VRG Therapeutics’ Post

Here are the 5 expected drug launches in 2024 with the most disruptive potential: 1. BMS /Karuna Therapeutics' KarXT (schizophrenia) 2. Ascendis Pharma's TransCon PTH (hypoparathyroidism) 3. Janssen's /Legend Biotech's Carvykti (2L + multiple myeloma) 4. AstraZeneca's /Ionis Pharma's Wainua (hATTR- PN) 5. CRISPR Therapeutics' /Vertex's Casgevy and Bluebird Bio's Lyfgenia (sickle cell disease) #biotechnology #biotech #druglaunch #bms #ascendis #janssen #astrazeneca #crispr #vertex

We are delighted to provide our first business update since delisting from AIM earlier this year and continue our journey from a discovery to an immuno-inflammation therapeutics company. We're making important progress with our small molecule drug discovery portfolio in immuno-inflammatory diseases, focusing on areas with significant unmet need and commercial potential. Our lead oral a4b7 integrin inhibitor for inflammatory bowel disease is nearing pre-clinical candidate selection, with planning for IND-enabling studies well underway. And we announce two new pipeline programmes which are progressing towards Lead Optimisation, with first-in-class and best-in-class potential. Elsewhere we are applying our PatientSeek platform to define a genetic fingerprint as a predictive biomarker for a4b7 response that will allow us to specifically design our pivotal clinical trials for success. Read more here:  https://lnkd.in/dbBTEKZx #C4XD #immuno_inflammation #biotech #innovation 

🚀 The Rise of #Cytokine Therapies in #Autoimmune Disease Since the approval of Amgen’s Enbrel (Etanercept) in the 1990s, cytokine therapies have grown rapidly. In 2024, we’ve already seen 3 new approvals in September: 💥 TREMFYA (IL-23) for ulcerative colitis 💥 Fasenra (IL-5) for EGPA 💥 BIMZELX (IL-17) for psoriatic arthritis & more Investors are taking notice, with 9 major deals announced this year, including: 🎯 Navigator Medicines ($100M Series A) 🎯 Zenas BioPharma ($200M Series C) With 42% of new preclinical programs targeting non-cancer indications, cytokine therapies are expanding their reach. Let’s connect! #Biotech#AutoimmuneDisease #Innovation #Biologics #DrugDevelopment #Pharma

📈 The Rise of #Cytokine Therapies for #Autoimmune Disease Cytokine therapies have been used to treat autoimmune diseases since the 1990s, when Amgen's TNF-alpha targeting fusion protein, Enbrel (Etanercept) was first approved for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Since then, clinical validation of key targets such as IL-6R, IL-17A and IL-23 has lead to an additional 58 cytokine drug approvals for autoimmune conditions, and in September 2024 we saw 3 new cytokine approvals in this space: 💥 11th September the U.S. FDA approved Johnson & Johnson's TREMFYA for ulcerative colitis, a humanized #mAb targeting IL-23 💥 18th September AstraZeneca's Fasenra was approved in the US for EGPA, a humanized mAb targeting IL-5 💥 23rd September UCB announced U.S. FDA approval for BIMZELX, which targets IL-17, for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis, non-radiographic axial spondylarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis Such breakthroughs are gaining the attention of #investors and pharma partners, with 9 major #financing deals announced so far this year. See below a few that caught my eye: 🎯Navigator Medicines closed $100 million Series A Financing in August 🎯 CatalYm GmbH completed a $150 million Series D in July co-led by Canaan Partners and Bioqube Ventures 🎯 Bright Peak Therapeutics raised $90 million Series C financing lead by J&J Innovation 🎯 Attovia Therapeutics raised $105 million oversubscribed Series B financing led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives 🎯 Zenas BioPharma closed an upsized $200 million Series C financing We are entering a new era of cytokine-based drug development as developers translate learnings from the oncology space and next generation therapies increase the scope of this therapeutic niche. What's exciting is 42% of new #preclinical cytokine programs disclosed so far in 2024 are targeting non-cancer indications. This brings the total number of cytokine drugs in development for autoimmune conditions to 614, with 233 in preclinical development. The top targets currently being investigated preclinically can be found below. #Biotech #AutoimmuneDisease #Innovation #Biologics For more information, feel free to reach out!

