BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMA TECH
EyePoint Pharmaceuticals | February 28, 2023
On February 27, 2023, EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading pharmaceutical firm committed to the development and commercialization of therapeutics to help improve the lives of patients with severe eye disorders and Rallybio Corporation, a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to identifying and accelerating the development of life-transforming therapeutics for patients with severe and rare diseases, announced a research collaboration to explore the sustained delivery of Rallybio's complement component 5 (C5) inhibitor for the treatment of geographic atrophy, an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration that can cause irreversible vision loss. The research will use EyePoint's proprietary Durasert® technology, which is designed for sustained intraocular drug delivery.
Approximately one million individuals in the United States suffer from geographic atrophy, which is characterized by atrophic lesions in the central region of the macula. Geographic atrophy can cause irreversible vision loss and can lead to legal blindness. Currently, geographic atrophy treatments are limited in choice and duration of action, leaving a significant unmet need for safe and effective treatment options.
Under the terms of the research partnership, EyePoint and Rallybio will assess and explore the viability of utilizing Rallybio's C5 inhibitor in EyePoint's Durasert technology, with the intention to increase the collaboration upon mutual agreement following the evaluation.
EyePoint Pharmaceuticals' M.D., President and Chief Operating Officer Jay Duker commented, "We are excited to begin this research collaboration to explore the combination of Rallybio's C5 inhibitor with our bioerodible Durasert sustained release drug delivery technology to develop a potential long-acting treatment for geographic atrophy," He further emphasized, "Geographic atrophy associated with dry macular degeneration is a devastating eye disease, and the inhibition of complement is a proven treatment pathway. We hope to leverage our Durasert technology in this collaboration to create a potential best-in-class, long-acting intravitreal insert, which we believe could provide a more desirable option for patients given that the existing approved therapy is injected every one to two months."
(Source – Business Wire)
About EyePoint Pharmaceuticals
EyePoint Pharmaceuticals is a leading pharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes therapeutic products to help patients suffering from serious eye disorders. Headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, it is committed to using its innovative drug delivery platform to improve patients' quality of life. The company's pipeline utilizes its proprietary Durasert technology, which enables sustained intraocular drug delivery. Its current pipeline includes EYP-1901, a potential six-month intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment aimed at treating wet age-related macular degeneration. Durasert technology has been successfully used across four FDA-approved products, including YUTIQ®, which treats chronic non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye.
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RESEARCH, PHARMACY MARKET
Impel Pharmaceuticals | February 23, 2023
On February 22, 2023, Impel Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical firm that develops innovative treatments for diseases with high unmet medical needs, announced that it will execute an operational streamlining plan to reduce employee and non-employee expenses, primarily affecting the research and development division. The company intends to divert resources to benefit from the successful response of payors and prescribers to Trudhesa® (dihydroergotamine mesylate) nasal spray (0.725 mg per spray).
Impel Pharmaceuticals will stop research and development activities on INP105, a drug to treat agitation and aggression in autism spectrum disorder. The reduction in expenses is expected to come from lower non-employee-related general and administrative and research and development expenses, as well as a reduction of 16 percent in headcount.
Additionally, the company announced that its Chief Medical Officer, Stephen Shrewsbury, M.D., will leave the company on March 31, 2023.
The company projects that these measures, along with others, will provide sufficient capital to fund operations through Q3 2023, allowing it to focus on maximizing the commercial opportunity and positive momentum of Trudhesa® in the huge and rapidly expanding acute migraine market.
Trudhesa® has experienced a strong launch trajectory, with 58,424 prescriptions at the end of 2022, accounting for 4.3% of branded acute migraine prescriptions (nTRx) among prescribers after a full-year launch. Impel expanded its sales force by 50%, from 60 to 90 sales professionals, in July 2022 to capitalize on this positive momentum, resulting in a 58% increase in new quarterly prescriptions from Q2 to Q4 2022. Reimbursement of all shipments finished the year at over 60%, and refill rates remained high, with an average of 63% at the end of 2022.
The company plans to increase its efforts to commercialize Trudhesa® while also exploring strategic and financing initiatives and opportunities to fully leverage the potential of its proprietary Precision Olfactory Delivery (POD®) technology and expertise with small and large molecules in various disease areas.
About Impel Pharmaceuticals
Impel Pharmaceuticals is a commercial-stage pharmaceutical firm that focuses on developing and providing treatments for patients suffering from diseases with high unmet needs. The company employs a novel approach to drug delivery by utilizing its proprietary Precision Olfactory Delivery (POD®) technology in conjunction with established therapeutics to develop and offer treatments. In September 2021, it received approval from the U.S. FDA for its first product, Trudhesa® nasal spray, which is used to treat acute migraine with or without aura in adults. Along with Trudhesa, the company continues to address patient needs through licensing and partnerships.
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BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMACY MARKET
Framework Solutions, LLC | March 02, 2023
On March 1, 2023, Framework Solutions, a leading clinical to commercial solutions provider, announced that it has acquired ONIX Life Sciences, a consultancy focused on regulatory operations services for the life sciences industry. The acquisition will enable both firms to expand their global reach and strengthen their service capabilities by providing clients with a broader range of critical services. ONIX's expertise in eCTD Submissions, Publishing, and eCTD Lifecycle Management has helped clients submit their regulatory documents to health authorities worldwide, including the FDA and EMA.
ONIX, based in the United Kingdom, has successfully completed eCTD submissions for over 100 clients globally across North America, Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific regions. In addition, ONIX is proud of its accomplishment of never having an eCTD technical rejection and never missing a deadline since its inception in 2010.
Frameworks, headquartered in Connecticut, received a growth investment from WestView Capital Partners in 2021 to develop end-to-end solutions for clinical and commercial-stage organizations in the life sciences industry. WestView Capital Partners, a Boston-based growth equity firm, focuses on investing in middle-market companies with a longstanding dedication to the life sciences services industry.
The transaction terms between Framework Solutions and ONIX Life Sciences were not disclosed.
Frameworks CEO Joe Walsh commented, "We are thrilled to welcome Jasbir and the ONIX team to Frameworks." He further emphasized, "ONIX has built an impeccable reputation in the industry and we are excited to bring Regulatory Operations services to our customers. We look forward to working with Jas as we continue to expand our suite of service offerings to best serve the clinical to commercial-stage needs of life sciences clients."
(Source – PR Newswire)
About Framework Solutions, LLC
Framework Solutions is a leading clinical to commercial solutions provider to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with the aim of promoting customer success. The company provides both strategic and tactical solutions in various fields, including Regulatory Affairs, Medical Affairs, MLR, and Commercialization. These services are reinforced by the Technology Group, which delivers tech-enabled solutions and integrated enterprise help desk and infrastructure support. Over 100 clients, from emerging biotech to large pharma, have utilized its services. Its operation centers are located in Europe, North America, and Asia, allowing us to provide these services globally.
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