Merck

Allarity Therapeutics Makes Strategic Pivot to Focus Solely on Accelerating Stenoparib Toward Regulatory Approval in Advanced Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Toxicity, Ovarian cancer, BRCA, Mirvetuximab soravtansine, Partnership, Patient, Neoplasm, Cancer, Merck, Doctor of Philosophy, Olaparib, WNT, Niraparib, Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine, PARP, Therapy, Safety, Platinum, Interim, Rucaparib, Pharmaceutical industry

This decisive shift in priorities is driven by the compelling initial data from the Phase 2 monotherapy trial evaluating stenoparib in advanced, recurrent ovarian cancer patients, as announced on December 5, 2023.

Key Points: 
  • This decisive shift in priorities is driven by the compelling initial data from the Phase 2 monotherapy trial evaluating stenoparib in advanced, recurrent ovarian cancer patients, as announced on December 5, 2023.
  • In addition, stenoparib is unique in its mechanism of action, inhibiting PARP as well as the novel cancer target, tankyrase.
  • Tankyrase inhibition would restrain the WNT pathway, which is commonly upregulated not only in ovarian cancers but in many other solid cancers.
  • Given the unique, dual mechanism of action for stenoparib—coupled with its favorable safety profile—stenoparib may represent the next-generation alternative in the evolving market for advanced ovarian cancer patients.

Evaxion Announces Business Update and Full Year 2023 Financial Results

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
MSD, Conference, Innovation, Patient, Merck, Koala retrovirus, AI, Cancer, GHI, Merck & Co., Machine learning, European, Artificial intelligence

Closing of $5.3 million private placement on December 21, 2023, with participation of MSD Global Health Innovation Fund (MSD GHI), a corporate venture arm of Merck & Co., Inc., USA.

Key Points: 
  • Closing of $5.3 million private placement on December 21, 2023, with participation of MSD Global Health Innovation Fund (MSD GHI), a corporate venture arm of Merck & Co., Inc., USA.
  • MSD GHI is now the single largest shareholder in Evaxion, with ownership of around 15%.
  • COPENHAGEN, Denmark, March 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Evaxion Biotech A/S (NASDAQ: EVAX) (“Evaxion” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage TechBio company specializing in developing AI-Immunology™ powered vaccines, today provides a business update and announces full year 2023 financial results.
  • Evaxion hosted an R&D Day on March 19, 2024, providing deeper insights into the validated and differentiated AI-Immunology™ platform.

Healis Therapeutics announces collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and affiliates of Harvard Medical School to advance clinical-stage neuroscience research

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
MGH, Harvard Medical School, Public health, Mass General Brigham, Massachusetts General Hospital, MDD, Patient, Public, Roche, Research, Merck, Social anxiety disorder, DSM-IV codes, Bristol Myers Squibb, Clinical trial, Neuropsychiatry, HMS, World Health Organization, Therapy, Hospital, Safety, WHO, SAD, Major depressive disorder, PTSD, Mass, Pharmaceutical industry

Healis Therapeutics is pleased to announce that it has entered a clinical collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a founding member of the Mass General Brigham health system, and affiliates of Harvard Medical School (HMS).

Key Points: 
  • Healis Therapeutics is pleased to announce that it has entered a clinical collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a founding member of the Mass General Brigham health system, and affiliates of Harvard Medical School (HMS).
  • “We continue to observe very significant need in the neuropsychiatric patient population,” said Dr. Eric Finzi, Co-Founder of Healis Therapeutics.
  • “MDD remains a public health challenge around the world,” said Erik Van Widenfelt, Head of Clinical Trials at Healis Therapeutics.
  • General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School,” said Sebastian De Beurs, Co-Founder of Healis Therapeutics.

