Drug Discovery

Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly modernise alliance to focus full expertise on Jardiance

Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company will modernise their current alliance as of 1 January 2020 and focus its combined expertise and investment on the continued development and commercialisation of Jardiance (empagliflozin) in type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease.

RedHill Biopharma secures FDA approval for Talicia to treat H pylori infection in adults

Israeli biopharmaceutical firm RedHill Biopharma has secured the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Talicia (omeprazole magnesium, amoxicillin and rifabutin) for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in adults.

Amgen enters into strategic collaboration with BeiGene to expand oncology presence in China

Amgen has entered into a strategic collaboration with BeiGene that will significantly accelerate Amgen's plans to expand its oncology presence in China, the world's second-largest pharmaceutical market.

Cycle Pharmaceuticals and Catalent partner to develop treatments for rare diseases using Zydis ODT technology

Cycle Pharmaceuticals announced that it has signed an agreement with Catalent to develop innovative formulations targeting rare disease patients.

Pandion, Astellas sign $795m deal for pancreas-targeted immunomodulators

Pandion Therapeutics has signed a license and collaboration deal worth up to $795m with Japan-based Astellas Pharma to research, develop, and commercialise locally acting immunomodulators for autoimmune diseases of the pancreas.

Gilead and Glympse Bio announce strategic collaboration for use of biomarker technology in NASH clinical development

Gilead Sciences and Glympse Bio announced that the companies have entered into a strategic collaboration in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) clinical development. Glympse Bio’s proprietary synthetic biomarkers – bioengineered to identify stage and progression of disease as well as early detection of treatment response – will be used to determine clinical trial participants’ stage of disease at initial screening and to determine responses to study treatment in Gilead’s NASH clinical programme.

Takeda acquires TAK-101 license from COUR in $420m deal

Takeda Pharmaceutical has signed a deal worth up to $420m with COUR Pharmaceutical Development to acquire an exclusive global license to develop and commercialise the latter’s CNP-101 (TAK-101).

Zealand Pharma expands peptide platform with acquisition of Encycle Therapeutics

Zealand Pharma, a Copenhagen-based biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of innovative peptide-based medicines, announces the acquisition of Encycle Therapeutics, a private Toronto-based biotech company exploiting a unique platform technology that enables the rapid synthesis of macrocyclic peptides exhibiting enhanced drug-like properties.

Verseau launches with $50m to develop first-in-class macrophage-targeted immunotherapies

Verseau Therapeutics, Inc. (“Verseau”) launched with $50 million in financing from 20/20 HealthCare Partners, 3SBio, Alexandria Venture Investments, Highlight Capital, InHarv Partners Ltd., The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research and Yonghua Capital.