AstraZeneca executives past and present are under investigation in China. GSK is paying $300 million upfront to obtain a T-cell engager to develop for autoimmune diseases. Takeda has hit a setback with its orexin receptor 2 agonist danavorexton. And more.
1. AstraZeneca's China president faces 'ongoing investigation' by authorities in the country
BeiGene, ex-AstraZeneca exec faces investigation in China: reports
AstraZeneca’s China president, Leon Wang, is cooperating with an "ongoing investigation" in the country, the British pharma said in a statement this week. The news comes shortly after reports that the company's former China oncology business head, Eva Yin, was detained by anti-smuggling authorities in Shenzhen. Police in the southern Chinese city in July detained five current and former AZ staffers over possible violations of data privacy laws and illegal importation of unapproved drugs, according to a report from Bloomberg. Yin joined BeiGene in 2022.
2. GSK aims to extend lupus dominance via $300M upfront deal for clinical-stage T-cell engager
GSK is paying $300 million upfront and committing up to $550 million in biobucks for a T-cell engager from China’s Chimagen Biosciences. The candidate, CMG1A46, is a CD19/CD20/CD3 trispecific that GSK sees as a potential treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis plus other B-cell-driven autoimmune diseases.
3. Takeda stops phase 2 post-anesthesia recovery trial over slow enrollment
Takeda’s orexin-2 franchise has hit another setback. The company has stopped a phase 2 trial of danavorexton (TAK-925), citing challenges for “enrolling participants, data collection and other operational difficulties.” The trial was evaluating the intravenous drug in patients with obstructive sleep apnea who were at high risk of developing respiratory complications after anesthesia in surgery.
4. Biogen boosts profit guidance despite modest quarter for Leqembi and multiple sclerosis downturn
Leqembi’s third-quarter U.S. sales grew 33% over the prior quarter to $39 million, falling short of analysts’ estimates. While the drug is adding prescribers, Biogen CEO Chris Viehbacher acknowledged that it’ll probably take a subcutaneous approval to make a big impact on sales. Globally, the anti-amyloid drug brought in sales of about $67 million during the quarter, according to Eisai.
WuXi AppTec’s third-quarter revenue went up 15% compared with the same period last year after excluding COVID-19 business. The CRDMO giant’s revenue came in at 10.46 billion Chinese yuan ($1.46 billion). Despite the looming threat from the draft BIOSECURE Act, WuXi saw an 8% increase year over year of non-COVID revenue from U.S. customers during the first nine months of 2024.
6. Eisai, Eli Lilly didn't disclose heightened brain injury risk to Alzheimer's trial patients: NYT
In their separate clinical trials for Leqembi and Kisunla, Eisai and Eli Lilly didn’t disclose the APOE4 test results to participants, according to The New York Times. The gene is linked to increased risk of developing brain bleeding while on anti-amyloid drugs. Both companies said they did inform patients the additional risk of side effects that comes with the APOE4 gene.
7. Biocon accused of committing IP theft to create cancer biotech Bicara
Biocon allegedly stole confidential information projected under a nondisclosure agreement to file patents around a novel immunotherapy approach and created its innovative drugs subsidiary Bicara Therapeutics, according to a lawsuit filed by Y-Trap. The technology at the center of the dispute was invented by Y-Trap’s co-founders.
8. Baxter exits China IV fluids market amid tough local competition, US shortage
Baxter International has decided to exit China’s intravenous fluids market. A company spokesperson pointed to a fragmented local IV solutions market and efforts to mitigate an ongoing IV shortage in the U.S. caused by Hurricane Helene. Baxter is redirecting products made by its IV manufacturing facility in Shanghai to the U.S.
Other News of Note
9. Bristol Myers partner Zai Lab plots KarXT filing in China after trial win
10. Astellas doesn't see eye to eye with Europe on geographic atrophy drug Izervay
11. Korea's GemVax misses mark with peptide drug in phase 2a study in progressive supranuclear palsy
12. Innovent, awaiting Chinese regulators' verdict, posts another psoriasis win for IL-23 drug
13. Innovent’s asset sale to CEO draws pushback from investors (Yicai, Chinese)
14. Summit to expand phase 3 trial of Akeso’s ivonescimab in first-line lung cancer (release)