To view this email as a web page, click here

   Home

Subscribe

Advertise

 

 

 

 

May 22, 2020___

Editor's note: FierceBiotech will not publish Monday in observance of Memorial Day, but we’ll be back in your inbox Tuesday, May 26.;

Today's Rundown

Featured Story

AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine enters phase 2/3 clinical trial

Researchers at the University of Oxford have begun enrolling subjects in a phase 2/3 clinical trial of AstraZeneca-partnered COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222. The next stage of the program, which follows a 1,000-subject phase 1, is set to enroll 10,260 people in the U.K. to generate results to support the first shipments to customers in September.

Top Stories

Genentech posts long-term data on near-approval Soliris rival

Genentech has shared longer-term phase 3 safety data on its anti-IL-6 antibody satralizumab, adding to the evidence in support of the drug ahead of a FDA decision to approve it in a rare disease served by Alexion’s Soliris.

Inovio CEO on the COVID-19 vaccine race: Don’t count us out

As Inovio works to advance its DNA vaccine to fight COVID-19 into late-stage trials, it has been targeted by short sellers, or simply overlooked as bigger and better-funded rivals rapidly move forward with competing candidates. But Inovio CEO J. Joseph Kim remains confident that his company's long effort to develop DNA vaccines will pay off.

Syndax cans FDA filing for lead cancer med after breast cancer bust

Syndax’s lead cancer drug failed a phase 3 study in metastatic breast cancer, leading the company to abandon an FDA filing in that indication. The phase 3 study found that adding entinostat to hormone therapy did not help patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer live longer compared to the hormone therapy alone.

This cancer-related gene may also hold the key to beating obesity

Some people can eat whatever they want and never seem to gain weight. An international team of scientists found that variants in the ALK gene, most closely linked to cancer, can make these individuals resistant to weight gain, suggesting blocking the gene might help fight obesity.

FDA names 28 antibody tests to be taken off the market

The FDA named more than two dozen coronavirus antibody diagnostics that should be taken off the market weeks after the agency closed its open-door policy on COVID-19 blood tests and required developers to submit their products and data for review.

NASH front-runner Intercept, already delayed twice, faces another FDA setback

Intercept Pharmaceuticals, eager to market its potential nonalcoholic steatohepatitis medicine obeticholic acid, will have to keep waiting. After two prior delays at the FDA, the company on Friday disclosed another. 

FiercePharmaAsia—CanSino's mRNA coronavirus vaccine; WuXi's buildup; Fujifilm's Avigan failure?

China's CanSino, currently leading the COVID-19 vaccine race, has paired with Precision NanoSystems to work on an mRNA shot. WuXi Biologics finalized a deal to build a $60 million facility in the Boston area. Fujifilm's Avigan reportedly failed in mild and asymptomatic coronavirus patients. And more.

Chutes & Ladders—Warp Speed's Slaoui sells $12M in Moderna stock

Slaoui said he plans to sell about 155,000 Moderna shares, holdings which grew in value by about $2.4 million after the vaccine developer announced early positive data this week. Meanwhile, Gossamer Bio's CMO jumps to Atara, while Pandion recruits a Gilead alum as CMO.

Enrollment Showcase

Online Graduate Programs Designed for Your Career

Drexel University’s online graduate programs in biomedicine, clinical research, drug discovery, and molecular medicine were developed with working professionals in mind, providing you with the education, practical skills, and competitive edge you need to be successful in your career. Learn more.

Resources

[Case Study] Establishing Parameters for Success

Learn about a real-world example of how clinical supply management expertise was applied to overcome inventory challenges for a complex, global study.

[Fact Sheet] Forecasting to Optimize Clinical Trial Supply Management

Whether a study is simple or highly complex, forecasting and simulation reports serve as data driven communication tools to help minimize risks and keep the study on track. Learn more about forecasting solutions for informed decision making and supporting contingency planning for clinical study.

[eBook] Expecting the Unexpected: Strategies for Efficient Clinical Supply Management and Forecasting

Learn how to drive excellence within the forecasting process and utilize forecasting throughout the clinical study to better plan clinical supply budgets and project timelines. Explore how to identify potential supply-related issues before they can negatively impact your study.

