Merck

PureTech Launches Seaport Therapeutics with $100 Million Oversubscribed Series A and Announces Management Transitions

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Biotechnology, General Health, Health, Pharmaceutical, Clinical Trials, Depression, Eli Lilly, Major depressive disorder, Patient, Bristol Myers Squibb, PureTech Health, PRTC, Therapy, Creativity, Disorder, General counsel, CNS, Life, DSM-IV codes, Pleasure, Pharmacokinetics, Interim, Third Rock Ventures, U.S. FDA, Schizophrenia, KarXT, Teva Pharmaceuticals, ARCH Venture Partners, Merck, Anxiety, Merck & Co., Research and development, FDA, Lymphatic system, Hepatotoxicity, Sirna Therapeutics, Generalized anxiety disorder, Growth, Neuropsychiatry, Partner, Multimedia, Eli Lilly and Company, Probability, Liver, Medicine, Pharmaceutical industry

Following the Series A financing, PureTech will hold equity ownership in Seaport of 61.5 percent on a diluted basis.

Key Points: 
  • Following the Series A financing, PureTech will hold equity ownership in Seaport of 61.5 percent on a diluted basis.
  • Under its license agreement with Karuna, PureTech retains the right to receive milestone payments upon the achievement of certain regulatory approvals.
  • Eric Elenko, Ph.D., a PureTech co-founder and current Chief Innovation Officer, has been promoted to the role of President of PureTech.
  • Daphne Zohar, the Chief Executive Officer of Seaport, is the founder and former CEO of PureTech Health where she also co-founded Karuna Therapeutics.

Aerovate Therapeutics Announces Full-Year 2023 Financial Results and Business Highlights

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 25, 2024
Research, Conference, ATS, Actelion, Patent, Intellectual, Patient, Inhalation, Travel, Merck, Sale, American Thoracic Society, Investment, Clinical trial, Merck & Co., Therapy, PAH, Pharmaceutical industry

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled $122.4 million as of December 31, 2023, compared to $135.2 million as of September 30, 2023.

Key Points: 
  • Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled $122.4 million as of December 31, 2023, compared to $135.2 million as of September 30, 2023.
  • The decrease was primarily driven by operational costs for the three-month period ended December 31, 2023.
  • Net loss: Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $75.5 million as compared to $51.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.
  • Net loss included stock-based compensation expense of $11.9 million and $5.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

BeyondSpring Announces First Patient Dosed with Pembrolizumab, Plinabulin Plus Etoposide/Platinum in a Phase 2 Investigator-initiated Study of First-Line Extensive-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 25, 2024
IIT, Radiation, IO, Carcinoma, Survival, NSCLC, Entrepreneurship, Monroe Dunaway Anderson, Patient, Journal, Merck, Overalls, MD, Lung, Neoplasm, Safety, EP, SITC, PFS, PD-L1, Platinum, Horn, Immunotherapy, PD-1, Medical imaging

This Phase 2 trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of Pembrolizumab, Plinabulin plus EP in 1L ES-SCLC.

Key Points: 
  • This Phase 2 trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of Pembrolizumab, Plinabulin plus EP in 1L ES-SCLC.
  • KEYNOTE-604 study revealed that 12-month PFS rate in patients with pembrolizumab plus EP is 13.6% vs. 3.1% with placebo plus EP.
  • Durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide versus platinum–etoposide in first-line treatment of extensive-stage small-cell Lung cancer (CASPIAN): a randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 3 trial.
  • An Open-Label, Single-Arm, Phase II Study of Pembrolizumab, Plinabulin Plus Etoposide and Platinum as First-Line Therapy for Extensive-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Kineta Reports Full Year 2023 Financial Results and Provides Corporate Update

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Research, Combination, CPI, AML, Caregiver, Bone marrow, Insurance, Patient, Merck, Acute myeloid leukemia, Cancer, Public expenditure, Pembrolizumab, Lung cancer, Trial of the century, Cytokine release syndrome, AACR, Chemokine, Clinical trial, Annual report, Safety, Workforce, Infrared spectroscopy correlation table, NK, VISTA, Pharmaceutical industry

SEATTLE, March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kineta, Inc. (Nasdaq: KA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a mission to develop next-generation immunotherapies that transform patients’ lives, announced today financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2023 and provided a corporate update.

