Weekly News Round-up – 15/1/21
2 years ago
By Josh Neil
In the news this week, COVID vaccine production continues to advance, with Regeneron signing a new $2.6 billion deal in the US, the J&J one-shot looks set to distribute in March 2021, and two inhaler treatments advance in trials. In other news, GSK announces it could double its blockbusters over the next five years, and Sanofi buys antibody company Kymab for $1.1 billion.
GLAXOSMITHKLINE LOOKS TO DOUBLE BLOCKBUSTERS IN PORTFOLIO REVIVAL – GSK is seeking to revive its product lineup with a host of new blockbusters in the run up to 2026, the company has announced. The new drugs include lung cancer drug Zejula and an anti-COVID antibody treatment, and could see sales of more than $1 billion in the next five years.
REGENERON SIGNS $2.6 BILLION DEAL ON COVID ANTIBODY SUPPLY – Having previously agreed to supply 300,000 doses of its COVID-19 antibody product to the US, Regeneron has now signed a larger deal for up to 1.25 million doses – reputedly worth around $2.63 billion. Currently Regeneron’s product has been green-lit at a dose of 2,400mg. But should Regeneron receive approval for lower dosages, it expects to fulfil the entire order by June 2021.
SANOFI BUYS ANTIBODY GIANT KYMAB – Pharma giant Sanofi is set to pay $1.1 billion up-front, plus milestone increments of up to $350 million, to purchase Cambridge-based antibody company Kymab. The deal means Sanofi purchases global rights to KY1005, a fully human monoclonal antibody with a novel mechanism of action. KY1005 can potentially treat a large number of immune-mediated diseases and inflammatory disorders.
In other news:
R&D
Boehringer and Enara Bio collaborate on novel targeted cancer immunotherapy research
UK company IosBio touts pill as replacement to COVID-19 vaccines
Clinical
Synairgen’s inhaled COVID-19 formulation enters phase 3
Verona Pharma finishes pilot enrolment for COVID-19 inhaler treatment
Manufacturing
Johnson & Johnson set to begin one-shot COVID vaccine distribution in March 2021
BioNTech increases 2021 COVID vaccine delivery target to 2 billion doses
That’s all for now. See you next week!
Joshua Neil, Editor
Proventa International
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