BioNTech linked up with Chinese company Duality Biologics on two antibody-drug conjugates. Sanofi is reportedly looking to separate its consumer health unit in India through a de-merger. Takeda is doubling down on celiac disease with yet another deal in the area.
1. BioNTech pays $170M to add would-be Enhertu rival to pipeline, expanding into ADCs in the process
BioNTech is paying $170 million upfront and up to $1.5 billion in milestone payments, plus tiered sales-based royalties, for two antibody-drug conjugates from China’s Duality Biologics. The more advanced asset, DB-1303, targets HER2, while information is scant on the other candidate. Duality launched a basket phase 1/2 trial of DB-1303 in 2019, testing the drug in HER2-expressing solid tumors.
2. Sanofi attempting to spin off consumer health unit in India: report
Sanofi has expressed a desire to slim down in consumer health, and the French pharma is reportedly putting its money where its mouth is. Sanofi is plotting to spin its consumer health unit in India into a separately listed company, The Economic Times reports. The portfolio includes respiratory drug Allegra, pain reliever Combiflam and vitamin supplement Depura.
3. Takeda opens 4th front in assault on celiac, tapping Innate to develop antibody-drug conjugates
Takeda has penned an antibody-drug conjugate deal with Innate Pharma to tackle celiac disease. The Japanese pharma will pay Innate $5 million upfront and up to $410 million in milestones to utilize its partner’s antibody panel. This marks Takeda’s fourth approach targeting celiac disease after deals for an immune-modifying nanoparticle, a glutenase and a tissue transglutaminase inhibitor.
4. Seeking full approval in Alzheimer's, Eisai dives into prominent Leqembi side effect
Eisai provided some additional information on Leqembi’s safety profile. After reports of deaths in patients who also took anticoagulants in Leqembi’s phase 3 trial, Eisai’s new analysis found that rates of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities were similar in Leqembi patients who took clot-busting therapies and those who didn’t.
5. Sumitomo Pharma tidies up 7 units into one combined US entity in spring cleaning
After buying Roivant Sciences out of several assets in a $3 billion deal, Sumitomo Pharma has decided to combine seven units, including Sunovion Pharma, Sumitovant Biopharma and Myovant Sciences, under one brand named Sumitomo Pharma America. The company hopes the move will create scale and save costs.
6. After bacterial outbreak and 3 deaths, FDA flags production woes at eye drop maker's India facility
The deadly outbreak of a drug-resistant strain of bacteria was recently linked to a type of eye drops called artificial tears. An FDA inspection of one of the companies involved, Global Pharma Healthcare, found 11 shortfalls, including problems with filters and container closures, protruding nails and cracked sealant in the filling room.