Biotech - Today Stories

AbbVie has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Capstan Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, for up to $2.1 billion in cash. This acquisition includes Capstan's lead asset, CPTX2309, a potential first-in-class in vivo CAR-T therapy currently in Phase 1 development for B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. Unlike traditional ex vivo CAR-T therapies, CPTX2309 utilizes Capstan's proprietary targeted lipid nanoparticle (tLNP) platform to deliver mRNA encoding an anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor directly to CD8-expressing cytotoxic T cells within the body, eliminating the need for complex cell harvesting and manufacturing processes. The in vivo approach aims to reprogram T cells to target and deplete pathogenic B cells, potentially resetting the immune system and induc…

Pfizer has discontinued its Phase 1b/2 trial of maplirpacept (PF-07901801), a CD47-blocking agent, in combination with tafasitamab and lenalidomide for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients ineligible for stem cell transplantation. The trial, which began in August 2023, enrolled only six participants before being terminated due to recruitment challenges. Pfizer stated that the decision was not related to safety or efficacy concerns. Maplirpacept, acquired through Pfizer's $2.3 billion purchase of Trillium Therapeutics in 2021, is designed to block CD47—a protein that cancer cells use to evade immune detection. Despite this setback, Pfizer continues to explore maplirpacept's potential in other blood cancers, including multiple myeloma and acute myelocytic leu…

BioNTech has announced the acquisition of fellow German biotech CureVac in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $1.25 billion. Under the agreement, CureVac shareholders will receive about $5.46 in BioNTech American Depositary Shares (ADS) for each CureVac share, representing a 55% premium over CureVac’s recent share price.  This strategic move aims to bolster BioNTech's capabilities in developing mRNA-based cancer immunotherapies, reflecting its long-term focus on oncology beyond its COVID-19 vaccine success in partnership with Pfizer. The acquisition will also resolve ongoing patent disputes between the two companies, including a significant case involving mRNA technology.  CureVac, headquartered in Tübingen, Germany, had previously shifted its focus towards cancer treatment,…

Compass Pathways has announced that its investigational psilocybin therapy, COMP360, met the primary endpoint in its Phase 3 COMP005 trial for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The study demonstrated a statistically significant 3.6-point reduction in depressive symptoms on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) compared to placebo after six weeks . Despite this clinical success, investor response was muted, with shares declining amid concerns over the lack of detailed data and the impact of regulatory scrutiny on psychedelic treatments. The FDA's recent rejection of a similar therapy due to issues with functional unblinding has heightened caution in the sector . COMP360, a synthetic formulation of psilocybin, has received Breakthrough Therapy designation from the FDA and…

AstraZeneca has entered a strategic research collaboration with China's CSPC Pharmaceutical Group, aiming to accelerate the discovery of novel oral therapies for chronic diseases. The partnership, valued at up to $5.33 billion, focuses on leveraging CSPC's AI-driven drug discovery platform to identify pre-clinical candidates, including a small molecule oral therapy for immunological disorders . Under the agreement, CSPC will receive an upfront payment of $110 million and is eligible for up to $1.62 billion in development milestone payments and $3.6 billion in sales-based milestones, along with potential royalties on future sales . AstraZeneca will have the option to exclusively license and commercialize any successful candidates globally. The research will be conducted at CSPC's facilities…

Fortrea and Emery Pharma have announced a strategic collaboration to conduct FDA-compliant drug-drug interaction (DDI) studies utilizing rifampin. This partnership aims to address the regulatory challenges posed by nitrosamine impurities, specifically 1-methyl-4-nitrosopiperazine (MNP), found in rifampin formulations. These impurities had previously led to the suspension of rifampin's use in healthy volunteer DDI studies due to safety concerns. Rifampin is a potent inducer of cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) enzymes and has been a cornerstone in evaluating the metabolic interactions of new drug candidates. However, the detection of MNP above acceptable intake limits necessitated the exploration of alternative inducers, such as phenytoin and carbamazepine. These alternatives, while viable, do not…

Eli Lilly has announced its intention to acquire Verve Therapeutics, a biotechnology company specializing in gene-editing therapies for cardiovascular diseases, in a deal valued at up to $1.3 billion. The agreement includes an upfront payment of approximately $1 billion, offering $10.50 per share—a 113% premium over Verve's 30-day average stock price. Additionally, shareholders may receive up to $3.00 per share through a non-tradeable contingent value right (CVR), contingent upon the advancement of Verve's lead therapy, VERVE-102, into a Phase 3 clinical trial within ten years . VERVE-102 is an innovative in vivo gene-editing therapy targeting the PCSK9 gene, which plays a crucial role in regulating cholesterol levels. Currently in Phase 1b clinical trials, the therapy has received Fast Tr…

