Good morning! Today, there is a lot of news from the American Heart Association’s annual meeting, and former National Cancer Institute chief Ned Sharpless has launched a new biotech company called Jupiter.
Here’s what you need to know:
The FDA rejected Astellas’ application to change the prescribing label for its eye drug Izervay, a setback for the company. This rejection is good news for Apellis Pharmaceuticals, which sells a competing eye drug called Syfovre. On the other hand, Cytokinetics and Bayer signed a partnership agreement for Bayer to develop and sell Cytokinetics’ heart drug aficamten in Japan.
Studies on lipoprotein(a) presented at the AHA conference have been making waves in cardiovascular disease. Two drugs targeting lipoprotein(a) have shown promise in reducing levels of this marker, which is a genetic risk factor for heart disease affecting 1 in 5 people worldwide.
Former NCI director, Ned Sharpless, has co-founded a new company called Jupiter with $70 million in funding. Jupiter’s strategy is to launch several early-stage biotechs simultaneously and either sell them or discontinue them based on their success.
Merck has introduced a new formulation of Keytruda, a popular cancer drug, that can be given as a shot under the skin. This new formulation could help Merck maintain a larger market share of Keytruda’s sales after the U.S. patent expires in 2028.
Many pharmaceutical companies are struggling to improve access to drugs in low- and middle-income countries. The progress in licensing deals, tech transfers, and clinical trials in these regions has been slow, raising concerns about how to sustain momentum in improving access to medicines.
At the AHA conference, discussions focused on obesity drugs, heart rhythm disorder treatments, AI-powered diagnostics, and novel approaches to treating cardiovascular diseases. Former AHA president Valentin Fuster emphasized the importance of health and prevention in addressing the increasing burden of cardiovascular diseases.
In other news:
– RFK Jr. claims he is not an anti-vaxxer, but many disagree.
– J&J’s skin disease drug has shown positive results in a late-stage study.
– Atlas Venture is targeting $450 million for its 14th biotech fund.
Overall, the biotech industry is seeing significant developments and challenges that will shape the future of healthcare and medicine. Stay tuned for more updates!