PureTech Launches Seaport Therapeutics with $100 Million Oversubscribed Series A and Announces Management Transitions

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Biotechnology, General Health, Health, Pharmaceutical, Clinical Trials, Depression, Eli Lilly, Major depressive disorder, Patient, Bristol Myers Squibb, PureTech Health, PRTC, Therapy, Creativity, Disorder, General counsel, CNS, Life, DSM-IV codes, Pleasure, Pharmacokinetics, Interim, Third Rock Ventures, U.S. FDA, Schizophrenia, KarXT, Teva Pharmaceuticals, ARCH Venture Partners, Merck, Anxiety, Merck & Co., Research and development, FDA, Lymphatic system, Hepatotoxicity, Sirna Therapeutics, Generalized anxiety disorder, Growth, Neuropsychiatry, Partner, Multimedia, Eli Lilly and Company, Probability, Liver, Medicine, Pharmaceutical industry

Following the Series A financing, PureTech will hold equity ownership in Seaport of 61.5 percent on a diluted basis.

Key Points: 
  • Following the Series A financing, PureTech will hold equity ownership in Seaport of 61.5 percent on a diluted basis.
  • Under its license agreement with Karuna, PureTech retains the right to receive milestone payments upon the achievement of certain regulatory approvals.
  • Eric Elenko, Ph.D., a PureTech co-founder and current Chief Innovation Officer, has been promoted to the role of President of PureTech.
  • Daphne Zohar, the Chief Executive Officer of Seaport, is the founder and former CEO of PureTech Health where she also co-founded Karuna Therapeutics.

Aerovate Therapeutics Announces Full-Year 2023 Financial Results and Business Highlights

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 25, 2024
Research, Conference, ATS, Actelion, Patent, Intellectual, Patient, Inhalation, Travel, Merck, Sale, American Thoracic Society, Investment, Clinical trial, Merck & Co., Therapy, PAH, Pharmaceutical industry

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled $122.4 million as of December 31, 2023, compared to $135.2 million as of September 30, 2023.

Key Points: 
  • Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled $122.4 million as of December 31, 2023, compared to $135.2 million as of September 30, 2023.
  • The decrease was primarily driven by operational costs for the three-month period ended December 31, 2023.
  • Net loss: Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $75.5 million as compared to $51.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.
  • Net loss included stock-based compensation expense of $11.9 million and $5.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

BeyondSpring Announces First Patient Dosed with Pembrolizumab, Plinabulin Plus Etoposide/Platinum in a Phase 2 Investigator-initiated Study of First-Line Extensive-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 25, 2024
IIT, Radiation, IO, Carcinoma, Survival, NSCLC, Entrepreneurship, Monroe Dunaway Anderson, Patient, Journal, Merck, Overalls, MD, Lung, Neoplasm, Safety, EP, SITC, PFS, PD-L1, Platinum, Horn, Immunotherapy, PD-1, Medical imaging

This Phase 2 trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of Pembrolizumab, Plinabulin plus EP in 1L ES-SCLC.

Key Points: 
  • This Phase 2 trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of Pembrolizumab, Plinabulin plus EP in 1L ES-SCLC.
  • KEYNOTE-604 study revealed that 12-month PFS rate in patients with pembrolizumab plus EP is 13.6% vs. 3.1% with placebo plus EP.
  • Durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide versus platinum–etoposide in first-line treatment of extensive-stage small-cell Lung cancer (CASPIAN): a randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 3 trial.
  • An Open-Label, Single-Arm, Phase II Study of Pembrolizumab, Plinabulin Plus Etoposide and Platinum as First-Line Therapy for Extensive-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Kineta Reports Full Year 2023 Financial Results and Provides Corporate Update

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Research, Combination, CPI, AML, Caregiver, Bone marrow, Insurance, Patient, Merck, Acute myeloid leukemia, Cancer, Public expenditure, Pembrolizumab, Lung cancer, Trial of the century, Cytokine release syndrome, AACR, Chemokine, Clinical trial, Annual report, Safety, Workforce, Infrared spectroscopy correlation table, NK, VISTA, Pharmaceutical industry

SEATTLE, March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kineta, Inc. (Nasdaq: KA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a mission to develop next-generation immunotherapies that transform patients’ lives, announced today financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2023 and provided a corporate update.

