The Friday Five newsletter will focus on the top five - deals, pipeline, funding, and news of the week. The complete list is available here: Industry Updates

🤝Deals and Collaborations

1️⃣ Love Pharma announces closing of MicroDoz Therapy acquisition. The combination of these two companies represents a synergy in the promotion of mental wellness and the development of novel therapies for mental health disorders.

2️⃣ Shanghai Henlius Biotech out-licenses Latin American rights for three biosimilars to Eurofarma in a $55mn deal. Eurofarma will have rights to market the three biosimilars rituximab, trastuzumab, and bevacizumab.

3️⃣ An 'interestingly porous' pouch: Two startups team up on a potentially new way to treat diabetes. Evotec’s iPSC-based beta cells will be used in Sernova’s cell pouch device as a future treatment for diabetes.

4️⃣ SK Biopharmaceuticals partners with U.S. biotech company Cala to fuel innovation in neurology. Cala is the leader in non-invasive bioelectronic therapy via a wearable device that is proven to reduce essential tremors.

5️⃣ Fosun Pharma and VerImmune enter into a licensing agreement for VerImmune's Virus-inspired particle (ViP) platform as novel immunotherapies in China. Fosun Pharma to lead clinical development and commercialization in the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau for VERI-101 that redirects natural pre-existing immunity from past viral infections or childhood vaccinations to target cancer.

⏫ Pipeline and Approvals

1️⃣ FDA approves Lilly's Tirzepatide - a novel, dual-targeted treatment for type 2 diabetes

2️⃣ MHRA marketing authorization granted for Eli Lilly’s Verzenios as early breast cancer treatment

3️⃣ Hansa Biopharma announces temporary marketing authorization in Switzerland for Idefirix (imlifidase) in kidney transplantation

4️⃣ Alnylam Pharma says Canada authorizes OXLUMO for treatment of primary hyperoxaluria Type 1

5️⃣ Roche’s ophthalmology drug Faricimab gains UK approval via an international program

💰 Funding

1️⃣ Kriya cashes in $270mn series C to further finance all-in-one gene therapy biz. Funds will help to prioritize its manufacturing capability and core development technology before developing a pipeline.

2️⃣ Remix closes $70mn funding with pipeline really humming. This financing will support the further development of REMaster platform, which enables the design of molecules that can selectively degrade RNA, enhance RNA expression, induce exon skipping, or rescue genetic lesions.

3️⃣ ApiJect picks up a $111mn investment from Royalty Pharma, Jefferies. Funds raised will be used for the development of its proprietary Blow-Fill-Seal (BFS) plastic pre-filled injection system, as well as to deploy its equipment and proprietary technologies to licensees and for general working capital purposes.

4️⃣ SwanBio Therapeutics announces $56mn Series B financing to advance novel gene therapies for neurological conditions. The new funding will support the ongoing clinical development of the lead candidate, SBT101 for adrenomyeloneuropathy.

5️⃣ Inceptor Bio announces $37mn Series A financing to develop cell therapies for difficult-to-treat cancers. Proceeds from the Series A financing will be used to advance Inceptor Bio's CAR-T lead program to a Phase I clinical trial and continue the development of its CAR-M and CAR-NK platforms.

📰 Interesting News

1️⃣ Antibiotics can lead to fungal infection because of disruption to the gut's immune system. Patients prescribed antibiotics in hospitals are more likely to get fungal infections because of disruption to the immune system in the gut, according to a new study.

2️⃣ Bacteria-killing viruses are successful in treating antibiotic-resistant infections. The University of Pittsburgh announced a patient’s cure from a Mycobacterium abscessus lung infection with phage therapy.

3️⃣ AusBiotech unveils a 10-year blueprint for the biotech sector. The report calls for improved access to capital, company growth through the commercialization pathway, a reduction in gaps in technology transfer and commercialization support, and an increase in incentives and structural support along the commercialization pipeline.

4️⃣ Artery stiffness may predict Type 2 diabetes risk better than BP and standard risk factors. Adults with increased arterial stiffness had a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, regardless of their hypertension status when added to standard risk factors.

5️⃣ Big pharma’s biggest spenders revealed. Bristol Myers Squibb has spent the most on M&A, R&D, and licensing since 2017, and Eli Lilly the least.