Accelerate@Babraham has unveiled its 2025 cohort, selecting five pioneering life science ventures from a competitive pool of 37 applicants—marking a 50% surge in interest. Now in its seventh year, the accelerator at Babraham Research Campus continues to nurture early-stage innovation, having already supported 32 companies and helped raise over £100m. This year’s cohort includes: AAB Research, developing EV-based cancer therapies; AmnioCam, offering a scalable stem cell-based solution for chronic wound care; Cycle Therapeutics, innovating endometriosis treatment via menstrual fluid analytics; MabGalaxy, using AI to expedite antibody drug discovery; and Sysora Health, tackling gum disease with precision antibacterial gels. The programme offers an 8-week bespoke curriculum, lab space for a ye…

Cure51, a Paris-based Techbio company decoding the biology of cancer “Outliers” – patients who beat aggressive cancers – has significantly accelerated its genomic data analysis by integrating NVIDIA’s cutting-edge GPU computing. Benchmarking with NVIDIA H100 GPUs and Parabricks tools delivered a 17x speed boost and halved processing costs compared to traditional CPU workflows. This leap is critical to Cure51’s Rosalind Study, launched in 2023, which aims to build the world’s largest dataset of cancer super-responders. With Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) at its core, read alignment was a key bottleneck – until now. GPU acceleration allows Cure51 to process data from thousands of samples efficiently, preserving quality while cutting time-to-insight. By adopting Parabricks, Cure51 seamlessly sc…

Kingston University has secured a Royal Society of Chemistry grant of nearly £10,000 to spearhead a year-long initiative focused on improving sustainability in chemical laboratory research. The project, led by Dr Gemma Shearman from the School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry, involves the development of a web-based app that enables students and researchers to evaluate and enhance the environmental impact of their lab experiments. The innovative tool allows users to input chemicals, consumables, and equipment used in experiments to generate a downloadable sticker summarising the experiment’s sustainability footprint and suggestions for improvement. It addresses a critical gap in undergraduate training by incorporating environmental considerations alongside existing risk assessments…

Northern Gritstone has committed £1.8 million to Apini, a University of Manchester spinout focused on treating chronic inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Apini is the first company to emerge from Syncona’s Slingshot Therapeutics accelerator, which launched in November 2024 with £12.5 million to support promising academic research. Apini's therapeutic approach targets eNAMPT, an enzyme linked to inflammation, aiming to treat disease without inducing immune suppression—a significant advancement over current options. The programme was founded by Professor Sam Butterworth, known for developing the globally used cancer drug Tagrisso. The funding from Northern Gritstone, alongside Syncona, will be delivered in three milestone-based tranches. Northern Gritstone’s…

The University of Hull is establishing a £48m internationally leading translational wound research centre in East Yorkshire.  With a consortium of industry partners, the Wound Innovation Centre (WIC) will be at the forefront of global wound research. Research carried out at the centre will transform the quality of life for those impacted by chronic wounds.  The University has been awarded £16m from the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund. The centre will be match funded by industry partners including Polaroid Therapeutics (PTx) and Reckitt, creating a £48m research facility in East Yorkshire.  Currently the NHS spends approximately £8.3 billion per year on wound care, more than both obesity and cancer. There is a real and increasing need for effective wound care treatment, regionally,…

21 May 2025 – Ramsey, Isle of Man – Juvenescence Ltd., a clinical-stage biotech leveraging AI to target age-related diseases, has announced the successful first close of its Series B-1 financing round, raising $76 million. The round was led by Abu Dhabi-based M42, which also enters a strategic partnership with Juvenescence to advance AI-driven therapeutics. The fresh capital will propel Juvenescence’s pipeline of age-related disease therapies into later-stage clinical trials, with the second tranche of the Series B-1 round expected to close in Q3 2025. This financing follows the announcement of a landmark collaboration between Juvenescence and M42, aimed at establishing a cutting-edge drug development hub in Abu Dhabi. The initiative will merge M42’s capabilities in digital health, genomic…

Simris Group's Q1 2025 report released today, highlights a period of significant focus on advancing their ADC payload development, particularly with promising early data for their microcystin variants. While revenue has decreased, operational efficiency shows improvement. The company is actively managing its financial position through various loan agreements and is streamlining operations through the sale of the Hammenhög facility. The positive preclinical data, coupled with the emphasis on further studies and optimisation, positions the company for potential future milestones in targeted cancer therapy. The exploration of broader applications and the strength of their IP portfolio also indicate potential for diversification and long-term growth.

