Curatis Reveals Corticorelin as Active Substance in C-PTBE-01 with Billion-Dollar Market Potential
• Curatis has disclosed that Corticorelin is the active substance in its C-PTBE-01 therapy for peritumoral brain edema (PTBE), with potential to reduce or eliminate steroid use in treatment.
• The company has significantly increased its market size estimates, now projecting over 500,000 PTBE patients globally and a market opportunity exceeding USD 1 billion.
• Curatis is targeting an FDA meeting in Q3 2024 to finalize the design of a pivotal Phase 3 trial planned for 2026, while strengthening its team with key appointments in clinical development and technical operations.
Biotech Deal Landscape: February-March 2025 Sees Surge in Partnerships Across Multiple Therapeutic Areas
• The first quarter of 2025 witnessed significant biotech partnership activity, with Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, and Novo Nordisk emerging as top collaborators in deals worth billions across small molecules, antibodies, and RNA therapeutics.
• February 2025 featured notable acquisitions including Novartis's $2.15 billion buyout of Anthos Therapeutics, while March saw AstraZeneca acquire Belgian biotech EsoBiotec and Bristol Myers Squibb purchase 2seventy bio for $286 million.
• Obesity therapeutics gained significant traction in March 2025, with AbbVie entering the field through a $350 million upfront deal with Gubra for an amylin analog, while Roche partnered with Zealand Pharma on petrelintide in a deal worth up to $5.25 billion.
Medigene and EpimAb Partner to Develop Novel TCR-Guided T Cell Engagers for Solid Tumors
• Medigene AG and EpimAb Biotherapeutics have formed a strategic co-development partnership to create off-the-shelf T cell receptor-guided T Cell Engagers (TCR-TCEs) for treating solid tumors and immune-related disorders.
• The collaboration combines Medigene's 3S (sensitive, specific, safe) TCR technology with EpimAb's proprietary CD3 antibody and T-FIT platform to develop bispecific therapeutics with improved targeting precision and reduced off-target effects.
• This partnership expands Medigene's TCR applications into off-the-shelf modalities, addressing a bispecific therapy market projected to exceed $80 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate of 40.9%.
Biopharma Industry Faces Continued Layoffs in 2025 Amid Strategic Realignments
• Biopharma companies continue to announce layoffs in 2025, driven by strategic realignments, pipeline reprioritizations, and challenging financial conditions.
• Several companies, including Intellia Therapeutics and IGM Biosciences, are cutting a significant portion of their workforce to focus on key programs and extend cash runways.
• These workforce reductions are often accompanied by discontinuation of certain drug development programs and a shift in strategic focus towards core assets.
• The layoffs reflect a broader trend in the industry as companies adapt to evolving market dynamics and prioritize efficiency and long-term sustainability.
FDA Clears IND for Medigene's TCR-T Therapy MDG1015 in Advanced Solid Tumors
• Medigene receives FDA clearance for its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for MDG1015, a T-cell receptor engineered T-cell (TCR-T) therapy.
• A Phase I clinical trial, EPITOME1015-I, is planned to evaluate MDG1015's safety, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy in patients with advanced solid tumors.
• MDG1015 targets NY-ESO-1/LAGE-1a and incorporates a PD1-41BB costimulatory switch protein to enhance anti-tumor activity and persistence.
• Medigene anticipates launching the trial by the end of 2024 and expects a data readout from EPITOME1015-I by the end of 2025, pending additional financing.
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