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

In the world of mergers and partnerships, Ayala Pharmaceuticals and Biosight, two clinical-stage oncology companies, have decided to join forces. They've entered into a definitive merger agreement with the combined company set to advance a portfolio of oncology assets, primarily focusing on Ayala’s AL102 and Biosight’s Aspacytarabine (BST-236).

Meanwhile, Carmell Therapeutics is broadening its horizons with the acquisition of Axolotl Biologix. The specifics of the deal are yet to be disclosed, but it's a move that's stirring interest in the biotech community.

Over in South Korea, Daewoong Pharmaceutical is making its first foray into Africa's pharmaceutical market for Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). With a $20.32 million agreement under its belt for the license and distribution of its potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) drug, Fexuprazan, in Morocco, Daewoong is set to make strides in this new territory from 2025 onwards.

In another exciting development, Recludix Pharma is partnering with Sanofi to commercialize oral small molecule STAT6 inhibitors for patients with immunological and inflammatory diseases. This lucrative partnership could see Recludix receiving up to an additional $1.2 billion upon completion of development, regulatory, and sales milestones.

And finally, Kwangdong Pharmaceutical is linking up with Italy-based Chiesi Farmaceutici to exclusively distribute three rare disease drugs in Korea. These drugs - Raxone, Elfabrio, and Lamzede - are aimed at treating severe vision loss, a genetic disorder leading to premature death, and alpha-mannosidosis accumulation, respectively. It's a partnership that promises to open up new medical opportunities for rare disease patients in Korea.

⏫ Pipeline and Approvals

First up, we have some positive news from Merck. The European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended marketing authorisation for the company's product, gefapixant. This drug is intended for the treatment of adults with refractory or unexplained chronic cough. Once the European Commission reviews the CHMP's recommendation, a final decision is expected later this year.

Next, we have an update from Janssen. The company's product, Talvey, has received a positive opinion from the CHMP. Talvey, also known as talquetamab, is a monotherapy developed for treating adult patients with highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The CHMP's recommendation will now be reviewed by the European Commission for marketing authorization in the European Union.

There's also some exciting news from Sandoz. The EMA's CHMP has recommended marketing authorization for its biosimilar natalizumab. This drug is developed for the treatment of adults with refractory or unexplained chronic cough. The recommendation will now be reviewed by the European Commission, and a final decision is expected later this year.

Meanwhile, Jazz Pharmaceuticals received a positive opinion from the CHMP for the marketing authorization of JZP458 (a recombinant Erwinia asparaginase or crisantaspase). The authorization covers treatment as a single disease-modifying therapy in adults with highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Finally, we have some good news from Marinomed Biotech. The company's distribution partner, M8 Pharmaceuticals, has obtained market approval for the distribution and marketing of a Carragelose nasal spray in Mexico. The product launch under the trade name Barlo is planned for the upcoming season.

💰 Funding

Let's start with Octave Bioscience, a company dedicated to creating precision medicine for neurodegenerative diseases. They recently raised an impressive $30 million in a funding round. This major financial boost will help Octave accelerate its commercialization efforts to reach more patients suffering from multiple sclerosis and other similar diseases.

Then there's Verrica Pharmaceuticals. They've just announced the closing of a whopping $125 million debt financing deal with OrbiMed. This cash influx will go a long way in supporting the commercialization of YCANTH™, Verrica's recently FDA-approved treatment for molluscum contagiosum.

Kincell Bio is another company that's made headlines, securing $36 million in investment. The cell therapy contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) spun out of Inceptor Bio. The funds will be used to help early-stage innovators develop and manufacture cell therapies.

In the gene therapy arena, Kriya Therapeutics announced a major milestone with a fresh $150 million funding round. The biotech startup is focused on developing gene therapies for serious diseases, with the new funding set to help push its research and development efforts further.

Last but not least, Beijing-based Pyrotech Therapeutics has wrapped up an impressive $97 million Series A funding to develop novel small molecule drugs that modulate immune responses for autoimmune diseases and cancer. This significant investment underlines the growing interest in the development of innovative treatments for these complex diseases.

📰 Interesting News

Let's kick off with a study from Michigan State University that's exploring a potential link between cadmium levels in women's urine and endometriosis. The study found that women with a history of this condition had higher concentrations of cadmium in their urine compared to those without the diagnosis. While it's still early days, this research might pave the way for understanding risk factors for endometriosis.

Shifting gears, a recent article by BioSpace highlighted 12 late-stage contenders in the arena of neurodegenerative disease, including companies working on Alzheimer's, ALS, Parkinson's and Huntington's. This is a space that's seen a recent spate of approvals, hinting at an exciting future for neurodegenerative disease treatments.

In the realm of nutrition, a study published in JAMA found that fasting is no more effective for weight loss than calorie counting. This study compared individuals who practiced time-restricted eating with those who maintained a daily reduction in calories, finding similar weight loss results in both groups.

ScienceDaily reported on an intriguing study that suggests a link between cadmium levels in women's urine and a diagnosis of endometriosis. It's an area that needs further exploration, but the findings are already shedding new light on potential risk factors for this condition.

Lastly, Labiotech highlighted six biotech companies based in Chennai, India, that are changing the game in the field. From firms specializing in cell culture products to those developing therapies for chronic diseases, these companies are making significant strides in biotech.