Drug Development

Borrowing is good, but invention is best.

AstraZeneca and Neuroimmune have closed an exclusive global collaboration and license agreement to develop and commercialize NI006.

Eli Lilly and Company are investing $700 million into a Boston-based facility for the newly announced Institute for Genetic Medicine.

Alvea has begun preclinical testing of a scalable, shelf-stable DNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Noema Pharma announces first patient dosed in its Phase IIb clinical trial of mGluR5 inhibitor NOE-101 in trigeminal neuralgia.

ImmunoGen and Eli Lilly and Company have entered into an agreement that gives Lilly exclusive rights to research, develop, and commercialize ADCs designed for targets selected by Lilly from ImmunoGen’s camptothecin technology.

In this episode of the Drug Solutions Podcast, Chris Spivey, editorial director, and Meg Rivers, senior editor, interview Sean Tucker, PhD, chief scientific officer of Vaxart, on developing oral recombinant vaccines.

Piramal Pharma Solutions plans to construct a multipurpose ADC manufacturing and aseptic fill/finish facility in Grangemouth, Scotland, and to upgrades its existing API manufacturing facility in Morpeth, England.

China-based CDMO Asymchem acquires US-based chemical technology company Snapdragon.

The European Patent Office has granted another patent to Salipro Biotech, covering the composition-of-matter, methods, and uses of the company’s novel antigen technology.

Domainex is collaborating with Parkinson’s UK for the development of small-molecule therapies targeting the neuroinflammation that is associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Pharming Group has announced positive results from the Phase II/III study of leniolisib for the treatment of activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta (PI3Kδ) syndrome (APDS).

In this episode of Drug Digest, Chris Spivey, editorial director, and Meg Rivers, senior editor, dive into APIs, excipients, and formulation advances, specifically pairing the right APIs and excipients for optimizing formulations.

In this study, researchers evaluated the colloidal microcrystalline cellulose (cMCC) suspending agent—a co-processed material of microcrystalline cellulose and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC)—by using a representative pharmaceutical-grade commercial version of cMCC.

Although mRNA and viral vector vaccines have been top of mind for COVID-19 treatments, other technologies and treatments are emerging—along with new variants.

Interest in natural phytochemicals or synthetic derivatives of cannabinoids has risen.

Eli Lilly and Company has entered into a research and collaboration agreement with Entos Pharmaceuticals to develop new therapeutics for treating neurologic disorders.

The multispecific analysis of biologics is a complex task that requires appropriate strategies.

Personnel need to be trained in various analytical skill sets for biologic drug substance testing.

Toxicology studies are an important and required aspect of drug development that are performed to ensure that drugs are deemed safe prior to patient administration and use in clinical trials.

Experience is an invaluable asset for outsourcing partners, particularly as more challenging method development services are in demand.

A key benefit for companies when outsourcing formulation development is the broad experience they can gain from a dedicated service provider, particularly for niche markets.

Shifting demands from industry innovators is leading to an increased need for flexible and agile outsourcing partners offering broad and integrated models.

CDMOs offer expertise and customization options for sponsors of orphan drugs.

PhoreMost has entered into separate collaboration agreements with Polaris Quantum Biotech and NeoCura Bio-Medical Technology to discover and develop novel cancer therapeutics.