Olivia Vizier

Boasting antibody-cell conjugation, Acepodia licenses out two cell therapies to JW Therapeutics

Taiwan biotech Acepodia Inc., of Burlingame, Calif., and Taipei, has licensed out two of its cell therapy candidates, ACE-1702 and ACE-1655, to Chinese CAR T therapy developer JW Therapeutics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. to develop and commercialize them in China, Hong Kong and Macau. Acepodia will receive up-front and milestone payments from JW Therapeutics, plus royalties

Boasting antibody-cell conjugation, Acepodia licenses out two cell therapies to JW Therapeutics Read More »

Covid-19 pandemic: the need for second-generation vaccines

It is astounding how quickly Covid-19 vaccines have progressed into and through clinical trials. However, there are concerns that these vaccines may not be particularly effective at preventing Covid-19 infections in the long-term, leading to the need for improved, next-generation vaccines against this novel coronavirus. One pair of companies working on the next phase of

Covid-19 pandemic: the need for second-generation vaccines Read More »

Cerevance Is Exploring the Brain at Depths Never Before Possible

Neurodegenerative and other central nervous system disorders are some of the hardest to develop treatments for due to our limited understanding of the brain. But Cerevance developed a new technology capable of profiling neuronal and glial cell populations at depths not previously possible, which is allowing the clinical-stage pharmaceutical company to identify potential drug targets in specific

Cerevance Is Exploring the Brain at Depths Never Before Possible Read More »

empowered

Once Nightly Treatment for Narcolepsy and Other Sleep Disorders with Dr. Jordan Dubow Avadel Pharmaceuticals

Dr. Jordan Dubow, Chief Medical Officer, Avadel Pharmaceuticals, intent on improving drug delivery technology, is focusing on narcolepsy, a disease that causes severe excessive sleepiness and in many cases cataplexy.  While there seems to be a genetic predisposition for narcolepsy, like many neurological diseases, this rare disease is difficult to diagnose with medicines that treat

Once Nightly Treatment for Narcolepsy and Other Sleep Disorders with Dr. Jordan Dubow Avadel Pharmaceuticals Read More »

PharmaExec

Launching during Lockdown

At the end of April, Immunomedics (Morris Plains, N.J), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) for hard-to-treat cancers, received FDA accelerated approval for its first ADC, Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy). Although COVID-19 was by then in full swing, the company nonetheless pushed ahead with its launch strategy. Thanks to preparations it had begun making in

Launching during Lockdown Read More »

empowered

New Class of Synthetic Polymer-Antibiotics Overcomes Antibiotic Resistance with Michele Dilizia Recce Pharmaceuticals

Michele Dilizia, Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs and Microbiology, Recce Pharmaceuticals discusses why Recce is focused on developing a new class of broad spectrum synthetic polymer-antibiotics that can be used repeatedly against a wide range of bacteria without contributing to antibiotic resistance.  Michele also speaks to how Recce® 327, Recce’s lead asset, is designed to empower

New Class of Synthetic Polymer-Antibiotics Overcomes Antibiotic Resistance with Michele Dilizia Recce Pharmaceuticals Read More »

pharma's almanac

Epigenetic Regulation To Treat Acute Organ Injury And Chronic Liver Diseases

DURECT Corporation is advancing an epigenetic regulator program aimed at developing products to treat acute AH and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a type of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. DURECT’s therapeutics in development have the potential to treat multiple organ injury and chronic liver diseases.

Epigenetic Regulation To Treat Acute Organ Injury And Chronic Liver Diseases Read More »

Jeff Wolf: Congress and the administration: Seniors and certain minority groups need a ‘super-vaccine’

The critical difference is that older patients and those who are immune-compromised tend to lack a robust T-cell response, which Heat Biologics believes is important in preventing the disease. With the typical flu, seniors are often prescribed a double-dose of vaccine to compensate for their inability to mount an effective adaptive response. This approach, however,

Jeff Wolf: Congress and the administration: Seniors and certain minority groups need a ‘super-vaccine’ Read More »

Aligos Therapeutics — The Next Step Of Lawrence Blatt’s Entrepreneurial Expedition

Not long ago, someone asked Lawrence Blatt, Ph.D., the probability that one of his company’s drugs would be successful. “I don’t want to think about that,” responded the CEO of Aligos Therapeutics. Blatt wasn’t trying to be coy; he knew the answer, and he knew it wouldn’t sound good.

Aligos Therapeutics — The Next Step Of Lawrence Blatt’s Entrepreneurial Expedition Read More »

Chiasma secures FDA approval for acromegaly pill Mycapssa years after near-catastrophic rejection

Chiasma’s Mycapssa (octreotide) has become the first FDA-approved oral therapy to treat acromegaly, a rare disorder in which overproduction of human growth hormone leads to abnormal enlargement of patients’ extremities and internal organs, the drugmaker said.

Chiasma secures FDA approval for acromegaly pill Mycapssa years after near-catastrophic rejection Read More »

Global genes

Treating Huntington’s Disease by Addressing Neuroinflammation

Huntington’s disease is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative condition that is without any disease-modifying therapies today. Vaccinex is developing an experimental therapy designed to treat Huntington’s disease by addressing neuroinflammation, a hallmark of the condition that it shares with other neurodegenerative diseases.

Treating Huntington’s Disease by Addressing Neuroinflammation Read More »

Former Sen. Harry Reid Says He’s in ‘Complete Remission’ After Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

Dr. Soon-Shiong tells PEOPLE he’s working to create a more universal cancer treatment by rethinking how we use radiation to target cancer cells – and that Reid is proof it can work. Instead of blasting the body with high doses of radiation, the doctor says the method he’s testing “tickles” the cancer cells to wake

Former Sen. Harry Reid Says He’s in ‘Complete Remission’ After Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Read More »

New emergency COVID-19 drug in testing phase excites South Florida doctors

Dr. Jonathan Javitt, the CEO of NeuroRx, said, “We’re talking to people who have critical COVID-19, with respiratory failure. That is people whose lungs have been affected by the COVID virus, such that their lungs don’t send oxygen properly to their bodies. Then the drug will be available at every hospital.”

New emergency COVID-19 drug in testing phase excites South Florida doctors Read More »

Yeliva see anything: Redhill calls out opaganib’s promise in COVID-19

Redhill Biopharma Ltd.’s chief operating officer, Gilead Raday, told BioWorld that the firm will build on positive results in severe COVID-19 patients with oral opaganib, a first-in-class sphingosine kinase-2 inhibitor that the company has branded Yeliva, and could seek emergency use authorization based on data due by year-end.

Yeliva see anything: Redhill calls out opaganib’s promise in COVID-19 Read More »

Mechanistic Action: Genesis Of A Biologics Pipeline?

It’s early days for Cue Biopharma’s CUE-101, the lead candidate in its IL-2-based CUE-100 Series. In pre-clinical studies, CUE-101 has demonstrated selective binding and preferential activation and expansion of antigen-specific T cells, dose-dependent effector cytokine production, and inhibition of tumor growth both as a monotherapy and in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor. Its first in-human

Mechanistic Action: Genesis Of A Biologics Pipeline? Read More »

No-one left behind: ensuring Covid-19 vaccines are effective in at-risk groups

Despite being most at risk from Covid-19, older people and those with compromised immune systems are unlikely to reap much benefit from Covid-19 vaccines, which are the main way we can overcome the viral pandemic. US-based Heat Biologics believes it has the answer to give extra protection to those with less robust immune systems.

No-one left behind: ensuring Covid-19 vaccines are effective in at-risk groups Read More »