Glioblastoma Start-Ups Get Specific

 
• By Ellen Licking
  
Generate a summary of this article
Listen to this article
Beta

For start-ups developing novel and risky medicines to treat glioblastoma, a rare, invasive form of brain cancer, the Pfizer/Avant deal was a watershed moment: It signaled the vigorous interest of a pharmaceutical behemoth in a disease where patients number in just the tens of thousands. The positive effects are likely to be felt in executive suites of biotechs developing therapeutics for this grievous disease.

As adverse side effects or potential safety signals trigger increasing regulatory scrutiny of primary care drugs, large pharmaceutical companies have increasingly looked to obtain—either via licensing deals or acquisitions—access to specialty drugs, particularly in the area of oncology where high unmet medical need and a dearth of treatments offer the promise of an easier path to market. This spring, for instance, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. spent $8.2 billion to acquire Takeda Oncology to obtain rights to bortezomib (Velcade), while Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ponied up $235 million for Kosan Biosciences Inc., adding two new classes of drugs, epithilones and Hsp90 inhibitors, to its stable of cytotoxic oncology medicines. [See Deal][See Deal]

Pfizer Inc. has been on its own oncology dealmaking odyssey. In addition to announcing the formation of its new...

Scrip Podcast

Keep up with the top pharma business news of the week. On the go.

Scrip brings you a weekly bulletin of top picks.

SpotifyApple PodcastsWebsite

More from Strategy

Scrip-Business (Free-1): Top-Selling Drugs 2024: Keytruda, Ozempic And Dupixent Dominate

 
• By Nabil

Merck’s immuno-oncology blockbuster was the world’s best-selling drugs by revenues for the second year in a row, with an almost $12bn lead over its closest rival, Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 drug Ozempic.

Ordspono Will Be Regeneron’s First Independent European Launch

 
• By Jessica Merrill

Ordspono, a bispecific antibody newly approved in the EU to treat follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, joins Libtayo in Regeneron’s growing oncology portfolio.

Galderma Gets First Biologic To Market With Nemluvio Approval

 
• By Jessica Merrill

Nemluvio is a first-in-class IL-31 inhibitor that the US FDA approved for prurigo nodularis. 

Kerendia Could Be Next Jewel In Bayer's Pharma Crown

 
• By Kevin Grogan

CEO Bill Anderson would not be drawn on whether the drug, currently approved for chronic kidney disease associated with type 2 diabetes, will hit a previous forecast of €3bn peak sales, but expansion into heart failure may make that figure look conservative.

More from Business

How A New Healthcare Dialogue Is Driving Market Access In Mexico

Companies stand a better chance of securing public reimbursement in Mexico for innovative medicines if they understand changing approaches to healthcare. The shift means the emergence of managed entry agreements and a focus on economic impact, explains AMIIF, Mexico's research-based pharmaceutical industry association.

How Novartis Is Elevating CVD Outcomes, Driving ‘Personalized Access’ In APMA

Novartis’s APMA chief outlines the company’s tailored approach to deliver long-term outcomes, novel access solutions via innovative financing options and shape the CVD disease ecosystem in the extraordinarily diverse region. Partnering to build AI infrastructure is another key prong.

India Rare Diseases: Court Shows Path For Policy Action, Funding, Price Issues-- Test-2

A court order encompassing funding, drug pricing, clinical trials and overall policy implementation aspects is expected to bring about a paradigm shift in the treatment of rare diseases in India. Sarepta, Roche and Sanofi are among the key players that have been part of pricing discussions.