Latest news with #drug development
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Novartis to pay Matchpoint up to $1 billion to develop anti-inflammatory therapies
(Reuters) -Swiss drugmaker Novartis will pay up to $1 billion to U.S. biotech Matchpoint Therapeutics to develop oral drugs for several inflammatory diseases. Matchpoint said on Thursday it will use its technology to develop drugs that block the activity of a specific protein, helping to lower the production of inflammation-causing signals. The company will lead the research and drug development process, using the funding from Novartis. If Novartis exercises its option to exclusively license the program, the drugmaker will have global rights to develop and commercialize all products resulting from the collaboration. Matchpoint said it will receive up to $60 million in upfront payment and research funding, with up to $1 billion in total potential payments, including option exercise fee, and development and commercial milestones. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Reuters
7 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Sarepta's licensing patner Arrowhead expects near-term payments despite setbacks
July 23 (Reuters) - Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR.O), opens new tab said on Wednesday it expects to receive near-term milestone payments from Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT.O), opens new tab as part of their licensing agreement, despite recent setbacks at the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based drugmaker. Sarepta said last week a 51-year-old man who received one of its experimental gene therapies in a study has died. It received investor and analyst criticism for reporting the death a day after the company disclosed cost cutting efforts, including its plans to halt the study and layoffs. Shares of Sarepta have declined 25% in the last week, and have dragged down shares of its partner Arrowhead by 15%. The companies entered into an agreement in late 2024, and Sarepta gained licensing rights to four of Arrowhead's experimental therapies which are in early stages of development. "Sarepta has provided no indication of any intention to fail to fulfill any of its obligations," the Pasadena, California-based drug developer said in a statement on Wednesday. Arrowhead said it expects to receive $300 million by the end of this year, related to patient enrollment for its early-to-mid stage study of ARO-DM1, which is being tested for a genetic condition. It added that Sarepta's restructuring efforts prioritized the funding, development, and commercialization of programs that it has licensed from Arrowhead. The deal has provisions that allow both the parties to terminate the agreement under certain circumstances. Arrowhead said that if Sarepta fails to make certain milestone payments, it would have the right to terminate the partnership. Bernstein analyst William Pickering said earlier in the week that Arrowhead does not have enough financial resources to develop and launch its therapies on its own. He added there was not much reason for Arrowhead to pull out of the deal unless they find another partner.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
China's Biotech Is Quietly Eating Big Pharma's Lunch
Chinese biotech is no longer playing catch-up it's becoming the main event. In 2024, more than 1,250 innovative drugs entered development in China, nearly overtaking the US and leaving the EU behind. This isn't just a numbers game. Chinese firms like Akeso (AKESF) are now developing therapies that are outperforming global blockbusters like Merck's Keytruda in head-to-head trials. The quality leap has been fast, fueled by regulatory reforms, foreign-trained scientists, and an R&D machine that moves at blistering speed. Data from Norstella shows China now earns more expedited drug reviews than the EU a signal that Western regulators are paying attention. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with AKESF. Multinational pharma isn't waiting around. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) just cut a $1.2 billion upfront deal with 3SBio. Summit Therapeutics paid $500 million for rights to Akeso's cancer therapy. These aren't niche plays they're big bets on the future. And with China's massive patient pool and streamlined hospital network, companies can run trials in half the time (and at a fraction of the cost) compared to the US. That speed lets Chinese firms launch multiple shots on goal and global players are lining up to license the winners. From cell therapies to obesity drugs, the East is becoming the place where the drug pipeline gets built. But approval is still a long game. US regulators aren't greenlighting drugs based solely on China trial data not yet. And with rising geopolitical tension, some in Washington are sounding alarms over biotech dependencies. Still, the shift is underway. In just five years, the number of top-ranked Chinese drug innovators has quadrupled. Investors watching this space aren't asking whether China will lead the next wave of biotech innovation. They're asking how soon. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