AbbVie’s acquisition of Aliada Therapeutics brings a promising Alzheimer’s drug into its portfolio, one designed to leverage Aliada’s blood-brain barrier-crossing technology. This platform, aimed at enhancing central nervous system drug delivery, could position AbbVie as a leader in treatments for neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s, where effective brain-targeting therapies remain limited. In terms of the competitive landscape, AbbVie will be up against industry giants like Biogen and Eli Lilly, which are also pushing advanced Alzheimer’s therapies. Biogen’s Aduhelm, though controversial, and Eli Lilly’s donanemab represent some of the first Alzheimer's drugs targeting disease mechanisms. However, AbbVie’s unique focus on blood-brain barrier technology could provide it with a critical advantage in drug delivery precision and efficacy, potentially addressing longstanding therapeutic limitations. #AbbVie #AliadaTherapeutics #AlzheimersTreatment #BloodBrainBarrier #NeuroscienceInnovation #BiotechAcquisition #LifeSciences #NeurodegenerativeDisease #PharmaTech #FutureOfHealthcare

We are excited to announce Deciduous Therapeutics as a Tier 3 Sponsor of the 11th Aging Research & Drug Discovery Meeting. Deciduous Therapeutics is a San Francisco based, venture backed start-up focused on harnessing the immune system to treat diseases of aging. Specifically, the company is focused on restoring natural killer t-cell function to systemically ablate pathological senescent cells. The company had demonstrated that a single dose of its proprietary NKT agonist is able to selectively remove senescent cells, resulting in disease resolution in both fibrosis and metabolic disease models. #ARDD2024 will feature a dynamic mix of academic institutions, clinicians, industry leaders, and pharmaceutical companies, fostering rich dialogues and unveiling new research in the field of aging. Mark your calendars for August 26-30, 2024 and register now at agingpharma.org https://lnkd.in/ggNnNTeh #ARDD2024 #DrugDiscovery #AgingResearch

DelveInsight’s latest report highlights a dynamic landscape in the retinitis pigmentosa pipeline, with 40+ active companies advancing 40+ pipeline therapies for the condition. This vibrant sector is characterized by a broad range of innovative approaches to treatment. Key players in the retinitis pigmentosa field include MeiraGTx, Aldeyra Therapeutics, SparingVision, Frontera Therapeutics, ProQR Therapeutics, and Bionic Sight, among others. They are advancing therapies like Botaretigene sparoparvovec, ADX-2191, SPVN-06, FT-002, and Ultevursen, which are in various stages of clinical trials to address unmet needs in RP treatment. Get detailed insights here: https://lnkd.in/gxpJVqFn #RetinitisPigmentosa #RP #Ophthalmology #HealthcareMarket #PharmaceuticalInnovation #DelveInsight #ClinicalTrials #DrugDevelopment #VisionLoss #Biopharma #GeneTherapy #RetinalTherapies #MedicalResearch #PipelineTherapies #EyeHealth

We're thrilled to share our latest article, "A Microvascularized In Vitro Liver Model for Disease Modeling and Drug Discovery"! This innovative 3D human liver model integrates hepatocytes, stellate cells, and endothelial cells in a fully vascularized structure, mimicking complex liver functions like steatosis and fibrosis. With high scalability for drug testing and disease modeling, this system offers unparalleled accuracy in pharmaceutical research, reducing reliance on animal models and providing more human-relevant insights. 🔬 Why this matters: This liver model gives researchers and pharmaceutical companies a robust platform to improve drug efficacy predictions, paving the way for more successful treatments for liver-related diseases. We are proud of this milestone and the incredible potential it holds for advancing personalized medicine and enhancing drug development pipelines. 🔗 Read the news article and paper: https://lnkd.in/eie74Xvj #liverfibrosis #livermodel #drugdiscovery #pharma #diseasemodeling

Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. Therapeutics has started their MAGNITUDE Phase 3 trial with the CRISPR-based drug NTLA-2001 for the treatment of TTR amyloidosis (NCT06128629). Intellia had previously published encouraging results of a Phase I study, showing a 87% reduction of serum TTR levels 28 days after a single dose of NTLA-2001. In the MAGNITUDE study, patients will be followed up on CV events, TTR levels and KCCQ-OS score for at least 18 months after a single dose of NTLA-2001. #amyloidosis #crispr

The biotechnology sector, facing a prolonged downturn, received a potential boost with the Federal Reserve's signal to cut interest rates in 2024. Analysts predict a positive impact on biotech stocks, but clinical trial outcomes remain crucial. Ten imminent trials could influence the sector, including Vertex's VX-548 for acute pain, Alnylam's vutrisiran in transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy, Roche's tiragolumab in lung cancer, and Moderna's mRNA vaccines for influenza and COVID-19. Other key trials involve Amylyx's Relyvrio for ALS, Johnson & Johnson's aticaprant for major depressive disorder, Gilead's Trodelvy in lung cancer, Sanofi's tolebrutinib in multiple sclerosis, Pfizer's gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and Beam's base editing for sickle cell disease. See BiopharmaDive's article on '10 clinical trials to watch in the first half of 2024' https://lnkd.in/eQEUx3KX