Virginia Li digs into more promising data for NK CAR cell therapy, this time from Nkarta who share price doubled on the announcement. We listen to an extract from this week’s KOL View Live discussion between Michael Flanagan and Xianxin Hua, professor of cancer biology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, about the progress of CAR-T therapies as potential treatments for solid tumours. And Simon King provides some early thoughts on key trends from first quarter earnings season, including uncertainty around future COVID-19-related revenues and Big Pharma’s appetite for M&A.
On this week’s episode FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Virginia Li, Michael Flanagan and Simon King look ahead to the annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) which is taking place this weekend in New Orleans.
On this week’s episode Virginia Li discusses the closely watched FDA AdCom meeting for Amylyx’s ALS therapy AMX0035, which saw experts vote narrowly against Amylyx having shown sufficient efficacy for the drug from a single clinical study. Simon King looks at two major clinical data announcements – for Almirall and Eli Lilly’s atopic dermatitis drug lebrikizumab and Roche’s potential cancer therapy tiragolumab. And FirstWord HealthTech’s Tina Tan highlights some notable trends in health tech venture capitalist investments during the first quarter of 2022, ahead of an exclusive live event for FirstWord HealthTech PLUS subscribers next week where she will provide a more comprehensive overview of VC activity.
On this week’s episode editors Virginia Li and Simon King discuss FDA approval of the first novel checkpoint inhibitor for eight years – Bristol Myers Squibb’s LAG-3 inhibitor relatlimab – and evaluate positive data for Pfizer’s etrasimod, which it gained via December’s $6.7 billion acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals. In addition, FirstWord’s Michael Flanagan speaks to Adam Brufsky – professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and associate chief for the school’s haematology/oncology division – to discuss the relevance of recent clinical and regulatory events that will impact the treatment of breast cancer.
On this week’s episode FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Virginia Li and Simon King discuss an unexpected corporate re-manoeuvring around Biogen and Eisai’s controversial Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm and disappointing clinical data for Sanofi’s breast cancer drug amcenestrant. Simon also catches up with FirstWord HealthTech’s executive editor Tina Tan to find out about some recent oncologist surveys looking at the use of digital technologies to help combat pandemic-extended treatment waiting times and the mental wellbeing of cancer patients.
On this week’s episode FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Michael Flanagan and Simon King discuss why Gilead is getting flak for a positive cancer drug study, what’s gone wrong at bluebird bio and why the FDA has been so quick to expand approval of Bristol Myers Squibb’s Opdivo for the treatment of neoadjuvant lung cancer.
On this week’s episode FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Virginia Li, Michael Flanagan and Simon King discuss key developments in the field of gene editing, the approval of Janssen and Legend Biotech’s Carvykti for multiple myeloma and whether interchangeability status will have a meaningful impact on future US market for Humira biosimilars.
This week FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Michael Flanagan, Virginia Li and Simon King discuss confirmation of positive top-line data for AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo’s Enhertu in HER2 ‘low’ breast cancer, the implications stemming from Amicus Therapeutics’ decision to abort a gene-therapy spin out and whether GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi’s long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine has arrived too late to make a meaningful impact on the pandemic.
FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Virginia Li and Simon King discuss Phase III clinical data for a new depression therapy being co-developed by Sage Therapeutics and Biogen, the FDA’s new - but also old – commissioner, Robert Califf, whose reappointment five years after he first held the role was confirmed by the US senate this week and whether Regeneron can make its multi-billion dollar eye-disorder therapy Eylea an even more compelling product for physicians.
FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Michael Flanagan, Virginia Li and Simon King discuss Eli Lilly’s attempt to bring price disruption to the US cancer immunotherapy market, Pfizer and Amgen’s future growth strategies and some new diabetes drugs to keep an eye on.
FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Michael Flanagan, Virginia Li and Simon King discuss another setback for Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm – this time at the hands of the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services – and highlight key takeaways from this week’s JP Morgan Healthcare Conference.
FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Michael Flanagan and Simon King discuss the biopharma news of their radars this week and look ahead to next week’s JP Morgan Healthcare conference, which due to the pandemic will take place virtually for the second year in a row.
FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Michael Flanagan, Virginia Li and Simon King discuss whether a spate of deals this week is evidence of an eventful year ahead for bio-pharma M&A, take a closer look at Pfizer’s acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals and highlight some of the standout moments from the recent ASH conference.
FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Michael Flanagan, Virginia Li and Simon King discuss preliminary data for Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine versus Omicron, preview the upcoming annual meeting of the American Hematology Society (ASH) and review recent changes to China’s National Drug Reimbursement List (NDRL).
FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Matthew Dennis and Simon King discuss the potential impact of the Omicron variant on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, how GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi are making moves to keep their vaccines portfolios at the cutting edge of R&D and whether there is a meaningful future for Merck & Co.’s COVID-19 antiviral molnupiravir after this week’s close-run AdCom vote.
FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Virginia Li, Michael Flanagan and Simon King discuss more developments in the race to bring COVID-19 antivirals to patients, Bristol Myers Squibb’s long term outlook and the pending departure of veteran Al Sandrock as Biogen’s head of R&D.
FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Virginia Li, Michael Flanagan and Simon King discuss impressive data for Pfizer’s COVID-19 antiviral drug, its deal this week to partner up with migraine specialist Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, what the future holds for GlaxoSmithKline’s renal anaemia drug daprodustat and Zai Lab’s move into the neuroscience field.
FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Virginia Li, Michael Flanagan and Simon King discuss Novartis’ $20 billion windfall from the sale of its 33% stake in crosstown rival Roche, Big Pharma’s increasing interest in protein degradation drugs, Pfizer’s eye-watering COVID-19 vaccine sales and survey results outlining a more complex path forward for Aduhelm than perhaps Biogen would like to admit.
FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Virginia Li, Michael Flanagan and Simon King discuss notable highlights from Big Pharma’s third quarter earnings season and the formation of a new gene therapy consortium which includes the FDA and NIH among its founders.
FirstWord Pharma PLUS editors Michael Flanagan and Simon King discuss the early commercial performance of Biogen’s Aduhelm, a setback in the field of COVID-19 antivirals and a landmark approval for the US biosimilars market.