BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMA TECH
Epredia | January 19, 2023
On January 18, 2023, PHC Group, a healthcare company renowned in diagnostics and life sciences, announced that it would join the RegeneratOR Innovation Accelerator to grow its presence in regenerative medicine. The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) and the RegenMed Development Organization (ReMDO) are the two institutions expediting the discovery and translation of regenerative medicine therapeutics located in the Innovation Quarter.
PHC Group, being an early partner of ReMDO's RegeneratOR Test Bed, offered advanced tissue processing technologies as well as support to researchers for prototype and product development. In addition, another ReMDO program, the Innovation Accelerator, was formed to give space and support to companies with innovative or emerging regenerative medicine technologies.
PHC Group is now opening a local office within the Innovation Accelerator. Its holding companies and partners include Epredia, a precision cancer diagnostics company whose products are used by researchers and pathologists worldwide, and Aiforia, a medical software company that develops artificial intelligence software for image analysis in pathology. Aiforia's collection of preclinical and clinical pathology instruments is distributed globally by Epredia.
The firms work together to deliver slide imaging and AI-based solutions that enable researchers to investigate and extract information beyond the scope of human visual perception. Thus, clinical research, drug discovery, and translational studies with the goal of better understanding disease states are all linked together through diagnostic microscopic imaging and artificial intelligence.
PHC Group's presence, along with Epredia and Aiforia's superior technology assistance at the Innovation Accelerator, will also pave the path for RegeneratOR's newest initiative, the RegenMed Clinical Trials Catalyst.
As a part of Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the academic core of the newly merged Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health, the Catalyst will have access to 5.5 million patients, serving 67 hospitals in North Carolina, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Illinois.
About Epredia
Epredia is a leading comprehensive laboratory solutions provider for instruments and consumables in anatomic pathology, histology, and cytology. It was established through an acquisition by PHC Group from Thermo Fisher Scientific. The company provides solutions for cancer diagnostics through its renowned brands: Richard Allen Scientific, Erie Scientific, Microm, Shandon, and Menzel-Glaser. Epredia is committed to realizing its aim of advancing cancer diagnostics for patients worldwide in order to save lives.
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BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMA TECH
ClinChoice | March 03, 2023
ClinChoice, a leading global clinical CRO, recently announced that it has acquired CROMSOURCE S.r.l., an ISO-certified full-service contract research organization. CROMSOURCE has its corporate headquarters in Verona, Italy, its US headquarters in Cary, NC, and subsidiaries in the US and seven countries throughout eastern and western Europe.
With a proven track record of providing excellent clinical research and staffing services to multinational pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device clients, CROMSOURCE's acquisition will strengthen ClinChoice's global network and further enhance its full-service capabilities.
ClinChoice is known for its commitment to providing high-quality services and timely delivery, resulting in the successful completion of clinical trials and functions, including regulatory, biometrics, safety, medical, and clinical operations across various sectors such as drug, medical devices, vaccines, cosmetics, and consumer health using both project-based and FSP models.
The company offers services covering the development lifecycle for biotechnology, pharmaceutical, consumer products and medical device companies worldwide. With a broad clientele ranging from the largest multinationals to startup and emerging companies, ClinChoice has completed over 1,500 clinical studies in various therapeutic areas such as CNS, oncology, ophthalmology, rare disease, respiratory and metabolic.
CROMSOURCE's acquisition was advised by Fairmount Partners, while Crosstree Capital represented ClinChoice.
About ClinChoice
ClinChoice is a leading global clinical CRO that provides comprehensive services to biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer products clients worldwide. With a successful 25-year track record, it is considered the standard for excellence in clinical operations, biostatistics, data management, CDISC, statistical programming, regulatory affairs, medical affairs, and pharmacovigilance. The company has established major delivery centers in Europe, the US, Canada, China, India, Japan, and the Philippines, employing over 3,000 people worldwide. ClinChoice has a strong and talented team and is expanding its clinical operations in seven countries across North America, Asia, and Europe.
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PHARMA TECH
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. | March 08, 2023
On March 7, 2023, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., a global biotech company focused on improving lives via genetic discovery, announced that the US FDA has accepted its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for VOXZOGO® (vosoritide) for injection to expand the treatment of achondroplasia in children under the age of 5.
Achondroplasia is a common form of disproportionate short stature. The FDA has set an action date of October 21, 2023, for the sNDA. The sNDA is supported by data from a Phase 2 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, which showed similar safety and efficacy profiles in children under five years of age compared to those aged five years and older.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) also validated BioMarin's application for VOXZOGO in January to treat children under the age of 2. If approved, VOXZOGO could be prescribed for over 1,000 additional children from birth for achondroplasia.
VOXZOGO is the first EMA and FDA-approved treatment for achondroplasia with open bone growth plates. The treatment uses a new class of therapy, C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) analog, which promotes bone growth by acting as a positive regulator of the signaling pathway downstream of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 gene (FGFR3).
The drug is approved in the EU, Brazil, and Australia for children aged two years and above with epiphyses (bone growth plates) and in Japan for children from birth who have achondroplasia with open growth plates. BioMarin has enrolled 250 children with achondroplasia in seven clinical studies in eight countries to evaluate the safety and efficacy of VOXZOGO.
About BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
BioMarin is a leading biotechnology firm established in 1997 with a mission to transform people's lives by using genetic discovery. The company creates targeted therapies that address the underlying cause of genetic disorders to improve the quality of life for individuals with rare genetic diseases. It has developed eight first or best-in-class treatments and has a range of product candidates to address various genetic disorders using the same science-based approach. As BioMarin continues to create new and innovative solutions, it has the potential to impact the lives of even more people. The company is committed to prioritizing patients and their needs in its approach to drug development.
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