BAYER AG

The EC approved Afqlir (aflibercept), a biosimilar to Eylea, for treating retinal diseases like nAMD. Sandoz's Chief Scientific Officer highlights the importance of accessible treatments for vision loss. Launch expected Q4 2025.

A two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial in Zambia evaluated malaria vector control using attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSB). The trial included 70 clusters with a 'fried egg' design to prevent contamination. Participants were children aged 1–14 years, with primary outcomes of symptomatic malaria incidence and secondary outcomes of infection prevalence. The trial also monitored adverse events related to ATSB exposure and artemether lumefantrine (AL) use. Statistical analyses included generalized linear models and Cox proportional hazards models.

The EC approved Afqlir, a biosimilar to Eylea for treating retinal diseases like nAMD, with a launch expected in Q4 2025. Sandoz's Chief Scientific Officer highlights the importance of accessible, effective treatments for vision loss.

KERENDIA (finerenone) reduces risk of cardiovascular death, HF hospitalization, non-fatal MI, eGFR decline, and end-stage kidney disease in adults with CKD and T2D. FINEARTS-HF trial showed finerenone reduced composite endpoint of cardiovascular death and HF events by 16% compared to placebo, with no new safety signals. Hyperkalemia was more common with finerenone but rarely led to hospitalization.

The article discusses the importance of enabling JavaScript for optimal app performance.

Insilico Medicine plans to advance ISM001-055 into a pivotal study after positive Phase IIa trial results showing efficacy against idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). ISM001-055 improved forced vital capacity (FVC) and was safe and well-tolerated. Insilico aims to initiate a global Phase IIb study by the second half of 2025, with Carol Satler, MD, PhD, appointed to oversee the program. The drug targets Traf2- and NCK- interacting kinase (TNIK) and was developed using generative AI.

MultiOmic Health identifies novel patient endotypes and biomarkers for diabetic kidney disease (DKD), enabling precise patient segmentation by disease trajectory. These biomarkers could transform DKD trial economics and success rates, potentially leading to companion diagnostics and improved clinical decision-making. MultiOmic’s AI-enabled platform integrates human datasets with machine learning to predict patient endotypes, validated by UK Biobank data. The company plans to file patents, conduct validation studies, and identify novel drug targets for specific patient endotypes.

Biopharma layoffs continue into 4Q 2024, affecting companies like Thermo Fisher, Charles River, Pfizer, Evonik, Johnson & Johnson, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, AGC Biologics, and others. These layoffs are part of restructuring initiatives, site closures, and focus shifts in strategic core growth areas.

To advance food security, partnerships should focus on reducing agriculture's environmental impact, adapting to climate change, and providing affordable solutions to 600mn smallholder farmers. Rice, a key food commodity, contributes significantly to climate change and water consumption. Bayer and IRRI introduced the direct-seeded rice (DSR) system to reduce emissions and water use by up to 45% and 40%, respectively, aiming to improve water use efficiency by 25% by 2030, benefiting smallholder farmers in India.

AskBio's AB-1003 (LION-101) received rare pediatric and orphan drug designations from the FDA for treating limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2I/R9 (LGMD2I/R9), highlighting the significant unmet need in LGMD. LGMD2I/R9, caused by FKRP gene changes, leads to muscle weakness and wasting, with no current treatment modifying disease progression. AskBio aims to develop AAV-based therapies for debilitating diseases.