Local biotechs have been busy this spring raising funds through highly successful IPOs and funding rounds. Boston-based Talaris Therapeutics’ IPO, which closed on May 11, raised approximately $150 million for the company. Known as Regenerex at its founding in 2002, Talaris, is a late-clinical stage cell therapy company developing an innovative method of allogeneic hematopoietic […]

Cambridge-based iTeos Therapeutics and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have agreed to co-develop and co-commercialize EOS-448, an anti-TIGIT monoclonal antibody currently in phase I development as a potential treatment for patients with cancer. TIGIT, part of the CD226 checkpoint axis, has demonstrated potential as a promising target for the next generation of immuno-oncology therapies based on compelling preclinical […]

Lexington biotech Agenus has granted Bristol Myers Squibb an exclusive global license for its proprietary bispecific antibody program, AGEN1777, that blocks TIGIT and a second undisclosed target. AGEN1777 is an Fc-enhanced antibody in late preclinical development designed to target major inhibitory receptors expressed on T and NK cells to improve anti-tumor activity. In preclinical studies […]

The FDA has granted accelerated approval to Biogen and Eisai  for Aduhelm™ (aducanumab-avwa), a human monoclonal antibody, as the first and only Alzheimer’s disease treatment to address a defining pathology of the disease by reducing amyloid beta plaques in the brain. Biogen licensed Aduhelm from Neurimmune in 2007 under a collaborative development and license agreement. […]

Moderna is expanding its Moderna Technology Center (MTC) in Norwood including more than doubling of space to transform the facility from a production and lab space to an industrial technology center. This expansion includes increasing the company’s production and lab space from approximately 300,000 square feet to approximately 650,000 square feet through renovation of existing […]

Venture capital firm Flagship Pioneering has unveiled Laronde, a startup platform company developing a novel, proprietary form of RNA they are calling “endless RNA” (eRNA). eRNA can be programmed to express therapeutic proteins inside the body. Flagship initially committed $50 million to support the development of Laronde’s platform and initial pipeline of new medicines. eRNA […]

Ginkgo Bioworks and Soaring Eagle Acquisition Corp, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company or SPAC, have agreed to a business combination that will result in Ginkgo becoming a publicly-listed company. The transaction implies a pre-money equity valuation for Ginkgo of $15.0 billion, and is expected to provide up to $2.5 billion of gross cash […]

Charles River Laboratories has announced plans to acquire Vigene Biosciences, a Maryland-based gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) providing viral vector-based gene delivery solutions. The purchase price is expected to be $292.5 million in cash, subject to customary closing adjustments. In addition to the initial purchase price, the transaction includes contingent additional payments of up to $57.5 […]

Moderna is making new funding commitments to increase supply at its owned and partnered manufacturing facilities, which it expects will increase global 2022 capacity to up to 3 billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccine. The company will use its cash balance to fund these investments. These investments allow for a doubling of drug substance manufacturing […]

Gene therapy company Affinia Therapeutics has closed a $110 million Series B financing. Affinia Therapeutics will use the proceeds to further develop its proprietary gene therapy platform, advance programs into the clinic, and for general corporate purposes. “Since founding the company, we have had the interest of leading biotech investors as well as strategic partners […]