Cardiovascular

Scrip Asks... What Does 2025 Hold For Biopharma? Part 6: Therapeutic Area Advances

 

Over 140 biopharma leaders share their views on developments to watch for in key therapeutic areas this year. Advances in multiple scientific fields are opening up new avenues for treatment.

Novartis Welcomes Abelacimab Back Into The Fold With Anthos Acquisition

 
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The Swiss major may have to pay over $3bn for the dual-acting Factor XI/XIa inhibitor that it originally developed before the drug was passed on to Anthos Therapeutics, founded by private equity firm Blackstone and the Swiss major in 2019.

AstraZeneca’s $80bn Ambition Riding On This Year’s Phase III Readouts

 

The company needs a string of Phase III wins this year to keep on track to reach $80bn revenues in 2030, with analysts still skeptical. Meanwhile, investors were relieved to learn that any fine related to a China corruption probe would be relatively modest.

Merck Halts Another Winrevair Study Early

 
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The Phase III HYPERION study in recently diagnosed PAH is ending early due to sotatercept’s strength. Phase III ZENITH similarly stopped early in November.


Tectonic’s Plates Shift On Positive Phase Ib PH-HFpEF Data

 

The company announced data that exceeded expectations and prompted a jump in its stock price shortly after its shares plunged on news of a related Lilly drug’s discontinuation.

10 Clinical Trials Of 2024 – Hits, Misses And Some In Between

 

While quieter than some recent years, 2024 did produce several clinical trial readouts destined to have an impact on their respective markets. Here, in roughly chronological order, Scrip takes a look at the 10 clinical stories that got readers clicking the most over the past 12 months.

Idorsia On The Edge Again As Aprocitentan Deal Stalls

 
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The Swiss group has had an up and down year and it is not ending well, as the proposed sale of its recently-approved antihypertensive Tryvio has been delayed.

Stock Watch: AHA Conference Disappointments

 
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Presenting data or announcing a licensing transaction at an appropriately themed conference would normally be expected to be viewed favorably by investors. This is not always the case, however.


Idorsia And Medigene Cut Jobs To Keep Going

 

Both companies are seeking to license their products as they try to stretch their dwindling cash.

BridgeBio’s Attruby Could Benefit From ‘Best-Case’ Label, Lower Price

 

The US FDA approved the TTR-stabilizing drug for ATTR-CM, with the drugmaker pricing it below that of Pfizer’s Vyndaqel/Vyndamax.

NewAmsterdam’s Obicetrapib Boosts Approval Potential With Positive Combo Data

 

The company announced results of the TANDEM study combining the CETP inhibitor with ezetimibe, following successful monotherapy trial data announced in July

Could Lilly’s Muvalaplin Be An Lp(a) Dark Horse?

 

The drug maker’s muvalaplin is only in Phase II – behind candidates from Amgen and Novartis – but an analyst said it has “mega-blockbuster” potential, assuming it has the right biological activity.


Four Themes For The Jefferies London Conference

 

Among the major topics at the conference this week will be the impact on global biopharma of the upcoming Trump administration, frenetic activity in the obesity field, and hopes of increased funding for UK biotech companies.

Novo Bares Its SOUL To Uncertain Effect

 

A mild benefit in the CV outcomes trial of Rybelsus means a likely label expansion in diabetes patients, but probably not vastly increased sales.

AstraZeneca Shows Cardiovascular Ambition With Lipoprotein Disruptor Deal

 

The $100m upfront deal help AZ to fill out its cardiovascular, renal and metabolism portfolio, now joining Lilly in seeking to develop an oral Lp(a)-targeting therapy.

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 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.

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.

Edgewise’s Early Cardiomyopathy Data Builds Case For A Blockbuster

 

The EDG-7500 results have seen the company’s share price rocket, thanks to a potential advantage over existing treatments for the rare heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Roche Opens New Swiss R&D Center – And Maintains Genentech Independence

 

New hi-tech labs in Basel are aimed at boosting Roche’s R&D productivity, but despite streamlining in San Francisco, its twin-track drug discovery with Genentech will remain.