News

Novo Nordisk A/S ended the half year with sales of DKK 107.7 billion ($15.7 billion), up by 29% from a year earlier, largely due to the strong performance of its glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs for diabetes and two obesity medicines. Together, the two product groups accounted for more than two-thirds of the company’s sales, helping to offset a decline in revenue from insulins and products for rare diseases. The rare disease portfolio includes drugs for endocrine and rare blood disorders. At constant exchange rates, the increase in group sales was 30%.

A vaccine to prevent lower respiratory tract disease in infants which is caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on 21 August – the second indication for this product in the US. Abrysvo has also been approved to prevent the same respiratory disease in people 60 years and older. Under the new indication, it will be administered as a single dose injection to pregnant women.

Ipsen SA has received Food and Drug Administration approval to market Sohonos (palovarotene) in the US for the treatment of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), a rare genetic disease that causes connective tissue such as muscle and tendons to gradually turn into bone. This leads to a progressive loss of mobility and function for those affected. The approval was issued on 16 August and was based on the results of a Phase 3 trial of patients with the disease.

SSI Strategy Holdings LLC, a US-based life science consultancy, is to acquire the NDA Group AB of Sweden in a move that will expand its repertoire of services for pharmaceutical and biotech companies to include regulatory advice as well as support for drug development. The combined group will have a commercial presence across the US and Europe with a capacity to provide services from clinical development to medical affairs and regulation, including the use of real-world evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of new drugs.

Novo Nordisk A/S is to pay up to $1.075 billion in cash to acquire Inversago Pharma Inc of Canada in order to expand its portfolio of assets for treating serious metabolic disorders. The Danish company currently has a leading position in the global market for diabetes and obesity treatments. The acquisition will give it a clinical-stage product for diabetic kidney disease and other assets for metabolic and fibrotic disorders.

Remibrutinib, a small molecule treatment for chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), or hives, has met all primary and secondary endpoints in two Phase 3 studies involving more than 900 patients, Novartis reported on 9 August. A final readout of the trials and regulatory submission are expected in 2024. Remibrutinib is a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor that prevents the release of histamine, a signalling chemical in the immune system that causes itching and swelling on the skin, key features of the disease.

An obesity drug marketed by Novo Nordisk A/S has been shown to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults who are overweight. The drug, semaglutide (Wegovy), has been approved in both the US and Europe as an adjunct to diet and exercise for the treatment of obesity. Now its effectiveness as a potential agent for lowering cardiovascular risk has been demonstrated for the first time in a clinical trial.

MorphoSys AG highlighted its expectations for upcoming Phase 3 data for its lead investigational product pelabresib in myelofibrosis during its quarterly results call with analysts on 10 August. Jean-Paul Kress, the chief executive, said the company is focused on completing the trial and getting it approved for marketing. Pelabresib is a small molecule drug which MorphoSys acquired with its takeover of Constellation Pharmaceuticals in 2021. If the data are positive and the drug is approved, pelabresib would be the company’s second wholly-owned drug on the market.

Bactolife A/S, a Danish bioindustrial company, has raised €30 million in Series A financing to develop and commercialise a new protein-based product to strengthen the gut microbiome of humans and animals. The goal is reduce gastrointestinal infections and resistance to antibiotics.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, a developer of antibody therapeutics, is to acquire Decibel Therapeutics Inc, giving it ownership of three gene therapy programmes targeting different types of congenital, monogenic hearing loss. The two companies have been collaborating since 2017 and are now taking  their lead therapy for congenital hearing loss forward to the clinic. The transaction, announced on 9 August, will involve a cash payment by Regeneron to Decibel of $4 per share for the target company’s common stock.