NOVARTIS

Avantor enters 10-year virtual power purchase agreement for 25GWh of renewable energy annually from 2026, supporting three new solar projects in Spain. The agreement reflects Avantor's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering supply chain costs.

FDA approval of adjuvant ribociclib (Kisqali) plus NSAI for high-risk HR+/HER2- breast cancer patients, based on NATALEE trial data showing improved iDFS (90.7% vs 87.6% at 36 months), addresses unmet need for those ineligible for abemaciclib. OS data were immature. Ribociclib's medium dose (400 mg) and 3-year treatment duration offer safety considerations. This approval broadens CDK4/6 inhibitor options, necessitating tailored discussions with patients.

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a common autoimmune kidney disease characterized by IgA deposits, leading to progressive damage and chronic kidney disease (CKD). 40-53% of patients progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) within two decades, necessitating interventions like dialysis or transplantation. The treatment landscape for IgAN is evolving with ongoing phase 3 trials for 11 agents, including budesonide and sparsentan, which have received FDA approval. Early detection and intervention are crucial to delay progression, reduce healthcare costs, and improve patient outcomes.

Cellvion CEO Kim Kwon announces plans for IPO on KOSDAQ, focusing on Lu-177-DGUL, a prostate cancer treatment with superior objective response rate and fewer side effects compared to Novartis' Pluvicto. The drug, set for early release in October next year, targets a 7.4% market share with a product price of 27 million won, aiming for 42.9 billion won in sales by 2027. General subscription for the IPO is scheduled for the 7th to 8th of next month.

Illumina welcomed the ECJ's judgment on GRAIL acquisition; Moffitt Cancer Center and AstraZeneca collaborate on cell therapies; Ginkgo Bioworks introduced Ginkgo Automation; UTHealth Houston and OpenAI integrate AI in healthcare; 10x Genomics' platforms used in glioblastoma research; Generate:Biomedicines and Novartis collaborate on protein therapeutics; Firefly Neuroscience advances AI in neuroscience drug development; Scale Bio partners with CZI in the 100 Million Cell Challenge; Oracle launches CancerMPact Treatment Architecture Trends; Verseon's VersAI outperforms Google's AI; MilliporeSigma introduces Mobius ADC Reactor; Gilead and Genesis Therapeutics collaborate on small molecule therapies; Primrose Bio and ExPLoRNA partner on mRNA medicines; UC College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital find new drug discovery methods.

UCB and Biogen's phase 3 trial of dapirolizumab pegol for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was successful, with clinical improvement in primary and secondary endpoints. A second trial, PHOENICS FLY, is expected to start before year-end. If approved, dapirolizumab pegol could offer a new treatment for SLE, a chronic autoimmune disease affecting multiple organ systems.

Ideaya Biosciences announced positive phase 2 data for darovasertib in neoadjuvant uveal melanoma, showing 49% tumor shrinkage and 61% eye preservation. The FDA Type C meeting supported eye preservation and time to vision loss as primary endpoints, paving the way for a potential registrational phase 3 trial.

Landmark, a three-year research partnership, aims to detail Parkinson’s disease through sequencing tissue samples from the Parkinson’s UK Brain Bank. The project, involving Parkinson’s UK, Imperial College London, and pharmaceutical companies, seeks to identify predictive biomarkers and new drug targets. Funded by a £4m gift from the Gatsby charitable foundation, the initiative will apply snRNAseq to understand Parkinson’s at a cellular and genetic level, with data made freely available globally.

S.K., D.A.M., J.P., H.S., X.Z., P.H., T.X., and H.S. have financial ties to various pharmaceutical companies, including stock ownership and advisory roles. F.C., J.D., E.V.C., H.S.W., T.Y., R.Y., and J.T. also report consulting or advisory roles and research funding from multiple institutions and companies.

Landmark, a three-year research partnership involving Parkinson's UK, Imperial College London, and pharmaceutical companies, aims to sequence tissue samples from the Parkinson's UK Brain Bank to build a gene expression map, identify biomarkers, and discover new drug targets for Parkinson's disease. Funded by a £4m gift from the Gatsby charitable foundation, the project will use snRNAseq to analyze samples, producing a major dataset for global research and informing new treatments through Parkinson's Virtual Biotech.