Phase 2 results presented today by Eli Lilly expand on previously reported top-line data that found donanemab met its primary endpoint and showed significant slowing of decline on a composite measure of cognition and daily function in patients with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease compared to placebo. Additionally, data from secondary analyses showed donanemab consistently slowed cognitive […]

Thermo Fisher has announced more than $600 million in capital investments to expand its bioprocessing production capabilities through 2022. These investments are expected to more than double the company’s current manufacturing capacity and support biopharma customers as they ramp up to meet both the short-term demands related to COVID-19 as well as long-term efforts to develop new […]

The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council’s newly-released 2020 Massachusetts Biopharma Funding Report shows that the Massachusetts biopharma industry experienced its best funding year on record. In 2020, venture capital investment in Massachusetts-based companies reached $5.8 billion, surpassing 2018’s previous record high of $4.8 billion. In addition, 21 Massachusetts-based biopharma companies went public in 2020, a 110% increase […]

The FDA has approved Sarepta Therapeutics Amondys 45, an antisense oligonucleotide, for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in certain patients. Consistent with the accelerated approval pathway, the continued approval of Amondys 45 may be contingent on confirmation of a clinical benefit in confirmatory trials. The Essence trial – a placebo-controlled confirmatory trial to […]

Merck and Watertown-based Pandion Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech developing novel therapeutics targeting autoimmune diseases, have agreed that Merck will acquire Pandion for $60 per share or approximately $1.85 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2021. Pandion is advancing a pipeline of precision immune modulators targeting critical immune control nodes. […]

Gene-editing biotech Beam Therapeutics has acquired Guide Therapeutics, a developer of nonviral drug delivery vehicles for genetic medicines, further expanding the potential reach of Beam’s genetic medicines into new target tissues and diseases. “Since our founding, Beam’s strategy has been to establish the leading, fully integrated platform for precision genetic medicine,” said Beam CEO John […]

Boston-based Ensoma, formally launched in early February, has entered into a strategic collaboration with Takeda. The agreement grants Takeda an exclusive worldwide license to Ensoma’s Engenious™ vectors for up to five rare disease indications. Takeda will make an equity investment of $10 million in Ensoma’s Series A Preferred Stock with the potential for $100 million […]

National Resilience, a biotech newcomer launched in November 2020 and headquartered in Boston and San Diego, is poised to purchase the Sanofi bio-manufacturing plant in Allston. According to its website, Resilience “will actively invest in developing powerful new technologies to manufacture complex medicines that are defining the future of therapeutics, including cell and gene therapies, […]

Curevac and GlaxoSmithKline will partner to jointly develop next generation mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 with the potential for a multi-valent approach to address multiple emerging variants in one vaccine. GSK will also support the manufacture of up to 100 million doses of CureVac’s first generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate CVnCoV in 2021. Through this new exclusive […]

Woburn-based CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals has won a $69.3 million U.S. government contract to facilitate domestic production of three medicines used to treat critically ill patients, including those with COVID-19. “…In addition to streamlining continuous, environmentally friendly, and cost-efficient production of these medicines, this contract will help us build a state-of-the-art facility that will address urgent pharmaceutical supply chain […]