FDA’s two designations demonstrate KER-0193’s potential as a treatment for FXS Follows the successful completion of Phase 1 clinical trial Fragile X syndrome is the most common cause of inherited autism London, UK, 14 May 2025 – Kaerus Bioscience (“Kaerus” or “the Company”), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company created by Medicxi for the development of therapeutics for rare genetic syndromes of neurodevelopment, today announces that its lead candidate KER-0193 has been granted both Orphan Drug Designation and Rare Pediatric Drug Designations for the treatment of Fragile X syndrome (FXS) by the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). It follows the recent successful completion of a Phase 1 trial of KER-0193 in healthy volunteers, which confirmed the drug to be safe, well tolerated…

France, 30 April 2025 – It is official: Opella is now a standalone company. Sanofi announced today the closing of the sale to CD&R of a 50.0% controlling stake of Opella, Sanofi keeping a significant shareholding with a 48.2% stake and Bpifrance owning a 1.8% stake. Opella is stepping into its next chapter with powerful backing, and a clear mission - “Health in Your Hands” - making self-care as simple as it should be.This is not just a change of ownership. This is a bold move. As the purest and third-largest global player in the €190 billion Over-The-Counter and Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements space, Opella is set to lead in one of the most dynamic,  resilient corners of healthcare – where megatrends like aging populations, digital access, and self-care demand are rewriting the rule…

Asimov, the synthetic biology company advancing the design and manufacture of therapeutics, is collaborating with Cytiva, a global life sciences leader, to provide customers with an integrated offering for optimized biologics production. The new offering will provide seamless access to Asimov’s CHO Edge cell line development platform, Cytiva's HyClone media and feed solutions, and Cytiva’s Fast Trak process development services. Together, these services and technologies enable the expression and development of protein biologics, including complex modalities, that hold the potential to significantly impact human health.  Alec Nielsen, co-founder and CEO of Asimov, says: “Central to this collaboration is the extensive optimization of our CHO Edge System in Cytiva’s HyClone media and feed, en…

Lund, Sweden, 24 April 2025. Hansa Biopharma AB, “Hansa” (Nasdaq Stockholm: HNSA) today announced the appointment of Renée Aguiar-Lucander as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately. Søren Tulstrup will be stepping down from his position by mutual agreement as CEO after seven years of dedicated service to the Company. “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to extend our gratitude to Søren for his leadership and significant contribution to the company during his tenure. Under his guidance, Hansa has evolved from a clinical-stage company into a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical organization, navigating both transformative progress and substantial challenges. We deeply appreciate Søren’s commitment to the Company and wish him every success in his future endeavors,” s…

In-licensing transforms Mosaic from a research and platform company to a clinical-stage oncology business Mosaic will develop proprietary, targeted combination products, supported by proprietary biomarkers, to realise the full potential of the assets As part of the agreement Astex has taken an equity stake in Mosaic Cambridge, UK, 24 April 2025 – Mosaic Therapeutics, Ltd (‘Mosaic’, or ‘the Company’) a targeted oncology therapeutics company dedicated to resolving cancer’s complexity with new combination therapies for patients, today announces the in-licensing of two clinical-stage oncology programs from Astex Pharmaceuticals (‘Astex’), a wholly owned subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. Mosaic has identified proprietary combinations incorporating the licensed products and their ta…

Roche has announced a $50 billion investment in the United States over the next five years, aiming to create over 12,000 jobs. This strategic move is in response to potential tariffs from the Trump administration targeting Swiss pharmaceutical imports. The investment will expand manufacturing and distribution centers in Kentucky, Indiana, New Jersey, and California. New facilities include a gene therapy plant in Pennsylvania, a continuous glucose monitoring site in Indiana, a weight loss drug factory at an undisclosed location, and a cardiovascular, renal, and metabolism research center in Massachusetts. CEO Thomas Schinecker emphasized that this initiative will position Roche to export more medicines from the U.S. than it imports, reinforcing the company's commitment to U.S. innovation an…