ASTELLAS PHARMA

Vir Biotechnology appoints Jason O'Byrne as EVP and CFO, effective October 2, 2024. O'Byrne, with over 20 years of finance and operations experience, joins from Caribou Biosciences, where he led finance and operations. He previously served as SVP of Finance at Audentes Therapeutics and held roles at Genentech. O'Byrne holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA in Finance.

Prostate Cancer Treatment Market growth driven by rising incidence, awareness, and advances in technologies like immunotherapy and targeted biologics. Market expected to grow at 5.00% CAGR from 2024 to 2031, supported by healthcare infrastructure investments and personalized medicine.

A Phase II trial showed AstraZeneca's Lynparza (olaparib) effective in treating recurrent prostate cancer without hormone therapy, prompting larger follow-up studies in biomarker-selected subgroups. Lynparza, a PARP inhibitor, demonstrated efficacy in patients with homologous recombination repair gene mutations, particularly BRCA2, with higher response rates than seen with hormonal suppression. The study suggests that not all prostate cancer patients need hormone therapy and highlights the need for biomarker-selected trials to identify responders.

First patient dosed in phase 3 HIGHLIGHT 1 trial evaluating fezolinetant for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) in breast cancer patients on adjuvant endocrine therapy.

KaliVir Immunotherapeutics announced FDA clearance for the STEALTH-001 study of VET3-TGI, a novel oncolytic immunotherapy targeting advanced solid tumors. The Phase 1/1b trial will assess VET3-TGI's safety and efficacy, both alone and with checkpoint inhibitor therapy, marking a significant step in cancer treatment innovation.

FibroGen, Inc. reported a Q1 2024 EPS of $-0.33272, missing expectations. Key updates include progress on pamrevlumab for pancreatic cancer, with Phase 3 data expected in 2024, and roxadustat's strong performance in China, with a 24% sales increase. FibroGen also highlighted its early-stage oncology pipeline and a strong cash position of $214.7 million, sufficient to fund operations into 2026.

Orbis Medicines, backed by €26M, aims to develop orally dosed peptide-based drugs using macrocycles for better bioavailability and cellular permeability. Their technology enables rapid synthesis and screening of compounds, targeting validated antibody drug targets for more convenient patient treatment.

Bayer plans to seek regulatory approval for elinzanetant, a drug for menopause symptoms, after positive Phase 3 trial results. It aims to compete with Astellas Pharma's Veozah. Despite shifting focus from women's health, Bayer sees elinzanetant as a potential blockbuster in treating menopausal symptoms.

Clarivate's 2024 Drugs to Watch report highlights 13 new therapeutics expected to achieve blockbuster status by 2029, targeting conditions like sickle cell disease, RSV, and breast cancer. It also notes the growing chronic disease market in China and the impact of new technologies like CRISPR-Cas9 and AI in drug development.