Respiratory
In its second deal this week alone, GSK has bought a pulmonary arterial hypertension drug with the acquisition of Canada’s 35Pharma for nearly $1bn.
With Phase IIb initiation planned in the second quarter, Altesa is advancing an antiviral candidate in COPD that aims to address viral triggers rather than underlying inflammation alone.
2026 has already seen some interesting late-stage trial readouts, from Sanofi’s anti-OX40L antibody, amlitelimab, in atopic dermatitis to Vertex’s APRIL/BAFF inhibitor, povetacicept, in IgA nephropathy. Here Scrip surveys of some of the more interesting Phase III clinical trials still to come.
The company announced topline results from its Phase II VALIANT trial, which follow chronic rhinosinusitis data that it announced in September.
The launch of Brinsupri has attracted attention, but the company also has several other late-stage opportunities. CMO Martina Flammer talked to Scrip about the pipeline.
Cereno’s decision to include PH-ILD in CS014’s development strategy positions the asset for a Phase II study in a rare indication with limited treatment options, while maintaining its original relevance in IPF.
CEO Ahmed Mousa believes buloxibutid represents a real breakthrough.
The company’s debut reinforces a trend for US biotechs being launched based on China-developed assets.
Insmed’s brensocatib has comprehensively failed in a mid-stage study in chronic rhinosinusitis, which would have been a second potential blockbuster indication for the DPP1 inhibitor.
The US FDA approved the biologic as a twice-yearly add-on for patients with severe asthma with an eosinophilic phenotype.
Subsidiary Pulmovant plans to report Phase II data in pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease in 2026, one of several programs highlighted during an investor event.
Ohtuvayre is off to a great start in the US but Verona's new owner MSD has pulled the file from the EMA for the closely-watched chronic obstructive pulmonary disease drug.
Boehringer’s PDE4B inhibitor Jascayd was approved for IPF in China on Oct. 22, marking its second nod globally soon after the US. The German firm discusses with Scrip the opportunities and challenges in this market.
The departing CEO announced improved full-year sales and profit forecasts before handing over to Luke Miels in January; he will then have to deliver on GSK’s upgraded forecast of £40bn revenues in 2031.
Its licensing deal with Empirico for EMP-012 opens up the potential to treat a broader range of COPD patients compared with existing therapies.
The PDE4B inhibitor brings a new mechanism of action to the challenging respiratory disease and is the first drug approved for the indication in more than a decade.
Doors open at £150m vaccine facility which forms part of a £1bn investment in the country on the part of Moderna, as other firms head for the exit.
AstraZeneca’s IL-5 blocker has again missed in COPD, adding to a number of disappointments for biologics in this disease. Complex biology and overlapping inflammatory pathways seem to be at the heart of the problem.
The company announced positive topline Phase III results for the first of a series of Phase III studies of the drug in inadequately controlled disease.
The company reported that the Phase III EFZO-FIT trial in pulmonary sarcoidosis did not meet the primary endpoint, but showed improvement on a secondary endpoint.