Cambridge-based, venture capital firm Atlas Ventures has raised $400 million to build breakthrough biotech startups in a highly oversubscribed Fund XII fundraise. “The importance of advancing innovations in biotechnology has rarely felt more critical,” said Bruce Booth, partner at Atlas Venture. “We continue to be humbled by the support of the LP community, whose partnership […]

Clinical stage biotech NodThera has secured $55 million in a Series B financing. NodThera is developing a new class of medicines that inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome to treat diseases driven by chronic inflammation. Its lead drug candidate, NT-0167, is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers. Proceeds from the financing […]

According to a Bristol Myers Squibb press release, Zeposia, a new medication for adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS), is now commercially available in the U.S. following approval by the FDA on March 25, 2020. “We are pleased to now bring Zeposia… to RMS patients,” said Tina Deignan, vice president and U.S. head […]

Mass Eye and Ear and Mass General Hospital have entered into a manufacturing agreement to produce their novel genetic vaccine with AveXis, a Novartis company. AveXis will begin manufacturing the vaccine this month while the vaccine, known as AAVCOVID, undergoes further safety and efficacy testing in preclinical studies. AveXis, will lead the manufacturing efforts of […]

AstraZeneca is advancing its ongoing response to address the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, collaborating with a number of countries and multilateral organizations to make the University of Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine, formerly called ChAdOx1 and now known as AZD1222, widely accessible around the world in an equitable manner. The company has concluded the first agreements for […]

Merck is embarking on three significant scientific initiatives to combat COVID-19: two agreements to develop potential vaccines and a research collaboration to advance the development of a novel antiviral candidate: Merck to acquire Themis Bioscience, a company focused on vaccines and immune-modulation therapies for infectious diseases, including COVID-19; IAVI and Merck collaborate to develop COVID-19 […]

Historically, our global community has long prioritized the value of health. This is the basis for today’s biopharma industry with its primary growth derived from on-going innovation and most recently by the ability of biologics to treat challenging diseases. The industry has attracted investment to support the trend toward innovation which in turn fuels the […]

AstraZeneca and Merck have announced that the FDA has approved Lynparza in combination with bevacizumab as a first-line maintenance treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer in certain adult patients whose cancer is associated with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) positive status defined by BRCA mutation and/or genomic instability. Regulatory reviews are […]

WuXi Biologics and the Worcester Business Development Corporation (WBDC) have announced the successful signing of a land deal for WuXi Biologics’ clinical and commercial manufacturing facility (MFG11) in Worcester at The Reactory, a 46-acre master-planned biomanufacturing campus. The approximately 107,000-square-foot, two-story facility will be operational in 2022 and create 150 new jobs. Craig Blais, the […]

AbbVie has completed its acquisition of Allergan plc following receipt of regulatory approval from all government authorities required by the transaction agreement and approval by the Irish High Court. “We are pleased to reach this important milestone for the Company, its employees, shareholders and the patients we serve,” said Richard A. Gonzalez, chairman and chief […]