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Monday, November 1, 2021

Shionogi Negotiating With Companies Over Partnership on Covid-19 Pill

 Japanese pharmaceutical maker Shionogi & Co. said it is discussing a partnership with several global companies to market a pill for Covid-19 that is now undergoing human trials.

Shionogi said the pill showed superior safety in a small-scale Phase 1 trial and lowered virus levels in humans in line with expectations from animal studies.

It said a mid-stage Phase 2 trial is under way and it is trying to recruit more patients by looking to countries such as the U.K. and Singapore that have many Covid-19 cases. Currently Japan is recording only a few hundred new Covid-19 cases a day, limiting the potential pool for clinical trials.

Shionogi said it is in discussions with the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. and the European Medicines Agency over plans for a large-scale Phase 3 trial of the pill, code-named S-217622. It said it is building up production capacity for the drug but didn't say when it might reach the market.

Merck & Co. recently released results from a large-scale trial showing its Covid-19 pill, co-developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, helped prevent high-risk patients from becoming seriously ill.

https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/SHIONOGI-CO-LTD-6493659/news/Shionogi-Negotiating-With-Companies-Over-Partnership-on-Covid-19-Pill-36852527/

Novavax COVID-19 vaccine receives emergency use authorization in Indonesia

 Novavax Inc and partner Serum Institute of India said On Monday they received the emergency use authorization from Indonesia, making it the first authorization anywhere for Novavax.

The shot will be sold under Serum Institute's brand name for the vaccine, Covovax.

https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/NOVAVAX-INC-58256108/news/Novavax-COVID-19-vaccine-receives-emergency-use-authorization-in-Indonesia-36854696/

Glaxo denies Mail on Sunday report of interest in Aurinia

 

GlaxoSmithKline on Monday dismissed a Mail on Sunday report that said that the British pharma group could be interested in bidding for autoimmune disease drug developer Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Britain's Mail on Sunday newspaper said, citing mounting speculation, that GSK is preparing a bid for Canada's Aurinia. The report is not true, a GSK spokesperson said in an email.

Aurinia shares jumped almost 27% on Oct. 22 when Bloomberg News cited people familiar with the matter as saying that U.S. group Bristol Myers Squibb Co had expressed interest in buying the company.

The stock has been up almost 50% since the report, giving the biotech firm a market value of about $4.2 billion.

Aurinia's drug Lupkynis is approved to treat a form of kidney inflammation caused by autoimmune disease lupus and the company is working on other treatments for autoimmune and kidney diseases.

https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/GLAXOSMITHKLINE-PLC-9590199/news/GSK-denies-Mail-on-Sunday-report-of-interest-in-Aurinia-36854072/

U.S. to publish rules on private-sector COVID-19 vaccinations, testing in days

 

The Biden administration said Monday that a planned rule requiring private-sector employers with 100 or more employees to mandate COVID-19 vaccines or regular testing will be published in the coming days.

The Labor Department said on Monday the White House Office of Management and Budget had completed its regulatory review of the rule known as an emergency temporary standard. The White House said in September the rule would cover more than 80 million private-sector employees.

https://www.marketscreener.com/news/latest/U-S-to-publish-rules-on-private-sector-COVID-19-vaccinations-testing-in-days--36858592/

Acadia Pharma upped to Buy from Neutral by Guggenheim

 Target $23

https://finviz.com/quote.ashx?t=ACAD

ANI Pharma Third Quarter 2021 Results, Business Update

 - Third quarter 2021 net revenues of $52.1 million; net loss of $4.4 million and diluted loss per share of ($0.37) --

-- Third quarter adjusted non-GAAP EBITDA of $16.6 million and adjusted non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $1.01 --

-- FDA approves supplemental new drug application for Purified Cortrophin Gel for the treatment of certain chronic autoimmune disorders; full-scale launch planned for early Q1 2022 --

-- Acquisition of Novitium Pharma LLC is expected to close in November 2021 --

-- Launched Nebivolol Tablets simultaneously from two manufacturing sites --

ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ANI or the Company) (NASDAQ: ANIP) today announced business highlights and financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2021.

Third Quarter and Recent Business Highlights:

  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Company’s supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for Purified Cortrophin™ Gel (Repository Corticotropin Injection USP) (Cortrophin Gel) for the treatment of certain chronic autoimmune disorders, including acute exacerbations of multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, in addition to excess urinary protein due to nephrotic syndrome.

  • The Company plans full-scale Cortrophin Gel launch in the first quarter of 2022.

  • The acquisition of Novitium Pharma LLC is expected to close in November 2021; and

  • Launched Nebivolol Tablets simultaneously from two manufacturing sites. Nebivolol is the generic version of the reference listed drug (RLD) Bystolic®.

Third Quarter 2021 Financial Highlights:

  • Net revenues were $52.1 million compared to $53.0 million in Q3 2020.

  • GAAP net loss was $4.4 million and diluted GAAP loss per share was ($0.37).

  • Adjusted non-GAAP EBITDA was $16.6 million.

  • Adjusted non-GAAP diluted earnings per share was $1.01.

  • Cash and cash equivalents were $15.3 million, net accounts receivable was $106.7 million, and face value of debt was $202.9 million as of September 30, 2021.

"The approval of Cortrophin Gel marks a critical milestone for ANI. During the past five years, we have made a significant investment in establishing and updating manufacturing processes and ensuring a sustainable, U.S.-based supply chain for this important product. Physicians now have a much-needed treatment option for patients with acute exacerbations of multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as nephrotic syndrome, who can benefit from a repository corticotropin. We have built an experienced rare disease leadership team to drive a full-scale commercial launch early in the first quarter of 2022," said Nikhil Lalwani, President and CEO of ANI.

Tiny U.S. Biotech Jumps 930% as It Picks Up Retail Attention

 A little known biotech company, ABVC BioPharma Inc., soared in U.S. premarket trading amid increasing chatter on trading social network StockTwits.

The Fremont, California-based firm’s shares jumped as much as 930% in premarket trading and the stock was up 254% at 10:17 a.m. in New York. More than 50 million shares had been traded in the stock by that time, compared to its 12-month daily average of around 660,000.

At the end of trading on Friday, the stock had a market capitalization of $68.1 million. That now stands at around $242 million.

The company has filed for $50 million mixed securities shelf on Friday. It announced restructuring of a joint venture last month and filed for patent applications for some medicines treating depression and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in September.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tiny-u-biotech-jumps-930-142156758.html