Key Points: 
  • In February 2024, the Company announced a significant corporate restructuring to substantially reduce expenses and preserve cash.
  • We truly appreciate the efforts of the healthcare professionals, the patients and their caregivers, and the Kineta employees involved in this trial.
  • Announced positive KVA12123 monotherapy safety data from its ongoing Phase 1/2 VISTA-101 clinical trial in patients with advanced solid tumors.
  • Cash position: As of December 31, 2023, cash was $5.8 million, compared to $13.1 million as of December 31, 2022.

CytomX Therapeutics Appoints Dr. Zhen Su to Board of Directors

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 21, 2024
University, Sanofi, Therapeutic index, Growth, GSK plc, Rotman School of Management, Merck Serono, Immunotherapy, Partnership, Patient, SAN, Ipsen, Merck, Cancer, Faculty, Society, TU Dresden, Therapy, Institute of technology, SITC, University of Florida

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTMX), a leader in the field of conditionally activated, localized biologics, today announced the appointment of Zhen Su, M.D., M.B.A., an experienced physician executive and leader in the development of oncology therapeutics, to the company’s board of directors.

Key Points: 
  • SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTMX), a leader in the field of conditionally activated, localized biologics, today announced the appointment of Zhen Su, M.D., M.B.A., an experienced physician executive and leader in the development of oncology therapeutics, to the company’s board of directors.
  • “We are excited to welcome Zhen to our board,” said Sean McCarthy, D.Phil., chief executive officer and chairman of CytomX.
  • Dr. Su is currently chief executive officer of Marengo Therapeutics and a member of its Board of Directors.
  • Dr. Su also serves on the board of directors of Karyopharm Therapeutics and as the funding chairperson for the biotech committee of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC).

Compass Therapeutics Reports 2023 Financial Results and Provides Corporate Update

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Biopsy, NSCLC, Entrepreneurship, Carcinoma, DLL4, Patient, Neoplasm, PET, Merck, G&A, Doctor of Philosophy, MD, Insurance, IND, Mesothelioma, Research and development, CD137, Therapy, Paclitaxel, BTC, CRC, Melanoma, Stage 2, PD-L1, FDA, SCLC, PD-1, Pharmaceutical industry

Ended 2023 with $152 million in cash and marketable securities, which is expected to provide cash runway into mid-year 2026.

Key Points: 
  • Ended 2023 with $152 million in cash and marketable securities, which is expected to provide cash runway into mid-year 2026.
  • BOSTON, March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Compass Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CMPX), a clinical-stage, oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company developing proprietary antibody-based therapeutics to treat multiple human diseases, today reported full 2023 financial results and provided business update.
  • The increase was primarily attributable to higher stock compensation expense of $1.0 million offset by lower insurance costs of $0.3 million.
  • During 2023, the Company decreased its cash position by $34.1 million, primarily from $40.6 million of net cash used in operating activities.

KVA12123 Clears Additional Cohorts in Monotherapy and in Combination Therapy Arms in the Phase 1/2 VISTA-101 Clinical Trial; Initial Clinical Response Data Reported

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Combination, CPI, Immunosuppression, Patient, Tumor microenvironment, Merck, Cancer, Pembrolizumab, Lung cancer, DLT, Merck & Co., Kineta, NK, Pharmaceutical industry

SEATTLE, March 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kineta, Inc. (Nasdaq: KA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel immunotherapies in oncology that address cancer immune resistance, announced today an update on its ongoing VISTA-101 Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating KVA12123 as monotherapy and in combination with Merck’s anti-PD therapy, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in patients with advanced solid tumors. KVA12123 cleared the fifth of six monotherapy dose levels and the second of four cohorts in combination with pembrolizumab. KVA12123 was well tolerated with no dose limiting toxicities (DLT) or cytokine related adverse events at any dose level.

Key Points: 
  • KVA12123 cleared the fifth of six monotherapy dose levels and the second of four cohorts in combination with pembrolizumab.
  • KVA12123 was well tolerated with no dose limiting toxicities (DLT) or cytokine related adverse events at any dose level.
  • We continue to be encouraged by the safety profile of KVA12123, supporting advancement to higher doses,” said Thierry Guillaudeux, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Kineta.
  • KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.

