Layoffs at Finch, Imara
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Today's Rundown

Featured Story

Moderna's bivalent beta booster betters Spikevax versus omicron, pointing to promise of variant-specific jabs

Moderna’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine has bettered the antibody response of Spikevax against omicron when given as a booster, offering encouragement to the biotech as it races toward phase 2/3 data that will shape its offering for the next season of jabs.

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Top Stories

Regeneron sees skin cancer potential beyond PD-1s with $250M Checkmate acquisition

Regeneron has shown there is more to skin cancer drugs than PD-1 inhibitors through its $250 million acquisition of Checkmate Pharmaceuticals and its lead immuno-oncology asset vidutolimod.

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Finch's nest thins out with 20% of employees cut in restructuring after FDA hold

Finch Therapeutics’ nest is getting a bit smaller. Some 20% of the company's workforce is being let go amid a restructuring spurred by an FDA clinical hold and the pausing of a chronic hepatitis B program.

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Sponsored: CDx Biomarkers for Oncology Research & Development

Biomarker discovery and development are critical for advancing oncology therapeutics and informing patient management. Experts discuss evaluating biomarkers in drug-diagnostic co-development programs.

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Ouch! Acadia's non-opioid painkiller flunks midphase test, weakening a potential rival to Vertex

Acadia Pharmaceuticals’ hopes of chasing Vertex into phase 3 have taken a big hit. Weeks after Vertex’s non-opioid painkiller chalked up a midphase win, Acadia’s rival candidate has failed in a similar setting, leaving its future in acute pain in doubt.

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Imara eliminates 83% of workforce—including chief medical officer—in wake of pipeline wipeout

After discontinuing development for its lead drug, Imara is cutting 83% of its workforce, a move that will leave the company with only six remaining full-time employees.

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Sionna unveils with $111M series B to pursue quest for 'holy grail' cystic fibrosis target

Sionna Therapeutics is jumping out of stealth mode with $111 million in series B funds to launch its cystic fibrosis portfolio. The company hopes to launch two assets into phase 1 trials within the next year.

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Axsome moves 'closer to judgement day' for stalled depression therapy

Axsome Therapeutics has agreed to a set of postmarketing conditions that the FDA proposed, which will help get its depression drug back on track after the agency identified deficiencies in the application last year.

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New blood stem cell road map helps scientists learn from mistakes on quest to create cells in lab

Researchers at UCLA have unveiled a novel road map tracking blood stem cell development in the human embryo, findings that could help develop new treatments for blood cancers and inherited blood disorders.

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After rivals' FDA rebuffs, GSK targets class-first oral approval in chronic kidney disease anemia

Could the third time be the charm for an oral HIF-PH inhibitor in the U.S.? GlaxoSmithKline certainly hopes so, with its potential first-in-class medicine now officially up for a decision at the FDA by early next year.

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Another SPAC deal cracks as spine implant maker Accelus calls off Nasdaq plans

After inking a $482 million deal to go public late last year, Accelus and its SPAC partner, CHP Merger Corp., have called it quits.

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Pharmas risk losing doctors to digital fatigue in the post-COVID-19 world if they don't get their email strategy right

Healthcare professionals want high quality, low quantity and good structure when it comes to email campaigns. If they fail to get this balance right, pharma marketers risk entrenching so-called “digital fatigue” from doctors as the world comes out of the pandemic.

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Study: Medicare Advantage saves seniors nearly $2K a year compared to fee-for-service

A new study from the Better Medicare Alliance found that Medicare Advantage beneficiaries saved nearly $2,000 on their total healthcare spending compared to those in fee-for-service Medicare.

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Johnson & Johnson, after weak quarter of vaccine sales, will no longer include it in guidance

After a disappointing quarter of sales for its COVID-19 vaccine, Johnson & Johnson will no longer include the vaccine in its revenue projections. J&J reported sales of the vaccine for the first quarter at $457 million, far off from Wall Street’s estimate of $785 million. The company also has reduced its overall revenue projection for the year.

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Resources

Research: Healthcare Has No Borders: The Role of Rescue Sites in Times of Global Calamity

More than 570 clinical trials in Ukraine have been disrupted. Unanticipated disruptions to medical testing and clinical trials impede progress toward new breakthroughs and new therapies that millions of patients around the world hang their hope on. What role do rescue sites play?

eBook: 5 Rules to Enhance Wound Care & Dermatology Clinical Trials

Net Health, experts in wound care and dermatology clinical trials, have a new eBook: 5 Rules to Enhance Clinical Trials in 2022, find out how to recruit the right participants, connect patients and researchers with technology, manage costs and more.

Infographic: United Cargo: Providing Comprehensive Solutions For the Most Critical Shipments

The United Cargo team has made a commitment to pharmaceutical and medical partners that we are equipped to support their vaccine transportation needs safely and effectively across our expansive global and domestic network. The safety and security of these commodities is our priority, and we are proud to be a trusted partner in these efforts. Download infographic now.

Research: Get Access to AdisInsight A Year In Review

The journey of drug development in 2021 delivered to your inbox: top 10 AdisInsight drug profiles viewed, new drug profiles released, overview of drug launches, key deals, research trends in 2021 and much more (free of charge).

Whitepaper: Oncology Market Outlook: Key Trends to Watch

What’s in store for the oncology market in 2022 and beyond? This paper looks at 5 trends driving the market.

Whitepaper: Uncovering the hidden value of quality in chemical supply

Learn how to position quality as a central component within your raw material sourcing strategies for the chemicals used throughout your workflows. Download the free whitepaper from Thermo Fisher Scientific.

eBook: EMEA Regulatory Roadblocks around Decentralized Trials

Learn about ways to break down regulatory roadblocks and get closer to 100% clarity on regulatory positions to advance decentralized clinical trials in research.

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