April 17, 2020 - Fierce Pharma
Early in the U.S. COVID-19 outbreak, Biogen’s February meeting in Boston played a central role in spreading the virus in Masscachusetts and beyond. Now that many employees have recovered, they’re donating blood samples to a “biobank" to help researchers learn more about the virus.
In conjunction with the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Biogen employees, family members and close contacts will be able to donate blood samples and share other medical info.
April 16, 2020 - Fierce Biotech
The world is watching and waiting for data to see whether Gilead Sciences' investigational antiviral remdesivir can help fight COVID-19. And while some leaked early results suggest that it can, industry watchers will need to wait for data from Gilead's own controlled phase 3 study to know for sure.
Researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center, which is treating patients with severe COVID-19, have seen remdesivir swiftly tamp down both fever and respiratory symptoms, according to a
report
from Stat. Gilead’s shares leapt more than 15% in after-hours trading following the report.
April 15, 2020 - Fierce Biotech
Leo Pharma is paying $40 million upfront and $530 million in biobucks to license a midstage experimental eczema and asthma drug.
The therapy, FB825, has been developed by Oneness Biotech and Microbio Shanghai and works by targeting the CεmX domain of the membrane-bound IgE (mIgE). This causes a depletion of mIgE-positive B cells.
April 14, 2020 - Fierce Biotech
San Diego biotech MEI Pharma has upped its
pact
with Tokyo-based Kyowa Kirin in a cost-sharing deal centered on MEI’s experimental oncology asset.
The drug, ME-401, works as a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) delta inhibitor and is currently in midstage tests for relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma, which the biotech hopes can help it toward a speedy FDA review and approval.
April 13, 2020 - Fierce Pharma
The novel coronavirus has put an enormous strain on the pharmaceutical supply chain, with spot shortages of certain meds increasingly common. Now, with thousands of COVID-19 patients flooding U.S. hospitals, drugs used during treatment and ventilation are growing scarce.
Increased demand for drugs used in hospitals as painkillers and surgical anesthetics for patients with COVID-19 have sapped supply, potentially threatening access for months.
Friday, the FDA posted updated shortages of anesthetics
propofol
and
midazolam
, citing increased demand. For generic propofol, produced by a number of manufacturers, a resupply could occur as late as October with companies like Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Hikma Pharmaceuticals unable to source active pharmaceutical ingredients for the drug, the FDA said.
