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Today's Rundown

Featured Story

Pfizer swallows CD47 biotech Trillium in $2.3B takeover

Biotechs targeting the “don’t eat me” signal cancer cells use to avoid the immune system are getting gobbled up. Pfizer is the latest company to buy its way into the space, splashing out $2.3 billion to acquire Trillium Therapeutics for its early-phase inhibitors of the CD47 macrophage checkpoint.

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Top Stories

Sabatini, biotech founder and mTOR pioneer, ousted after sexual harassment investigation

David Sabatini, the scientific founder of several biotechs, has been ousted from his lab after a sexual harassment investigation. The high-profile cell signaling and cancer metabolism scientist is “no longer associated” with either the Whitehead Institute or the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. 

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Anti-aging foundation SENS fires de Grey after allegations he interfered with investigation into his conduct

Anti-aging research group the SENS Research Foundation has fired chief science officer Aubrey de Grey, who was accused of sexual harassment by two women earlier this month.

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Axsome sees depression drug decision delayed as FDA kicks expected CRL can down the road

A new depression therapy out from Axsome was expected to be handed a final FDA decision over the weekend, but the agency has nixed that, for now.

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Tyra Biosciences wants to bank $100M for an IPO

Just a few short months after getting off a $106 million funding round and beefing up its C-suite as it looks to tap its SNAP platform to fight resistance to cancer drugs, Tyra Biosciences has filed to raise $100 million in an IPO.

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Genevant pens $303M biobucks pact with Takeda, aiming at rare liver diseases using gene therapy

Forever biotech friend Takeda is signing up to a new deal with Genevant as it doubles down on the company.

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Elixiron closes $27M series A for Alzheimer's and vitiligo clinical trials

Elixiron is currently testing its lead asset, an oral CSF1R inhibitor, in healthy volunteers for safety and tolerability in a phase 1 trial. With the $27 million series A, the cancer and neurological diseases biotech looks to bring the asset into an Alzheimer's disease clinical trial, as well as test its antibody in vitiligo patients.

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ESC 2021: Lexicon aims to make its heart failure case with sotagliflozin, a dual SGLT1 and SGLT2 inhibitor

While much of the attention at the European Society of Cardiology is expected to center on forthcoming heart failure data for Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Jardiance, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals thinks it has a winner in the dual SGLT1 and SGLT2 inhibitor sotagliflozin. 

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CRISPR pinpoints new leukemia target and a 'pocket' that could make it druggable

Using CRISPR, a team at Penn’s medical school discovered that an epigenetic regulatory protein called ZMYND8 governs the expression of genes that are critical for the growth and survival of AML cells. They uncovered a way to target it with drugs and to predict which patients are likely to respond to ZMYND8 inhibition.

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COVID testing drought leads LumiraDx to cut $2B off SPAC deal value

Drops in demand for COVID-19 screening have led test maker LumiraDx to dramatically cut back its plans for going public, slashing 40% off the value of a planned reverse merger.

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Who's getting the most out of their R&D engine? Pharma's top 11, ranked

Drugmakers have myriad tools in their arsenal when looking to grow sales, but it's new drug approvals that reign supreme and ultimately prove the worth of a company's development engine. See how 11 of the world's top drugmakers are faring.

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Google says health projects will continue even as it unwinds dedicated health division

Google says it is ramping up its investments in health-focused initiatives even as it dissolves its single health division. One industry analyst says the move to shutter the dedicated health division signals the end of a unified healthcare strategy at Google. So what's next for the tech giant's healthcare operations?

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Resources

eBook: Accelerate recruitment with a decentralized clinical trial strategy

Learn how a decentralized clinical trial strategy improves patient recruitment, reduces drop-out rates, and ultimately streamlines the path to the next trial phase.

Whitepaper: How to build a robust packaging strategy for rapid commercialization

Learn how to build a robust packaging strategy and the key technical considerations in packaging design and operational planning to enable rapid commercialization of pharmaceuticals.

Whitepaper: Understanding the CMC regulatory landscape for cell and gene therapy products

Learn how regulations are changing and key considerations for commercializing cell and gene therapies without sacrificing quality.

Whitepaper: Navigating the Digital Transformation Journey

Uncover the real impact of “digital transformation” with practical advice to help you plan your own transformative journey to a harmonized digital ecosystem.

eBook: Get solutions to market faster

Read Get to Know Cloud Content Management for Life Sciences and learn how to eliminate silos across all workflows, from R&D to commercialization.

eBrief: Drug Product Process Development: Ensuring a Consistent, High-quality Biologic

Learn about drug product process development challenges and risks, the difference between innovator and biosimilar drug product process development, and more during the drug product process development phase.

Whitepaper: Achieving a Successful Drug Product Technology Transfer

Get insights on key considerations for a successful tech transfer process for manufacturing a biologic drug product, including a case study on overcoming challenges in a process transfer for a sterile diluent.

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