Pharmaco - Today Stories

Elecsys IGRA SARS-CoV-2 test supports the better understanding of immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination The test detects T-cell response, which may play an important role in determining if immune protection has been achieved The new diagnostic test may provide clinical care guidance, particularly for immunocompromised and high-risk patient groups Basel, 15 August 2022 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced the launch of the Elecsys® IGRA SARS-CoV-2 test in countries that accept the CE Mark1. The Elecsys IGRA SARS-CoV-2 test supports the better understanding of immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. The test will be an additional tool to make better-informed decisions around care, sanitary measures and treatment options. This will be partic…

AstraZeneca has completed the acquisition of TeneoTwo, Inc. (TeneoTwo)i, including its Phase I clinical-stage CD19/CD3 T-cell engager, TNB-486, currently under evaluation in relapsed and refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.1 AstraZeneca will develop TNB-486 as a potential new medicine for B-cell haematologic malignancies. Financial considerationsAstraZeneca has acquired all outstanding equity of TeneoTwo in exchange for an upfront payment of $100m. Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will make additional contingent R&D-related milestone payments of up to $805m and additional contingent commercial-related milestone payments of up to $360m to TeneoTwo’s former equity holders. This acquisition did not include the transfer of people or facilities. iTeneoTwo, Inc., is a major…

Leading pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) SGS Quay Pharma has received its Queen’s Award for Enterprise. The award was presented by the Lord Lieutenant of Clwyd, Henry Fetherstonhaugh, OBE, in a special ceremony at the company’s global headquarters in Deeside Industrial Park, Flintshire. The Queen’s Award for Enterprise is the UK’s highest accolade for business success. SGS Quay Pharma won its award for International Trade, recognising in particular the strength of its export sales which, since 2010, have always been over 55% of its business. In the last three years, overseas sales have more than doubled. SGS Quay Pharma has enjoyed notable success in the United States, where it has now opened a dedicated sales office and development and manufacturin…

Research team ‘EDC’ will study ‘Extrachromosomal DNA in Cancer’. With this project, the two partners launch their ninth collaboration, seven of which have been in the field of oncology. Heidelberg, August 1, 2022. BioMed X, a German independent research institute, announces the start of its new research project ‘Extrachromosomal DNA in Cancer’ (EDC) in collaboration with Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. The main objective of this research group is to develop an atlas of extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) in human cancer tissues and thereby trace back the mechanisms of ecDNA formation and function. Like the name suggests, extrachromosomal DNA refers to DNA sequences that are not located on chromosomes. Moreover, cancer-associated extrachromosomal DNA usually contains oncog…

Clinical Development Business to be a Leading, Pure-Play Contract Research Organization with a Comprehensive Set of Clinical Trial Management, Market Access and Technology Capabilities Labcorp Remains a Leader in the Laboratory Market with Highly Complementary, Laboratory-Focused Businesses including Routine and Esoteric Labs, Central Labs and Early Development Research Labs Transaction Designed to Create Value Through Enhanced Strategic and Operational Focus Labcorp to Discuss Spin-off and Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results at 9:00 a.m. ET Today BURLINGTON, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul. 28, 2022-- Labcorp (NYSE: LH) (the “Company”), a leading global life sciences company, today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the Company to pursue a spin-off of the Company’s wholly…

Receives Designation as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion BURLINGTON, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul. 22, 2022-- Labcorp (NYSE: LH), a leading global life sciences company, today announced that it scored 100, the highest score possible, on the 2022 Disability Equality Index® (DEI), a comprehensive benchmarking tool for measuring disability inclusion in the workplace. The DEI, a joint initiative by Disability:IN® and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), exists to help businesses make a positive impact on the unemployment and underemployment of people with disabilities. With its score, Labcorp was also designated as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion. The DEI is scored on six categories: Culture & Leadership, Enterprise-Wide Access, Employment P…

Collaboration to kick off at “The Power of a Dream” National Convention in Orlando, Fla. to bridge professional diversity gaps to emphasize importance of health equity for communities of color PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bristol Myers Squibb NYSE (BMY) announced the first biopharma three-year exclusive collaboration with the premier African American Family Organization, Jack and Jill of America, Inc. to inspire more Black and African American individuals to join the biopharma industry to assist in creating more equity and better health outcomes for all patients through student engagement. The strategic alliance is an extension of BMS’ Tomorrow’s Innovators Historically Black College (HBCU) initiative launched with the goal of creating a sustainable bridge of talent to the biopharm…

FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced an $85 million contribution to the Gilead Foundation to further the company's vision of creating a healthier world for all people. This donation builds on the endowment Gilead announced last year to recapitalize the Gilead Foundation, with a new vision and mission to create impact in the community and society by encouraging a culture of giving, engaging in local communities and exploring innovative approaches to complex social issues. “Our additional contribution to the Gilead Foundation demonstrates our continued commitment to supporting communities and advancing health equity,” said Andrew Dickinson, Chief Financial Officer, Gilead Sciences and Director, Gilead Foundation. “We are proud to dedicat…

Elecsys HCV Duo is the first commercially available immunoassay that allows the simultaneous and independent determination of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigen and antibody status. The Elecsys HCV Duo immunoassay enables significantly earlier diagnosis of active HCV infection, making it possible to get patients appropriate care sooner to stop both the disease progression and transmission. Basel, 18 July 2022 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced the launch of the Elecsys® HCV Duo immunoassay in countries that accept the CE Mark. Elecsys HCV Duo is the first available immunoassay that allows the simultaneous and independent determination of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigen and antibody status from a single human plasma or serum sample. This means that the test can be u…

Orion to receive an upfront payment of USD 290 million Agreement strengthens and complements Merck’s oncology pipeline RAHWAY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and Orion Corporation (“Orion”) today announced a global development and commercialization agreement for Orion’s investigational candidate ODM-208 and other drugs targeting cytochrome P450 11A1 (CYP11A1), an enzyme important in steroid production. ODM-208 is an oral, non-steroidal inhibitor of CYP11A1 currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Under the terms of the agreement, Orion and Merck, acting through its subsidiary, Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, will co-develop a…

Test Measures Key Biomarker Associated with Neuronal Damage; Assists in Diagnosis of Diseases Including Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Concussions BURLINGTON, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul. 13, 2022-- Labcorp (NYSE: LH), a leading global life sciences company, today announced the launch of the first widely accessible test that provides direct evidence of neurodegeneration and neuronal injury. The new Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL) blood test will allow doctors to identify and verify signs of neurodegenerative disease, enabling physicians to provide a more effective and efficient path to diagnosis and treatment for patients. Elevated NfL levels signal neuronal injury, whether from diseases like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, or from brain injury, such as wi…

BURLINGTON, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul. 11, 2022-- Labcorp (NYSE: LH), a leading global life sciences company, today announced it has formed a strategic partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center Foundation Spain, a non-profit organization whose objectives are to beat cancer and to increase accessibility of early phase oncology clinical trials. Through this collaboration, oncology clinical trials managed by Labcorp Drug Development will be prioritized and conducted at MD Anderson Cancer Center Foundation Spain, representing a new model for future trials. “This collaboration will help accelerate the discovery and development of cancer therapies worldwide,” said Prasanth Reddy, M.D., MPH, FACP, senior vice president and oncology head at Labcorp. “Early phase clinical research in people with…

ViaCyte brings tools, technologies and assets with potential to accelerate development of VX-880, Vertex’s fully differentiated, insulin-producing, stem cell derived islets ViaCyte to be acquired for $320 million in cash BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul. 11, 2022-- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced that the company has entered into a definitive agreement under which Vertex will acquire ViaCyte, a privately held biotechnology company focused on delivering novel stem cell-derived cell replacement therapies as a functional cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D), for $320 million in cash. “VX-880 has successfully demonstrated clinical proof of concept in T1D, and the acquisition of ViaCyte will accelerate our goal of transforming, if not curing T1D by expanding our capab…

France and Germany, July 6, 2022 – Boehringer Ingelheim, a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, the life science company Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809; NASDAQ: EVO) and bioMérieux, a world leader in in vitro diagnostics, announced today that they have formed a joint venture to create the next generation of antimicrobials along with actionable diagnostics to fight Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). The resulting company, Aurobac Therapeutics SAS, will combine the best capabilities of the three founding companies towards developing a new precision medicine approach, from diagnosis to cure. The aspiration is to succeed in the fight against AMR, which is a major public health threat. Having routine surgery such as caesarean sections or hip…

London, 05 July 2022 — Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK announces the launch of the Novartis Biome UK Heart Health Catalyst 2022, in a world-first investor partnership with Medtronic ltd, RYSE Asset Management, and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and its official charity CW+. The ambitious initiative has a bold aim – to identify and implement solutions that empower patients to improve their heart health, and to help prevent future heart attacks or strokes through home-based digital solutions. The focus is on the major risk factors, non-invasive ways of lipid testing and blood pressure management using software as a medical device (SaMD). Applications are open to health-tech start-up founders, researchers, and technologists working on innovative solutions to enable system-w…

TNB-486 will be evaluated in multiple types of lymphoma AstraZeneca today announced an agreement to acquire TeneoTwo, Inc. (TeneoTwo)i, including its Phase I clinical-stage CD19/CD3 T-cell engager, TNB-486, currently under evaluation in relapsed and refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma1. The acquisition of TNB-486 aims to accelerate the development of this potential new medicine for B-cell haematologic malignancies, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma. Building on the success of Calquence (acalabrutinib), TNB-486 further diversifies AstraZeneca’s haematology pipeline that spans multiple therapeutic modalities and mechanisms to address a broad spectrum of blood cancers. TNB-486 belongs to a class of therapeutic antibodies known as T-cell engagers, which a…

Medicines, including insulin, to be available in 40 lower-income countries Investment fund established to help create sustainable health systems Announcements comes as Global Health stakeholders gather in Paris Paris – July 4, 2022 – Sanofi Global Health announces the launch of Impact®, a new brand of standard of care medicines produced by Sanofi dedicated for nonprofit distribution to at-risk populations in the world’s most impoverished countries. The Impact® brand, which includes insulin, glibenclamide and oxaliplatin amonst others, will enable the secure distribution of 30 Sanofi medicines in 40 lower-income countries. Considered essential by the World Health Organization, the medicines cover a wide range of therapeutic areas, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, tuberculosis,…

Pfizer will invest €90.5 million in Valneva Planned Phase 3 study confirmed to initiate in Q3 2022 SAINT-HERBLAIN, France & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Valneva SE (Nasdaq: VALN; Euronext Paris: VLA), a specialty vaccine company, and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today announced that they have entered into an Equity Subscription Agreement and have updated the terms of their Collaboration and License Agreement for Lyme disease vaccine candidate VLA15. As previously announced on April 26, 2022, Pfizer plans to initiate the Phase 3 study of VLA15 in the third quarter of 2022. As part of the Equity Subscription Agreement, Pfizer will invest €90.5 ($95) million in Valneva, representing 8.1% of Valneva’s share capital at a price of €9.49 per share, through a reserved capital increase to further s…

Ingelheim, Germany and San Diego, CA, June 14, 2022 – Boehringer Ingelheim today announced the signing of an option to acquire Trutino Biosciences Inc. (the “Transaction”), a San Diego-based biotech company.   Trutino Biosciences is a pre-clinical stage biotech company dedicated to the discovery and development of next-generation cytokine therapies to treat immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases. Boehringer Ingelheim is dedicated to a two-pronged research strategy to fight cancers: through cancer cell-directed and immune cell-targeting compounds. The ongoing research partnership between Boehringer Ingelheim and Trutino is part of an overarching effort to mobilize a patient’s immune system to fight cancer.  Clive R. Wood, Ph.D., Corporate Senior Vice President and Global Head of Discovery…

Next-generation booster vaccine candidate delivers immune boost in adults primed with mRNA vaccines; with a stronger immune response compared to Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty booster vaccine Next-generation booster vaccine candidate demonstrates potential to protect against COVID-19 variants of concern, including Omicron BA.1 and BA.2, with a favorable safety and tolerability profile Paris – June 13, 2022 – Sanofi today reports data from two trials, VAT02 Cohort 2 and COVIBOOST VAT013, conducted with its new next-generation COVID-19 booster vaccine candidate modelled on the Beta variant antigen and including GSK’s pandemic adjuvant. In the Phase 3 VAT02 Cohort 2 study, the Sanofi-GSK next-generation vaccine candidate induced (at day 15 post-immunization) a significant boost in antibody tit…