciences launched its Single Cell Data Science (SCDS) pre-competitive consortium on February 26, 2022, with four Charter Members: Bristol Myers Squibb, Janssen Research & Development LLC, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, Novartis, and Vesalius Therapeutics.
The consortium's mission is to establish a uniform industry standard for creating and formatting single-cell datasets through a systematic effort to build data models and ensure that public data are curated consistently. Due to the evident impact of single-cell transcriptomics technology on drug discovery, pharmaceutical firms continue to adopt single-cell sequencing techniques at an exponential rate.
The availability of ever-increasing volumes of single-cell datasets in the public domain enables pharmaceutical companies to vastly increase their universe of single-cell experiments over those generated internally. However, harnessing this enormous public data lake by locating, downloading, and curating single-cell data is difficult and time-consuming compared to the resources required for scientists to analyze data to derive value for biomedical research collectively.
To date, Rancho has provided 83 analysis-ready datasets by using its extensive curation knowledge and expertise. Each dataset contains 79 columns of curated metadata that have been verified against a 4-entity data model developed by Rancho for SCDS. Based on member priorities, Rancho will continue to contribute a steady stream of harmonized single-cell datasets to the consortium. With this shared cost model, these may be supplied at a far higher throughput and much more cost-effectively than a single company could do.
About Rancho BioSciences
Founded in 2012, Rancho BioSciences is a global fee-for-service data curation firm that provides analysis and development services to clients, including pharma, foundations, government, and biotech. With a global team of qualified Ph.D. and Ph.D./MD scientists that provide high-quality work based on their expertise and domain knowledge in biology, diseases, and clinical data, it strives to find cures for diseases by serving its clients and saving lives through Data. It aims to be the world's leading provider of data services and harness domain skills and expertise to address complex problems.
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PHARMA TECH
Lantheus | February 07, 2023
On February 6, 2023, Lantheus Holdings, Inc. (Lantheus), a company dedicated to improving patient outcomes through radiotherapy, diagnostics, and AI solutions that help clinicians to Find, Fight, and Follow® diseases, announced the acquisition of Cerveau Technologies, Inc. (Cerveau).
Cerveau's primary asset is MK-6240, which is a second-gen F 18-labeled positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agent that targets Tau tangles present in Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative condition that causes a steady and gradual deterioration in cognition and function. Alzheimer's disease affects an estimated 6.5 million people in the United States. As the population ages, the frequency of this disease is expected to climb further, and by 2050, the number of persons 65 and older with Alzheimer's disease may reach 12.7 million.
MK-6240 is a clinical-stage PET development candidate that is designed to identify Tau protein that accumulates as neurofibrillary tangles in the brains of individuals suffering or suspected of Alzheimer's disease. MK-6240 has the potential to help in Alzheimer's disease diagnosis, staging, treatment selection and response to therapy. Despite being in clinical development, MK-6240 is now being employed in over 60 academic and industrial clinical studies worldwide for various late-stage Alzheimer's disease therapeutic candidates, being explored by more than 16 pharmaceutical firms.
Following the terms of the agreement, Lantheus will make an upfront payment as well as potential further development and commercial milestone payments. It will also pay double-digit royalties on research revenue and commercial sales. In addition, the deal, which is structured as a stock acquisition, stipulates, among other things, that the seller would offer transition and clinical development services for a specified period after the conclusion of the transaction.
In this transaction, Chestnut Partners, Inc. served as the exclusive financial advisor to Cerveau. At the same time, Lantheus was advised by Foley Hoag LLP in connection with the acquisition.
About Lantheus
Founded in 1956, Lantheus offers novel diagnostics, targeted medicines, and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to help clinicians Find, Fight, and Follow® diseases. It has been delivering life-changing research to patients and clinicians for over 60 years, going above and beyond to enhance lives and outcomes. Lantheus Holdings is the parent company of Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc., Inc. and EXINI Diagnostics AB. Headquartered in North Billerica, Massachusetts, the company has offices in New Jersey, Canada and Sweden.
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PHARMACY MARKET, PHARMA TECH
Prescryptive Health | December 16, 2022
Prescryptive Health, a healthcare technology company on a mission to rewrite the script for the U.S. pharmaceutical market, today announced a partnership with Eli Lilly and Company on a new and first-to-market subscription model to help lower costs for people who pay for their Lilly insulin through their employer-sponsored benefits. Through a flat, per-member, per-month subscription fee, employers can offer insulin to their employees with predictable, affordable, and transparent costs. This unique value-based program is designed to create price stability related to insulin utilization, with Lilly refunding a portion of the subscription fee if an employer's total medical spend increases over time for their employees who live with diabetes.
"We are proud to partner with Lilly on this unique and first-to-market value-based program. This solution challenges the traditional drug pricing model and reduces the burden on employers who sponsor pharmacy benefits. The result is that it insulates employers against increased drug prices and aligns interests to focus on patient access and health outcomes."
Chris Blackley, Prescryptive Health CEO
This new program can help address controversial rebates in the pharmacy benefit manager pricing model and will be available through Prescryptive free of any margin or price mark-up, further reducing the cost to employers, health plans, and ultimately healthcare consumers. Additionally, the program offers opportunities for employers to supply insulin at lower costs, or at no cost, to their employees. Added benefits for employers participating in the program include the Prescryptive mobile experience that supports patient engagement and adherence for diabetes care.
"In the U.S., more than 34 million people have diabetes, and some people who have employer-based insurance still need affordability solutions to ensure they don't pay too much out-of-pocket for their insulin," said Mike Mason, President, Lilly Diabetes. "At Lilly, we strive to provide new solutions to help lower costs at the pharmacy, including partnering with Prescryptive Health to ensure people with diabetes have access to affordable options to help them reach their treatment goals."
According to the American Diabetes Association
people with diagnosed diabetes spend about 2.3 times more on medical costs than those without diabetes, which impacts not only every individual patient and plan member, but also employers who sponsor their benefits coverage. Additionally, costs related to the condition include $3.3 billion in increased absenteeism.
About Prescryptive Health
Prescryptive Health is a healthcare technology company delivering solutions that empower consumers. Prescryptive's secure, mobile-first products connect consumers, pharmacists, and employers, ultimately providing people with the information they need to make informed decisions and take control of their health.
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