Weekly round-up: AMSilk joins World Economic Forum’s Global Innovators Community
AMSilk GmbH (“AMSilk”), a global leader in advanced biomaterials made from spider silk-based proteins, on Tuesday announced it has been invited to join the World Economic Forum’s Global Innovators Community.
The Global Innovators Community, an invite-only initiative, was established in 2019 to bring together companies making strides to innovate and contribute meaningfully to solving the key issues faced by people and the planet. By being selected, AMSilk cements its status at the forefront of innovation in advance biomaterials and will contribute to the Forum’s bioeconomy initiative to accelerate the global transition of the tech-driven bioeconomy into the commercial mainstream.
QL Biopharm Announces Abstract on Novel Ultra Long-acting GLP-1RA to be Presented at EASD Annual Meeting 2024
QL Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative biologic drugs for the treatment of metabolic diseases, on Tuesday announced that an abstract on its lead drug candidate ZT002 will be presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting 2024, Madrid, Spain on Thursday 12 September 2024.
Beijing-based QL said that an abstract containing data from a two-part phase 1c, multiple ascending dose study was accepted for an oral presentation, highlighting the potential of ZT002 as a treatment for overweight/obese adults.
Vesper BioAAannounces Successful Phase I Study for Ppotentially Ddisease-Mmodifying Treatment for Ffrontotemporal Dementia
Vesper Bio ApS , a clinical stage biotech and world leader in sortilin receptor biology, on Wednesday announced the successful completion of the Phase I study for its lead candidate, VES001, a potentially disease-modifying treatment for frontotemporal dementia patients with mutations in the progranulin gene (FTD(GRN)).
VES001 is a first-in-class oral, brain penetrant, small molecule sortilin inhibitor for treatment of FTD(GRN). All endpoints were successfully met in the two-part trial in 78 healthy volunteers, with excellent pharmacokinetics and distribution to plasma and the targeted CNS observed, along with strong target engagement demonstrated by increased and accumulating progranulin levels. Vesper has completed a clinical trial application to progress VES001 into a Phase IIa proof-of-concept study in Q4 2024.
European Commission Grants Orphan Drug Designation for Vivet Therapeutics Gene Therapy Product for the Treatment of Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis (CTX)
Vivet Therapeutics, a clinical stage biotech company developing novel and long-lasting gene therapies for rare inherited liver metabolic disorders, on Thursday announced that the European Commission has granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) to VTX-806, its gene therapy product for the treatment of CTX, a rare neurodegenerative disease.
Pre-clinical data of VTX-806 in mice demonstrated normalization of metabolic parameters in blood and brain, and of upregulated compensatory enzymes.
Asahi Kasei completes the recommended public cash offer of Calliditas Therapeutics and becomes the owner of 93.30 per cent of all shares
On 28 May 2024, Asahi Kasei Corporation (“Asahi Kasei”) announced a recommended public offer (the “Offer”) to acquire all shares and American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) in Calliditas Therapeutics. Earlier this week, it was announced that the offer has been accepted by shareholders, allowing Asahi Kasei to complete the offer and will own shares and ADSs corresponding to a total of 93.30%.
Asgard Therapeutics’ study published in Science showing proof-of-concept and strong anti-tumor responses via in vivo cell reprogramming with lead program AT-108
Asgard Therapeutics, a privately held biotech company pioneering in vivo direct cell reprogramming for cancer immunotherapy, on Thursday announced the publication of key proof-of-concept data supporting its lead program, AT-108, in the high-impact, peer-reviewed journal, Science.
Novel data show that AT-108 reprograms tumour cells, directly within the immunosuppressed tumor microenvironment, into an immunogenic cell fate, which mounts strong anti-tumour, antigen-specific responses and durable tumour shrinkage even upon metastatic rechallenge.
The reprogrammed cells elicit “systemic and long-term antitumor immunity”, found the authors, who concluded: “Our study paves the way for human clinical trials of in vivo immune cell reprogramming for cancer immunotherapy.”
Asgard’s co-founder and CEO Cristiana Pires said: “This study demonstrates that Asgard’s platform turns tumor cells into dendritic cells within living organisms – and not just in vitro.”
Catch up on the latest life sciences sector moves
Check out the latest moves in the life sciences sector with our monthly round-up of new funds and the biggest job changes, including analysts, bankers, and healthcare journalists.