Key Points: 
  • In February 2024, the Company announced a significant corporate restructuring to substantially reduce expenses and preserve cash.
  • We truly appreciate the efforts of the healthcare professionals, the patients and their caregivers, and the Kineta employees involved in this trial.
  • Announced positive KVA12123 monotherapy safety data from its ongoing Phase 1/2 VISTA-101 clinical trial in patients with advanced solid tumors.
  • Cash position: As of December 31, 2023, cash was $5.8 million, compared to $13.1 million as of December 31, 2022.

CytomX Therapeutics Appoints Dr. Zhen Su to Board of Directors

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 21, 2024
University, Sanofi, Therapeutic index, Growth, GSK plc, Rotman School of Management, Merck Serono, Immunotherapy, Partnership, Patient, SAN, Ipsen, Merck, Cancer, Faculty, Society, TU Dresden, Therapy, Institute of technology, SITC, University of Florida

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTMX), a leader in the field of conditionally activated, localized biologics, today announced the appointment of Zhen Su, M.D., M.B.A., an experienced physician executive and leader in the development of oncology therapeutics, to the company’s board of directors.

Key Points: 
  • SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTMX), a leader in the field of conditionally activated, localized biologics, today announced the appointment of Zhen Su, M.D., M.B.A., an experienced physician executive and leader in the development of oncology therapeutics, to the company’s board of directors.
  • “We are excited to welcome Zhen to our board,” said Sean McCarthy, D.Phil., chief executive officer and chairman of CytomX.
  • Dr. Su is currently chief executive officer of Marengo Therapeutics and a member of its Board of Directors.
  • Dr. Su also serves on the board of directors of Karyopharm Therapeutics and as the funding chairperson for the biotech committee of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC).

Compass Therapeutics Reports 2023 Financial Results and Provides Corporate Update

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Biopsy, NSCLC, Entrepreneurship, Carcinoma, DLL4, Patient, Neoplasm, PET, Merck, G&A, Doctor of Philosophy, MD, Insurance, IND, Mesothelioma, Research and development, CD137, Therapy, Paclitaxel, BTC, CRC, Melanoma, Stage 2, PD-L1, FDA, SCLC, PD-1, Pharmaceutical industry

Ended 2023 with $152 million in cash and marketable securities, which is expected to provide cash runway into mid-year 2026.

Key Points: 
  • Ended 2023 with $152 million in cash and marketable securities, which is expected to provide cash runway into mid-year 2026.
  • BOSTON, March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Compass Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CMPX), a clinical-stage, oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company developing proprietary antibody-based therapeutics to treat multiple human diseases, today reported full 2023 financial results and provided business update.
  • The increase was primarily attributable to higher stock compensation expense of $1.0 million offset by lower insurance costs of $0.3 million.
  • During 2023, the Company decreased its cash position by $34.1 million, primarily from $40.6 million of net cash used in operating activities.

KVA12123 Clears Additional Cohorts in Monotherapy and in Combination Therapy Arms in the Phase 1/2 VISTA-101 Clinical Trial; Initial Clinical Response Data Reported

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Combination, CPI, Immunosuppression, Patient, Tumor microenvironment, Merck, Cancer, Pembrolizumab, Lung cancer, DLT, Merck & Co., Kineta, NK, Pharmaceutical industry

SEATTLE, March 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kineta, Inc. (Nasdaq: KA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel immunotherapies in oncology that address cancer immune resistance, announced today an update on its ongoing VISTA-101 Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating KVA12123 as monotherapy and in combination with Merck’s anti-PD therapy, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in patients with advanced solid tumors. KVA12123 cleared the fifth of six monotherapy dose levels and the second of four cohorts in combination with pembrolizumab. KVA12123 was well tolerated with no dose limiting toxicities (DLT) or cytokine related adverse events at any dose level.

Key Points: 
  • KVA12123 cleared the fifth of six monotherapy dose levels and the second of four cohorts in combination with pembrolizumab.
  • KVA12123 was well tolerated with no dose limiting toxicities (DLT) or cytokine related adverse events at any dose level.
  • We continue to be encouraged by the safety profile of KVA12123, supporting advancement to higher doses,” said Thierry Guillaudeux, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Kineta.
  • KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.