The Weekly Roundup newsletter curates the top five - deals, pipeline, funding, and news from the past week.

The complete list is available here: Industry Updates

🤝Deals and Collaborations

1️⃣ Astellas and Kate Therapeutics have signed an exclusive license agreement for KT430, a preclinical gene therapy aimed at treating X-linked myotubular myopathy (XLMTM). //Read more

2️⃣ Cosette Pharmaceuticals has acquired global rights to Endoceutics' Intraros prescription drug, which is used to treat vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) in postmenopausal women by alleviating symptoms such as vaginal dryness, itching, and painful intercourse. //Read more

3️⃣ Alvogen has acquired the US license for NRx Pharmaceuticals' NRX-101, a bipolar depression drug, in a $330 million deal, with an initial $10 million cash payment upon positive results from a phase 2b/3 clinical trial. //Read more

4️⃣ CrystalGenomics has received a $2 million order from a Russian government-run pharmaceutical company for its anti-osteoarthritis drug Acelex, containing the active ingredient Polmacoxib. //Read more

5️⃣ Samsung Biologics and Pfizer have signed a $411.3 million agreement for long-term contract development and manufacturing services, under which Samsung Biologics will produce biosimilar products from Pfizer's portfolio for tumor, inflammation, and immune disorder therapies. //Read more

⏫ Pipeline and Approvals

1️⃣ Neurology: Marinus Pharma wins EU nod for pediatric CDD seizures drug. CHMP recommends ZTALMY for CDD seizures in children and adults. CDD is rare genetic disorder with early seizures, neuro issues. //Explore further

2️⃣ Hematology: EMA backs Samsung's eculizumab biosimilar Epysqli for PNH. CHMP recommends approval for PNH in adults and children. Epysqli will be Samsung Bioepis' first hematology biosimilar, expanding its portfolio. //Explore further

3️⃣ Genetic disorder: FDA approves Analog, Dipharma's 20mg generic nitisinone capsules, completing range for hereditary tyrosinemia type 1. //Explore further

4️⃣ Genetic disorder: CANbridge gets China nod to launch first pruritus drug Livmarli for Alagille syndrome patients. //Explore further

💰 Funding

1️⃣ Acepodia has raised $100 million in a Series D funding round to advance two lead T-cell therapies, ACE1831 for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and ACE2016 for EGFR-expressing solid tumors. //Learn more

2️⃣ Alkeus has raised $150 million in a Series B financing round to support the rapid registration path for gildeuretinol (ALK-001) in the treatment of Stargardt Disease, enabling the company to expand its team and drive the drug towards NDA submission and FDA approval. //Learn more

3️⃣ PharmAla Biotech has received a $50,000 grant to support its use of in-silico modelling, an AI drug discovery technique, to improve its drug discovery process. //Learn more

4️⃣ Bitterroot has raised $145 million in a Series A funding round to explore the use of immunotherapies for treating heart disease, starting with a drug for atherosclerosis, using novel approaches inspired by oncology and autoimmune therapies. //Learn more

5️⃣ Lyndra Therapeutics is seeking a $180 million Series D funding round to support the potential 2026 launch of a once-weekly, long-acting version of risperidone, an antipsychotic medication, with a Phase III trial already underway and plans for an NDA filing in 2025. //Learn more

📰 Interesting News

1️⃣ Defective myelin, which leads to poorly insulated nerve cells, has been found to actively promote Alzheimer's disease-related changes, according to new research. //Find out more

2️⃣ This article features six companies that have established themselves in the cardiovascular space: Acesion Pharma, Acticor Biotech, Cardurion Pharmaceuticals, Heartseed, Serca Pharmaceuticals, and Verve Therapeutics. //Find out more

3️⃣ Know Labs has unveiled a prototype for a non-invasive glucose monitor that uses the company's proprietary Bio-RFID technology to capture a unique molecular signature and can be integrated into wearable, mobile, or bench-top form factors. //Find out more

4️⃣ A study suggests that taurine deficiency, a molecule produced in our bodies, drives aging, and taurine supplementation can improve health and increase lifespan in animals, indicating that taurine may be a key to a longer and healthier life. //Find out more

5️⃣ A study tracking over 95,000 women for nearly 3 decades found that regular exercise can reduce a woman's risk of developing Parkinson's disease by 25%. //Find out more