BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB

Kynurenine, a tryptophan metabolite, exacerbates Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by inhibiting astrocyte glycolysis and lactate production, starving neurons. IDO1 inhibitors, which block kynurenine production, could potentially treat AD and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Multiple myeloma treatments, including quadruple regimens and CAR T-cell therapy, improve PFS and MRD negativity. Debate exists on optimal timing for CAR T use, with arguments for earlier or later lines. Accessibility and patient-specific factors influence treatment decisions.

Autolus Therapeutics' obe-cel, an autologous CAR-T cell therapy for relapsed/refractory adult B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, awaits FDA approval on November 16, 2024. The therapy targets CD-19 and has shown a 78% ORR in the FELIX study, with potential peak revenues of ~$300m. Despite a 25% share price drop, Autolus holds $700m in cash and has partnerships with BioNTech, Moderna, and Bristol Myers Squibb, positioning it for future growth.

Worldwide Clinical Trials appoints Alessandra Vignola as president of cardiovascular and metabolic business unit, leveraging her 30+ years of experience in pharmaceutical and clinical research to drive advancements in diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic diseases.

Verastem, Inc. (VSTM) develops cancer treatments targeting the RAS/MAPK pathway, focusing on pancreatic, lung, colorectal, and low-grade serous ovarian cancers. Its leading therapy combines Avutometinib and Defactinib, with a rolling NDA submission expected to finalize by 2H2024 for recurrent LGSOC. VSTM also explores additional indications for metastatic pancreatic cancer and mKRAS G12C NSCLC. The company's tight cash runway makes it a high-risk, high-reward investment, but its current valuation and pathway to approval suggest a bullish outlook.

Aging immune system spurs tumor growth, with anakinra potentially repurposed to block harmful signals, reducing cancer risk in older adults.

Arsenal Biosciences raised $325M in Series C to advance CAR T-cell therapies for solid tumors, with AB-1015 for ovarian cancer and AB-2100 for kidney cancer in early clinical development.

A wearable heart monitor increases A-fib detection by over 50% but did not reduce strokes in a study involving over 12,000 older Americans. The study, led by Dr. Renato Lopes of Duke Clinical Research Institute, was presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Nxera Pharma received $35m from Neurocrine Biosciences after positive Phase II trial data of NBI-568 in schizophrenia, potentially leading to $2.6bn total and $202m in sales by 2030. The trial met primary endpoint with a 20mg dose significantly reducing symptoms, advancing to Phase III in 2025. Current treatments have significant side effects, driving demand for new medications targeting both positive and negative schizophrenia symptoms.

Iovance Biotherapeutics' MDA-TIL trial terminated due to lack of efficacy, leading to drops in Phase Transition Success Rates (PTSR) in various cancers. Sention Therapeutics' ST-1891 and Armata Pharmaceuticals' APPA-02 trials completed successfully in hypothyroidism and bronchiectasis, respectively, boosting their PTSRs. Karyopharm Therapeutics' Xpovio trial in metastatic melanoma and Worg Pharmaceuticals Hangzhou's WP-1302 trial in Graves' disease were terminated, affecting their PTSRs negatively.