1. In Vivo
  2. >>Archive

Innovating in the Industry's Backwaters: TransForm's Deals with Lilly and Alza

Too often, new discovery platforms brought in from biotechs have increased the risk and complexity of the R&D process. Drug companies have begun to recognize this and have been cutting back on their discovery dealmaking. Thus, at a time when many platform-based start-ups are having trouble interesting Big Pharma in dealmaking, it is notable that TransForm Pharmaceuticals has managed to announce two major deals this month, both of which explicitly address the issue of R&D risk.

Innovation—the catechism of those who would save the drug industry—has its dark side: the increased risk of failure at a time when the business can ill afford it. On the one hand, the drug industry continues to equate novelty with new molecular entities (NMEs). On the other, the industry focuses substantial energy on the novel targets of genomics and proteomics, and the novel chemistries created for them, thus substantially increasing the level of R&D risk—it's far less risky, scientifically, to pursue a target many researchers have already explored than one you've discovered yourself.

Drug companies have begun to recognize this unfortunate circumstance and have been cutting back on their discovery dealmaking: too often,...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on In Vivo for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required
Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber?

More from Archive

Final Chance To Have Your Say: Take Our Reader Survey This Week

 
• By Eleanor Malone

Editor’s note: This is your final call to participate in the survey to better understand our subscribers’ content and delivery needs. The deadline is 20 September.

Early Development Deals: Ipsen's Strategy For Biomarker-Driven Success

 
• By Eliza Slawther

Mary Jane Hinrichs, Ipsen’s head of early development, talks to In Vivo about getting ahead of the competition by securing deals for candidates before they enter Phase I trials.   

Shape Our Content: Take The Reader Survey

 
• By Eleanor Malone

Editor’s note: We are conducting a survey to better understand our subscribers’ content and delivery needs. If there are any changes you’d like to see in the coverage topics, content format or the method in which you receive and access In Vivo, or if you love it how it is, now is the time to have your voice heard.

In Partnership with Cerba Research

Prioritizing Safety in CAR-T Therapy: Patient Monitoring with Cerba Research’s Testing Portfolio

The cell and gene therapy (CGT) clinical trial landscape in general and CAR-T cell clinical trials in particular are a special focus for the FDA, EMA, and other regulatory agencies. The whole industry is thus aware of the recent FDA safety investigation and requirements for labeling CAR therapy products.

More from In Vivo

When Simple Is Best: A Pre-Term Birth Device To End The ‘Silent Emergency’

 
• By Ashley Yeo

The Lioness non-surgical silicon ring implant is designed to put an end to pre-term births, sparing maternal anguish and saving health system costs. PregnanTech won the Biomed Israel 2025 medtech start-up award, and Limor Sandach told In Vivo how a non-digital technology beat off stiff competition.

Rising leaders 2025: Aneesh Karatt-Vellatt On Maxion Therapeutics’ Antibody Revolution

 
• By Jo Shorthouse

Aneesh Karatt-Vellatt is leading the charge to redefine how ion channels and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are targeted with antibody therapies, one of the most notoriously challenging classes of drug targets.

Podcast: Scancell’s Cancer Vaccine Progress With NHS Partnership

 
• By Jo Shorthouse

In the latest podcast interview, Phil L'Huillier, CEO of Scancell, discussed the company's work in cancer vaccine development, and its selection as the first British biotech to be a part of the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad.