Today Stories

Carmot Therapeutics’s R&D portfolio of clinical stage incretins has great potential to treat obesity, diabetes and potentially other diseases both as standalone medicines and in combination with Roche’s in-house assets Lead asset CT-388 is a Phase-2 ready dual GLP-1/GIP agonist with best-in-class potential for the treatment of obesity and its comorbidities Under the terms of the agreement, Roche will pay a purchase price of USD 2.7 billion upfront and additional milestone payments of up to USD 400 million Basel, 4 December 2023 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today the entry into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Carmot Therapeutics, Inc. (“Carmot”), a privately owned US company based in Berkeley, California. Carmot’s R&D portfolio includes clinical stage su…

Almac Discovery and Queen’s University Belfast have today announced a five-year project to develop a new Chemoproteomics Centre of Excellence for drug discovery.The multi-million-pound facility, which is jointly funded by Almac Discovery and a BBSRC Prosperity Partnership award, is a first of its kind in Northern Ireland and will be located at Queen’s.The project combines and harnesses the experience of industrial and academic experts to shine a new light on the way drug molecules could be used to treat disease, by using advanced mass spectrometry techniques to examine their effects on thousands of potential drug targets simultaneously, in disease relevant systems.This latest collaboration builds on a long-established relationship between Almac Discovery and Queen’s in biological research…

Company behind the successful life-sciences firm Moderna, Flagship Pioneering, has selected the UK for their first location outside of the US Announcement opens up new opportunities for life science start-ups and investments in the UK, complementing UK government’s plan to drive innovation in science and tech and boost the UK’s investment ecosystem New Memorandum of Understanding between Flagship and the Government cements the UK’s commitment to the sector, setting out how both can work together on clinical trials, potential UK manufacturing locations, and more Leading life sciences bioplatform company Flagship Pioneering has today (Tuesday 28 November) announced the UK as the home for its first base outside the US, paving the way for new scientific start-ups, discoveries and investments…

Boehringer Ingelheim today announced the acquisition of privately-held T3 Pharmaceuticals AG (“T3 Pharma”), a clinical stage Swiss biotech company, for an amount of up to 450 million CHF. T3 Pharma has developed a proprietary therapy platform that uses live bacteria to deliver immune-modulating proteins to cancer cells and tumor micro-environments. Despite the significant transformation of the cancer treatment landscape by immunotherapies, long-term remissions only occur in 15-20% of cancer patients. Boehringer Ingelheim aims to considerably increase this rate by utilizing complementary immuno-oncology platforms such as T-Cell Engagers (TcEs), oncolytic viruses, and cancer vaccines, which have the potential to turn cold tumors into hot ones, extending the benefits of immunotherapy to mo…

Acquisition underscores Merck’s ongoing commitment to developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases RAHWAY, N.J., & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, and Caraway Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which Merck, through a subsidiary, will acquire Caraway Therapeutics for a total potential consideration of up to $610 million, including an undisclosed upfront payment as well as contingent milestone payments. The upfront payment will be expensed by Merck in the fourth quarter of 2023 and included in non-GAAP results. “Caraway’s multidisciplinary approach has yielded important progress in evaluating novel mechanisms of modulation of lysosomal f…

Next-generation propellant technology has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Ventolin (salbutamol) inhaler by approximately 90% Current propellant accounts for 49% of GSK’s carbon footprint The inhaler is currently prescribed to approximately 35 million patients Successful phase III trials to support regulatory submissions in 2025 GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) today announced it will start Phase III trials of a low carbon version of its metered dose inhaler (MDI), Ventolin (salbutamol), using a next generation propellant, in 2024. If successful, it has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from use of the inhaler by approximately 90%, significantly contributing to GSK’s ambitious net-zero climate targets. Thirty-five million patients with respiratory conditions ar…

Evinova will operate as a separate health-tech business within AstraZeneca Evinova’s globally-scaled digital health solutions are evidence-led, science-based and human experience-driven to serve clinical trial sponsors, clinical research organisations (CROs), clinical trial site care teams and patients First strategic collaborations with globally-leading CROs Parexel and Fortrea enable Evinova’s digital health solutions to be offered to their wide customer base AstraZeneca today launches Evinova, set to be a leading provider of digital health solutions to better meet the needs of healthcare professionals, regulators and patients. With long-term backing from AstraZeneca and strategic collaborations with Parexel and Fortrea, Evinova offers globally-scaled digital products and services to…