PanTher Therapeutics Announces Appointment of John Edwards as Executive Chair of the Board of Directors

Retrieved on: 
Friday, April 5, 2024
Oncology, Medical Devices, Health, Surgery, Clinical Trials, Biotechnology, Boston University, Toxicity, Hematology, Genetics, Executive, Monoclonal antibody, Shire (pharmaceutical company), Merck, Acquisition, BMS, Cancer, University, Doctor of Philosophy, Panther, MBA, Marketing, Neoplasm, Therapy, Chemical engineering, Genetics Institute, F-star, FDA, Pharmaceutical industry

PanTher Therapeutics (“PanTher” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage oncology company developing high-dose, long lasting, localized treatments for cancer, announced that John Edwards has been appointed as the Executive Chair of the Board of Directors.

Key Points: 
  • PanTher Therapeutics (“PanTher” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage oncology company developing high-dose, long lasting, localized treatments for cancer, announced that John Edwards has been appointed as the Executive Chair of the Board of Directors.
  • “John has been an outstanding addition to our Board and management team since joining the company in September.
  • His experience includes involvement with ten FDA approved biologics and eight biotech companies with successful exits, including Tilos Therapeutics, Siamab, Adnexus, F-star and Genetics Institute.
  • During his time as Executive Chair at Tilos, he helped the company from founding to acquisition by Merck in just two years.

2024 Oncology Nurse Advisor Summit Shatters Attendance Records

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Oncology, Nursing, Education, Health, Continuing, Training, Diagnosis, RN, MHA, Inclusion, NACE, CPPS, Faculty, NSCLC, Real, ONA, American Cancer Society, Knowledge, DNP, Accreditation, Oncology nursing, AANP, Merck, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Bristol Myers Squibb, Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation, MSN, ANCC, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Summit, National Association, Hematology, Skin cancer, HMN, HME

Over 2,200 attendees enriched their knowledge in disease-specific and supportive care topics during the 9th Annual Oncology Nurse Advisor (ONA) Summit, which occurred from March 21-24, 2024.

Key Points: 
  • Over 2,200 attendees enriched their knowledge in disease-specific and supportive care topics during the 9th Annual Oncology Nurse Advisor (ONA) Summit, which occurred from March 21-24, 2024.
  • New to the 2024 Summit was a one-day pre-conference Hematology Intensive on March 21 titled, What’s Blood Got to Do With It?
  • Also new to the Summit was the Real Solutions Virtual Poster Gallery, which presented real-life, innovative strategies and quality improvement solutions submitted by oncology nurses, which were selected for the Summit through a blind review by ONA Summit course directors.
  • Paula Anastasia, MN, RN, AOCN®, GYN Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist, UCLA Health Sciences, participated in the Summit as Clinical Advisor, Peer Reviewer and Expert Moderator.

Merck’s Corporate Venture M Ventures Arm Backs Nucleai to Advance Its First-in-class Spatial AI Biomarker in Active Clinical Enrollment

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Research, Technology, Genetics, Clinical Trials, Biotechnology, General Health, Pharmaceutical, Health, Science, Artificial Intelligence, Biopsy, Algorithm, Entrepreneurship, Intelligence, Patient, Tumor microenvironment, Merck, Marie Cassidy, Cancer, AI, Spacecraft, Merck Group, Investment, Clinical trial, Drug development, Pathology, Therapy, Machine learning, Section 32, Spatial analysis, Medicine, Medical imaging

By integrating AI algorithms for prospective patient enrollment in clinical trials, Nucleai is spearheading a first-in-field approach to personalized medicine.

Key Points: 
  • By integrating AI algorithms for prospective patient enrollment in clinical trials, Nucleai is spearheading a first-in-field approach to personalized medicine.
  • Nucleai's platform tailors therapy strategies to the intricate cellular landscape of each patient, optimizing clinical trial participant selection.
  • Leveraging AI and machine learning (ML), Nucleai analyzes pathology images and spatial data at the cellular and tissue levels.
  • This innovation marks a shift in disease diagnosis and treatment, offering an in-depth contextual view that underpins the development of novel therapeutics.