Biotechnology

Novartis signs deal with Alteogen for drug delivery

Novartis has signed an agreement with Alteogen that could be worth up to $3.22bn for the development and commercialisation of subcutaneous drug formulations using Alteogen’s ALT-B4 technology.

AusperBio raises $120m to progress hepatitis B therapies

AusperBio Therapeutics and Ausper Biopharma have closed a Series C funding round worth $120m to support the development of new therapies for chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Charles River and MVC to develop enterovirus vaccine

Charles River Laboratories International and Medigen Vaccine Biologics (MVC) have entered a collaboration to support the characterisation along with validation of the virus seed bank for the latter’s next-generation multivalent enterovirus vaccine.

FDA grants accelerated approval to Ultragenyx’s Genglycos gene therapy

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical has received accelerated approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its gene therapy, Genglycos (pariglasgene brecaparvovec-opnr), to treat glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa).

SandboxAQ introduces AQPotency for virtual drug screening

US-based SandboxAQ has introduced AQPotency, a Large Quantitative Model (LQM) designed to virtually screen and predict the potential of drug candidates without the need for a solved protein structure.

Andelyn Biosciences to develop GM2 gangliosidosis therapy

Andelyn Biosciences is set to develop and manufacture a gene therapy known as AAV9-GM2, for Queen’s University to treat GM2 gangliosidoses, including Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases.

Fulcrum and Slate Medicines sign merger agreement

Fulcrum Therapeutics and Slate Medicines have signed a definitive agreement to merge in an all-stock transaction backed by a $245m private placement financing from a syndicate of healthcare investors.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals to acquire Actio Biosciences for $820m upfront

Jazz Pharmaceuticals has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Actio Biosciences in a deal that includes an upfront payment of $820m and up to $500m in additional contingent payments.

Schrödinger and BMS expand partnership to deploy AI for drug discovery

Schrödinger has entered a strategic agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) to integrate its AI-based co-scientist platform Bunsen into BMS’s research operations.