The Institute of Cancer Research, London, has been granted the highest national honour in UK further and higher education for its innovative work on breast cancer. The Queen’s Anniversary Prize recognises the ICR’s transformational breast cancer research programme, which has not only improved outcomes for patients in the UK but also benefitted global healthcare systems and economies. This is the second time the ICR has won a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in recent years, and it follows international recognition last year of the impact of the ICR’s breast cancer research in improving the outcomes for patients worldwide. The Queen’s Anniversary Prize, which “provides valuable external recognition to the institution as a whole”, acknowledges the significant contribution that the ICR has made towa…

-- The companies expand the scope of their existing collaboration for CART-ddBCMA to include lymphomas -- -- Kite exercises option to Arcellx’s ARC-SparX program ACLX-001 in multiple myeloma -- -- Arcellx to receive $200M equity investment at $61.68 per share and an $85 million upfront cash payment -- SANTA MONICA, Calif. & REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kite, a Gilead Company (NASDAQ: GILD), and Arcellx, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACLX), today announced that the companies have expanded their existing collaboration, which was originally announced in December 2022. Kite has exercised its option to negotiate a license for Arcellx’s ARC-SparX program, ACLX-001, in multiple myeloma, which is comprised of ARC-T cells and SparX proteins that target BCMA. The companies have also expanded the sc…

The collaboration expands Absci’s de novo AI drug creation portfolio into dermatology and accelerates discovery for broader chronic inflammatory diseases BARCELONA, Spain and VANCOUVER, (WA), USA. November 14th, 2023 – Almirall S.A. (BME: ALM), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on medical dermatology, and Absci Corporation (Nasdaq: ABSI), a generative AI drug creation company, today announced a drug discovery partnership aimed to develop and commercialize AI-designed therapeutics to fight chronic and debilitating dermatological diseases. The partnership combines Absci’s Integrated Drug Creation™ platform with Almirall’s dermatological expertise with the goal of delivering life-changing medicines to patients, marking another step forward in AI drug creation.  The partnership repres…

Regeneron has sponsored ISEF - the world’s largest high school science and engineering competition, and a program of Society for Science (Society) - since 2019 Each year, over 175,000 students participate in the Society’s affiliated high school science fairs around the world to earn the right to compete in Regeneron ISEF, where 1,600 finalists vie for almost $8 million in awards, prizes and scholarships Regeneron is also lead sponsor of the Society’s Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS), the nation’s oldest and most prestigious high school science and mathematics competition These programs, along with many other Regeneron-supported and driven STEM programs - including the recently announced Together for CHANGETM initiative and a $5 million investment in Nashville’s STEM ecosystem - are e…

Bagsværd, Denmark, 10 November 2023 – Novo Nordisk today announced plans to invest more than 42 billion Danish kroner starting in 20231 to expand existing manufacturing facilities in Kalundborg, Denmark, for the current and future product portfolio within serious chronic diseases. The investment comes as Novo Nordisk marks the 100th anniversary of its founding in Denmark, where more than 23,000 employees still work today. Most of these employees work at production sites. The investment will create additional capacity across the entire global value chain from manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) to packaging, with the vast majority invested in API capacity. The new API facility will be designed as a multi-product facility, with flexibility to accommodate current and futu…

London, United Kingdom, 9 November 2023 - The UK biotech sector secured a substantial total of £563 million in venture capital and public financing during the three months spanning June to August 2023, data published today by the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA) and Clarivate shows. This represents a 48% increase from the previous quarter's takings and consistent quarter-on-quarter growth throughout the year making this the most robust period since the sector’s peak in 2021. This is in line with the surge in fundraising activity among European companies that more than doubled their fundraisings this quarter, while US companies saw a 21% decline across all fundraisings. While the dearth of public market launches continues to present challenges for European companies, including UK biotech co…