[Podcast] Developing residual HCPs ELISA assay for biopharmaceutical products

Listen to our brand-new Frontage Laboratories podcast where you’ll take home tips for developing residual host cell proteins ELISA assay for biopharmaceutical products using commercial kits.

[Virtual Event] Cardiac Safety London Online

Join us for a day of discovery as global experts in Cardiology, Pharmacology and Diabetes discuss state of the art methods in early phase clinical research.

[Whitepaper] The great data transition: Making the move from claims to EHR data

The immediacy of EHR data availability can be significantly impactful, particularly as the health care system works to address COVID-19. Download this whitepaper to learn more.

[Report] Decentralized Trials - Where Does the Industry Stand?

Patient-facing digital technologies are playing an important role in clinical trials for new drugs and medical devices, to the point where conducting virtual trials is becoming mainstream. But terms like remote trials, direct-to-patient trials, hybrid trials, decentralized trials, and more all add to the confusion of what makes a trial "virtual."

[Whitepaper] Why Your Business Needs An Effective Cloud Strategy To Survive Now

Businesses must maintain pre-pandemic levels of productivity with smaller IT budgets. Learn why an effective Cloud Strategy is imperative for success in these unprecedented times.

[Webinar] Optimizing your excipient screening for vaccine formulation

You are invited to join Rousselot Biomedical for an insightful webinar on excipients for vaccine formulation. Highly purified gelatins can help accelerate vaccine development.

[Whitepaper] Continuous Manufacturing vs Batch: Deciding on the Best Solution for your Oral Solid Dose Product

Continuous Manufacturing vs. Batch for Oral Solid Dose

[Whitepaper] Flexible Design for Novel Trials

Download this case study to read about how Cenduit navigated these challenges, and successfully supports the trial sponsor to execute the umbrella trial with agility.

[Whitepaper] Critical API Attributes and the Major Impact They Can Have on Drug Product Development

Download this whitepaper to learn more about the importance of an integrated approach to formulation.

[Case Study] More Powerful Analytics Capabilities

Case Study: Oncology-focused pharmaceutical company strengthens product launch by identifying hundreds of high-value physicians with Acorn AI.

[Case Study] Precision Analytics for Product Launch and Growth

Pharma launch teams spend significant resources on data and analytics with limited ROI. Read this case study to learn how a Life Sciences company identified two times more patients best suited for therapy, using Clarify’s deep and longitudinal patient and HCP insights. 

[Whitepaper] Is Wurster Processing the Right Choice for My Multiparticulate Modified Release Dosage Form?

Wurster processing is a versatile technique for developing and manufacturing multiparticulates for modified release dosage forms. Read this whitepaper to determine whether Wurster processing is the right option for your project.

[Webinar] Chemistry Through Biology: Translating Molecular Biology Technologies into Practical Processes for API Production

In this webinar, the featured speaker will explore the key advances and critical hurdles for translating these emerging molecular biology technologies into real-world applications and commercial processes.

[Whitepaper] Assessing the Financial Impact of Translational Pharmaceutics®

Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (CSDD) white paper sharing study results that indicate Quotient Sciences’ Translational Pharmaceutics® platform reduces development times by more than 12 months and lowers R&D costs by more than $100 million per approved new drug. Download the whitepaper.

[Magazine] Perspective: the patient edition

Report: Think you’re patient-centric? Think again. Find out how patients really feel about patient-centricity. Learn what they would like to experience along with tools and tips for maximising patient engagement across the product life cycle¬ – from clinical trials to service design and creative campaigns.

[Whitepaper] New Lonza Whitepaper on Modulating lgG Effector Function

This whitepaper summarises approaches for modulating antibody effector functions and pharmacokinetics, and provides examples of antibodies in clinical studies.

[GUIDE] Managing Clinical Trial Patient & Site Engagement During COVID-19

Leverage strategic solutions to respond to immediate challenges to patient and site engagement from COVID-19, and learn to maximize the FDA guidance on the conduct of clinical trials during a pandemic.

Events