CARLYLE GROUP TO ACQUIRE PHARMA COMPANY VECTURA FOR $1.36BN

Carlyle Group has entered an agreement through which its affiliate Murano Bidco will acquire 100% shares of pharmaceutical firm Vectura Group in a deal worth $1.36bn (£958m).

According to the deal, Vectura shareholders will receive $2 (£1.55) for each share, including a cash dividend of $0.27 (£0.19).

The total acquisition value represents a premium of nearly 27% of the closing price of $1.7 (£1.22) per share of Vectura on 25 May.

Murano Bidco is a recently founded company that is indirectly controlled by Carlyle Europe Partners V Fund.

A UK-based pharmaceutical company, Vectura focuses on providing inhaled drug delivery solutions that aid its partners to deliver their treatments to patients.

The company has a portfolio of 13 inhaled and 11 non-inhaled products that are commercialised by its partners with royalty streams globally.

NIKANG THERAPEUTICS SECURES $200M IN SERIES C FUNDING

NiKang Therapeutics has secured $200m in a Series C funding round to develop new small molecules for difficult-to-drug targets in oncology indications.

The financing round was led by Cormorant Asset Management, HBM Healthcare Investments and Octagon Capital Advisors.

Several other companies took part, including the latest investors EcoR1 Capital, Perceptive Advisors, Wellington Management, Ally Bridge Group and Pavilion Capital, among others.

All the present investors of NiKang, which includes CBC Group, RTW Investments, Lilly Asia Ventures, Matrix Partners China and Casdin Capital, participated in the financing round.

As part of the funding, Viela Bio former CEO and chairman Bing Yao and Octagon Capital Advisors founder and chief investment officer Ting Jia will join NiKang’s board of directors.

QIMR BERGHOFER RESEARCHERS CREATE DRUGS FOR COVID-19

Researchers from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Queensland, Australia, have created two new peptide-based drugs to potentially prevent and treat Covid-19.

The first drug can be administered before being exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and aids in enhancing the vaccine efficacy while the second drug can potentially hinder the virus spread in cells that are infected.

Instead of targeting SARS-CoV-2, these early intervention drugs target how human cells react to the virus.

Currently, these drugs are being studied in hamsters at Infectious Disease Models and Innovative Therapies, a pre-clinical and clinical research centre in France. Initial data showed that the drugs are non-toxic and have reduced side effects.

The drugs were discovered after scientists found an earlier unknown way of entry that SARS-CoV-2 uses to attack cells and cause Covid-19.

According to lab tests, the first drug masks the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor protein on human cells to lower infection.

QIMR noted that the virus spike protein utilises the ACE2 receptor to attach to and attack cells.

Even if the virus enters cells, the second drug can hinder the virus’ mode of attacking the host cell and replication.

FDA APPROVES JANSSEN’S RYBREVANT FOR NSCLC TREATMENT

The US FDA has granted accelerated approval to Janssen Pharmaceutical of Johnson and Johnson’s (J&J) Rybrevant (amivantamab-vmjw) to treat adults with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Rybrevant is indicated for NSCLC patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations whose disease advanced on or after using platinum-containing chemotherapy. The drug is the first targeted treatment to receive FDA approval in this indication.

A fully human, bispecific antibody, the drug is designed to target EGFR and MET receptors. It attaches extracellularly and hinders tumour growth, causing the death of tumour cells.

In March last year, the FDA granted breakthrough therapy designation to Rybrevant while a priority review of the biologics license application commenced in December.

The latest accelerated approval is based on positive data from the ongoing Phase I CHRYSALIS study of Rybrevant monotherapy in patients who have received platinum-based chemotherapy.

Updated results from the multi-centre, open-label trial showed strong activity and extended responses, with a tolerable safety profile in NSCLC patients with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations.

JAPAN AUTHORISES ASTRAZENECA AND MODERNA’S COVID-19 VACCINES

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) of Japan has authorised AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria (ChAdOx1-S [Recombinant]) and Moderna’s mRNA Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in the country.

Vaxzevria is indicated for active immunisation of people aged 18 years and above for preventing Covid-19.

Co-developed by the University of Oxford and Vaccitech, Vaxzevria is an adenovirus-based vaccine with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein genetic material.

The MHLW authorisation for Vaxzevria is based on positive efficacy and safety results from Phase III trials led by Oxford University in the UK, Brazil and South Africa, as well as a Phase I/II study in Japan.

According to the recommendation of Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency, two intramuscular 0.5ml doses of Vaxzevria can be administered to adults four to 12 weeks apart.

GSK-VIR’S COVID-19 DRUG SOTROVIMAB OBTAINS POSITIVE EMA OPINION

The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) has issued a positive scientific opinion for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Vir Biotechnology’s sotrovimab (VIR-7831) as early Covid-19 treatment.

A SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody, sotrovimab attaches to an epitope on the virus to hinder resistance development.

Integrating Xencor’s Xtend technology, the investigational antibody can potentially achieve increased concentration in the lungs for penetration into Covid-19-affected airway tissues and for an increased half-life.

As per the CHMP opinion, sotrovimab can be used to treat Covid-19 patients aged 12 years and above who weigh at least 40kg, do not need supplemental oxygen and are at risk of disease progression.

The EMA started a review of the antibody last month.

The CHMP based its opinion on the review of efficacy and safety results from the Phase III COMET-ICE trial, including an interim analysis and multiple in vitro studies.