Immunology

LTZ Therapeutics and Beijing Sungen Biomedical are among the Chinese biotechs raising new funding, of around $40m each, based on their clinical assets with novel mechanisms of action. While fundings have risen, they remain moderate however.

CEO Judy Chou brings big pharma experience to tackle chronic inflammation with the company's first-in-class PSGL-1 targeting therapy.

Pursuing first-in-class molecular glue degraders using undruggable targets could eventually help Degron Therapeutics land sizable asset-based deals, CEO Lily Zou tells Scrip.

Vera is the first company to report Phase III data for a dual inhibitor of APRIL and BAFF in IgA nephropathy. Atacicept provided a 42% placebo-adjusted reduction in proteinuria.

Roivant president Eric Venker was named CEO of Immunovant to guarantee execution of the development plan for IMVT-1402 in six indications, now including Sjögren’s disease and cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

The company presented positive Phase III data from a subset analysis of ICONIC-LEAD comprising patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Organon has swelled its immunology biosimilar portfolio after acquiring the US commercial rights to Bio-Thera’s tocilizumab biosimilar from Biogen, which last year decided to retain its interests in biosimilars following a lengthy strategic review.

The four-year-old firm said it plans to advance programs toward the clinic from the funding round, which comes just over a year after signing two major pharma partnerships.

Neutrophil Extracellular Traps are a double-edged sword in the immune system, capable of both defending against pathogens and driving inflammatory diseases. Their complex role in health and disease is being approached by innovative researchers and biotechs, who are working to harness their power while mitigating their harmful effects.

Two investigational products have made it onto the European Medicines Agency’s priority medicines scheme so far this year. Meanwhile, of the 14 products that entered the scheme last year, six were advanced therapies.

CEO Christopher Viehbacher has said repeatedly that Biogen will build its pipeline internally and through deals, and Grogan reshuffled the research organization with that in mind.

Ouro Medicines, founded by Monograph Capital and GSK and helmed by HI-Bio veterans, aims to reset the immune system in B-cell-mediated diseases with options that are not CAR-T therapies.