The Global Talent Lab, in partnership with XTX Markets and the UK Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), proudly introduces the BIG UK Programme. This initiative is designed to identify and nurture global talent, positioning them to push the boundaries in mathematics, science, and AI.  Bridging the Talent Gap: The BIG UK Programme targets high-school students who have excelled in International Science Olympiads. We extend scholarships, financial support, and a network of talented peers to both international and UK students, especially those without substantial resources, enabling them to study at top-tier UK universities such as Cambridge and Imperial. Without such initiatives, many talented students could miss these premier educational opportunities, leaving their pote…

First-of-its-kind device to seamlessly integrate augmented reality, AI-guided assessment, and tactile feedback to enhance the surgical skills and training experiences for general, gynecological, and laparoscopic surgeons CINCINNATI, OH – November 6, 2023 – Ethicon*, a Johnson & Johnson MedTech** company, today debuted an AI-powered Surgical Simulation Platform that supports skill development in current and future surgeons at the American Association of Gynecological Laparoscopists (AAGL) Global Congress. The technology ushers in a new era in surgical training by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), and augmented reality (AR) powered trainings, real-time data, and tactical feedback. While demand for surgical training remains high, access to quality education can be challenging due…

Phase II results demonstrated significant albuminuria reductions by up to 39.5% vs. placebo when BI 690517, a novel selective aldosterone synthase inhibitor, was given on top of empagliflozin, an SGLT2 inhibitor, suggesting additive efficacy1 Potential new treatment builds on Boehringer Ingelheim’s leadership in the field of cardio-renal-metabolic conditions and will be further investigated in a Phase III clinical trial program, EASi-KIDNEYTM, together with Oxford Population Health1 First-in-class Phase II data in chronic kidney disease from BI 690517 were presented as a high-impact clinical trial at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN)’s Kidney Week 20231 Boehringer Ingelheim today announced promising 14-week Phase II data for BI 690517, a novel selective aldosterone synthase inhibi…

New data supports the potential role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in predicting patients’ response to immunotherapies in advance of their treatment. AI models demonstrated 70 to 80 percent accuracy in predicting both the likelihood of efficacious response and specific immune-related toxicities. Enables clinicians to match patients to the most effective treatment sooner, potentially avoiding unnecessary side effects and cost, and driving personalized and precise care. CHALFONT ST GILES, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE HealthCare’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) models predict patient response to immunotherapies with 70 to 80 percent accuracy1, based on a pan-cancer cohort, according to findings to be presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) in San Diego, U.S., by GE Healt…

Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly team up with hip-hop artist Rob Base for the launch of It Takes 2™ – a new health initiative to educate healthcare professionals and adults at risk for kidney disease on the condition's unknown nature and the benefits of complete testing Clinical guidelines recommend both blood and urine tests for complete screening for kidney disease: estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) tests RIDGEFIELD, Conn. and INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 35 million adults in the U.S. have chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, as many as 90% of them are unaware of their condition. This is despite clinical guidelines, which show that using two tests can help detect it. That's why Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli L…

HeartMates will create a supportive and empowering community for people impacted by heart conditions, leveraging Abbott's leadership in cardiovascular care Professional football player and heart health advocate Damar Hamlin joins Abbott to kick off the HeartMates program Heart disease impacts over 100 million Americans, nearly half of U.S. adults1 Abbott will host a media conference call on Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 5 p.m. ET with Hamlin to discuss the program ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Oct. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT), a global leader in heart health, announced today the Abbott HeartMates program, a new initiative that will kick off with professional football player Damar Hamlin as its first ambassador.   Experiencing a major heart-related incident can cause emotional distress and be…

Boehringer Ingelheim, a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, now presents itself with a new corporate branding that is designed to inspire deeper connection with the company’s diverse customers, partners, and employees. The evolved brand includes several striking changes including the introduction of a standout color palette and Boehringer Ingelheim’s first-ever brand claim “Life forward”. The claim builds on the foundation of the company purpose of 'transforming lives for generations’ and emphasizes how the company behaves in response to present-day and future challenges and the impact it intends to make. As a key player in the industry, Boehringer Ingelheim pioneers breakthrough treatments in some of the most devastating disease areas. With the rise of non-communicable a…