Protagonist Therapeutics earns $5M milestone from Janssen; shares up

Protagonist Therapeutics (PTGX +4%) has earned a $5M milestone payment from licensee Janssen Biotech, a unit of Johnson & Johnson, triggered by the latter’s nomination of a second-generation development candidate.

The companies are jointly conducting a 90-subject Phase 2 proof-of-concept study evaluating the first-generation candidate, oral  IL-23 receptor antagonist PTG-200 (JNJ-67864238), in Crohn’s disease patients.

The parties inked their original agreement in August 2017 and expanded it in May 2019 to include second-generation IL-23 receptor antagonists.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3530149-protagonist-therapeutics-earns-5m-milestone-from-janssen-shares-up-4

Ensign acquires The Healthcare Center at Patriot Heights

Ensign (ENSG -1%) has acquired the real estate and operations of The Healthcare Center at Patriot Heights, a healthcare campus with 59 skilled nursing beds and 158 independent living units located in San Antonio, Texas.

This acquisition brings Ensign’s portfolio to 214 skilled nursing operations. Ensign owns the real estate at 90 healthcare operations.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3530159-ensign-acquires-healthcare-center-patriot-heights

MedRisk acquires Select Provider Networks

MedRisk has acquired Select Provider Networks from Select Medical (SEM -2%).

SPNet provides a boutique specialty network of physical and occupational therapists to the workers’ compensation industry.

Under the new MedRisk ownership, SPNet will retain its name and operate independently.

“SPNet and MedRisk may have very different managed care programs, but one thing we share is a commitment to quality care for injured workers,” said MedRisk CEO Mike Ryan.

The purchase price was not disclosed.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3530172-medrisk-acquires-select-provider-networks

AbbVie loses bid to reverse adverse ruling on Humira patents

Without issuing an opinion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decision invaliding three patents (Nos. 8,889,135, 9,017,680 and 9,073,987) covering AbbVie’s (ABBV -0.5%) top seller Humira (adalimumab).

The patents were challenged by Coherus BioSciences (CHRS -1%) and privately held Boehringer Ingelheim, both of which have already settled with AbbVie.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3530126-abbvie-loses-bid-to-reverse-adverse-ruling-on-humira-patents

Merck’s Keytruda shows mixed results in late-stage lung cancer study

A Phase 3 clinical trial, KEYNOTE-604, evaluating the combination of Merck’s (NYSE:MRK) Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and chemo (etoposide plus cisplatin or carboplatin) for the first-line treatment of patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) showed a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to chemo alone, one of the primary endpoints.

The other primary endpoint, overall survival (OS), favored the Keytruda combo but the separation from chemo was not statistically valid.

No new safety signals were observed.

The data will be presented at an upcoming medical conference and reviewed with regulatory authorities.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3529931-mercks-keytruda-shows-mixed-results-in-late-stage-lung-cancer-study

Xeris Pharma up after hours on positive RTU glucagon data in exercise setting

Thinly traded micro cap Xeris Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:XERS) is up 19% after hours in response to positive results from the in-clinic portion of a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating ready-to-use (RTU) glucagon for the prevention of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) after moderate-to-high intensity aerobic exercise.

The data showed that a mini dose of RTU glucagon was adequate to maintain blood sugar levels during prolonged moderate-to-intense aerobic exercise. There were episodes of hypoglycemia, but the incidence was less in the RTU glucagon group compared to standard-of-care (SOC) (placebo + 50% insulin pump reduction).

The use of glucose tablets to treat low blood sugar was less in the RTU glucagon cohort compared to SOC.

On the safety front, the rate of treatment-emergent adverse events was comparable to placebo. No serious adverse events were reported.

Results from the the outpatient portion should be available in H1.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3529943-xeris-pharma-up-19-after-hours-on-positive-rtu-glucagon-data-in-exercise-setting

Myriad Genetics up 3% on positive GeneSight data in depression

Myriad Genetics (MYGN +2.8%) is up, albeit on below-average volume, on the heels of a new analysis from the GUIDED clinical trial using a depression scale called HAM-D6. The results were just published online in BMC Psychiatry.

The key takeaways were statistically significant improvements in remission, response and symptoms in GeneSight-guided care at week 8 compared with standard treatment.

GUIDED was a large prospective study aimed at assessing the benefit of pharmacogenomics-guided treatment for depression using the GeneSight Psychotropic test compared to an active therapy control arm.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/352