Alimentary/Metabolic

Seraxis Takes Its Islet Cell Tech Into The Clinic

Seraxis Takes Its Islet Cell Tech Into The Clinic

 

Emerging Company Profile: The Maryland-based biotech is working on a functional cure for type 1 diabetes that is similar to Vertex’s VX-880 – but with some key differences.

Lilly CEO Challenges ‘Small Market’ UK To Become More Attractive To Pharma

Lilly CEO Challenges ‘Small Market’ UK To Become More Attractive To Pharma

 
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The US major is investing over $360m in new money into the UK but the country has being losing its lustre as an appealing place to invest since Brexit and needs to offer more to multinationals.

Lilly Hopes To Differentiate Omvoh In Crohn’s With Histologic Data

Lilly Hopes To Differentiate Omvoh In Crohn’s With Histologic Data

 
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The IL-23 antagonist Omvoh is under FDA/EMA review for Crohn’s disease; Lilly reported new Phase III data showing the drug is better than Stelara on multiple endpoints of histologic response.

GSK Lifted By $2.2bn Zantac Litigation Deal

GSK Lifted By $2.2bn Zantac Litigation Deal

 

The payout will bring GSK closer to resolving lawsuits which have occupied it for years – though investors are now likely to focus on new product growth concerns at the UK firm.


Sciwind Eyes Differentiation For Ecnoglutide In Highly Competitive Arena

Sciwind Eyes Differentiation For Ecnoglutide In Highly Competitive Arena

 
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Chinese firm Sciwind has revealed additional Phase III findings for its promising once-weekly GLP-1 agonist ecnoglutide, just one asset in a burgeoning Chinese sector that could see the emergence of new rivals to current global leaders in obesity and diabetes.

Viking Wins First Round In Legal Battle With Ascletis Over THRβ Agonist

Viking Wins First Round In Legal Battle With Ascletis Over THRβ Agonist

 

The US International Trade Commission looks set to ban the importation of Ascletis's THRβ agonist into the US for use in clinical trials due to an initial legal determination on potential infringement of trade secrets related to Viking's same-class candidate VK2809.

Nxera: Building To Become Japan’s Global Biotech Champion

Nxera: Building To Become Japan’s Global Biotech Champion

 

CEO Chris Cargill talks to Scrip about Sosei Heptares’ new identity as Nxera, the ups and downs of being big pharma’s go-to small-molecule drug hunter and its move into commercialization in Japan.

Roche’s Plan To Muscle In On Obesity

Roche’s Plan To Muscle In On Obesity

 

The Swiss group’s head of cardiovascular, renal and metabolism aims to speed its incretins to market, and tackle the plateauing of weight loss and muscle wastage through combinations.    


Kailera’s $400m Series A Round Funds Ambitious Obesity Plans

Kailera’s $400m Series A Round Funds Ambitious Obesity Plans

 
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A new contender emerges in obesity with pipeline assets from Jiangsu Hengrui, including a Phase III dual agonist, and an experienced team already focused on commercial hurdles.

AstraZeneca's Different Thinking On Weight Management Behind Eccogene Deal

AstraZeneca's Different Thinking On Weight Management Behind Eccogene Deal

 

Sharon Barr, AstraZeneca’s executive vice president, biopharmaceuticals R&D, in an interview with Scrip, outlines how the company is using a holistic approach to define a new competitive landscape in the weight loss sector. She also sees new frontiers for the firm and its potential partners both in China and beyond to jointly explore aimed at maintaining healthy muscle mass while decreasing body fat.

Roche Aims To ‘Raise The Bar’ With New Wave Of Blockbusters

Roche Aims To ‘Raise The Bar’ With New Wave Of Blockbusters

 

At an investor meeting in London, the Swiss company sets out plans for more disciplined decision-making to help it launch a new wave of blockbuster drugs.

Rivus Banks On Muscle Sparing For Obesity Edge

Rivus Banks On Muscle Sparing For Obesity Edge

 

More information on HU6 in obesity-related heart failure backs the company’s muscle-sparing claims, but treated patients lost less than 3% of their bodyweight.    


Novo Nordisk’s Semaglutide Shows Promise In Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Novo Nordisk’s Semaglutide Shows Promise In Hidradenitis Suppurativa

 

An academic study of GLP-1 agonist showed promise in patients with the painful skin condition but with no signs that the Danish drugmaker will pursue the indication, smaller players in the space may be interested.

Metsera Enters Race With Potential Monthly GLP-1 Injection For Obesity

Metsera Enters Race With Potential Monthly GLP-1 Injection For Obesity

 

Five months after its debut, the company plans to take its candidate, MET-097, into Phase IIb development.

Novo Nordisk’s Monlunabant Expectations Dashed By Phase II Data

Novo Nordisk’s Monlunabant Expectations Dashed By Phase II Data

 

Mid-stage clinical data show why cannabinoid receptor inverse agonism is an unfavored approach to obesity treatment.    

Aligos’s MASH Data Look Competitive, But Path Forward Is Unclear

Aligos’s MASH Data Look Competitive, But Path Forward Is Unclear

 
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Aligos’s THRβ agonist yielded hepatic fat reduction equal to or better than its class, but the biotech prefers moving forward with a partner. Hepatitis B may be the firm’s higher priority.


Vanda’s Tradipitant Gets CRL In Gastroparesis But Another NDA Filing Is Still On

Vanda’s Tradipitant Gets CRL In Gastroparesis But Another NDA Filing Is Still On

 

The company will file a new drug application with the US FDA by the end of the year for tradipitant in a different indication, motion sickness.

QL Biopharm Fires China’s First Shot At Monthly GLP-1 Obesity Drug

QL Biopharm Fires China’s First Shot At Monthly GLP-1 Obesity Drug

 

Without a placebo control arm, ZT002, a once-monthly GLP-1 receptor agonist from the Chinese biotech, reduced body weight by 17.1% from baseline at 30 weeks in Chinese obese patients, data from a Phase Ic clinical study showed.

ESMO 24: Pfizer To Take Cancer Weight Gain Drug Into Phase III

ESMO 24: Pfizer To Take Cancer Weight Gain Drug Into Phase III

 

Pfizer will talk to regulators about pivotal study designs in cachexia following promising ponsegromab Phase II data, with results from a separate study in heart failure also coming soon.

J&J’s Tremfya Gains First IBD Indication, Setting The Stage For A Big Pharma Showdown

J&J’s Tremfya Gains First IBD Indication, Setting The Stage For A Big Pharma Showdown

 

The IL-23 inhibitor was approved by the US FDA for ulcerative colitis, joining AbbVie’s Skyrizi and Lilly’s Omvoh.