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Monopar Breathes New Life Into AstraZeneca’s Wilson Disease Drug

 
• By Kevin Grogan

Despite a successful Phase III study of ALXN-1840 for the inherited disorder that prevents the liver from filtering copper out of the body, the UK major's rare disease division Alexion pulled the plug on the program last summer. However, Illinois-based biotech Monopar is confident in its potential.

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It is not often that a big pharma is tapped by a small player for a deal but the markets have reacted well to Monopar Therapeutics’ move to license AstraZeneca’s late-stage Wilson’s disease drug and reunite its CEO with a drug he worked on a couple of decades ago.

Monopar has entered into an agreement with Alexion, AstraZeneca’s rare disease unit, for an exclusive worldwide license to ALXN-1840 (bis-choline tetrathiomolybdate) for Wilson, a rare and progressive genetic condition caused by variants in the ATP7B gene and characterized by a build-up of toxic copper levels in the liver, brain and other organs

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A Short History Of MASH Deals, Culminating In GSK/Boston Pharma

 
• By Joseph Haas

Both high-profile failures and small investments that are yielding success so far characterize the dealmaking in MASH over the past 15 years or so.

BioMarin’s $270m Inozyme Buy Fits Right Into Enzyme Therapy Business

 
• By Mandy Jackson

BioMarin’s chief business officer James Sabry told Scrip that Inozyme’s enzyme replacement therapy INZ-701 aligns with the company’s existing portfolio and its areas of dealmaking focus.

Will Other Major MASH Deals Follow GSK/Boston Pharma?

 
• By Joseph Haas

GSK’s $1.2bn payout for Boston Pharma’s efimosfermin is the first billion-dollar-plus MASH deal in nearly nine years, but several other advanced MASH programs could be positioned for takeout.

AbbVie Pays $335m Up Front To Partner With ADARx On siRNA Therapeutics

 
• By Mandy Jackson

ADARx CEO Zhen Li told Scrip the collaborators will advance novel siRNA medicines, but ADARx retains its clinical-stage and many preclinical programs and remains open to more deals.

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