Junshi Biosciences gets backing on new Covid-19 treatments
Shanghai-based Junshi Biosciences has partnered with Eli Lilly to co-develop new treatments for Covid-19.
The Chinese biopharma has been developing several neutralizing antibodies against SARS-COV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19. Under the agreement, Junshi and Lilly will divvy up the clinical development, manufacturing, and distribution responsibilities of the therapies for the China and global markets, respectively.
Junshi’s lead SARS-CoV-2 antibody, JS016, is a recombinant fully human monoclonal antibody that targets the virus’s spike protein receptor and blocks it from binding to cell surface receptor ACE2. Junshi is aiming to start clinical tests for the antibody this quarter.
Last week, the company also delisted from the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ) — an over-the-counter exchange — and has applied for an IPO on the STAR Market of the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
The Chinese biopharma has been developing several neutralizing antibodies against SARS-COV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19. Under the agreement, Junshi and Lilly will divvy up the clinical development, manufacturing, and distribution responsibilities of the therapies for the China and global markets, respectively.
Junshi’s lead SARS-CoV-2 antibody, JS016, is a recombinant fully human monoclonal antibody that targets the virus’s spike protein receptor and blocks it from binding to cell surface receptor ACE2. Junshi is aiming to start clinical tests for the antibody this quarter.
Last week, the company also delisted from the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ) — an over-the-counter exchange — and has applied for an IPO on the STAR Market of the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
Legend Biotech turns to Noile-Immune for better CAR-T
Genscript Biotech spinoff and IPO hopeful Legend Biotech secured access to a novel CAR-T technology platform in a collaboration deal with Japan’s Noile-Immune Biotech.
The Japanese biotech’s CAR-T platform, called PRIME, enables the production of CAR-T cells that better target solid tumors and secrete tumor-killing cytokines and chemokines at the tumor sites.
Under the agreement, the biotechs will work together on two cancer targets. Legend can use the PRIME technology for its cell therapy programs and pay Noile-Immune up to $70 million per cancer target for developmental, commercial, and regulatory milestones, in additional to royalties from the sales of the products.
The Japanese biotech’s CAR-T platform, called PRIME, enables the production of CAR-T cells that better target solid tumors and secrete tumor-killing cytokines and chemokines at the tumor sites.
Under the agreement, the biotechs will work together on two cancer targets. Legend can use the PRIME technology for its cell therapy programs and pay Noile-Immune up to $70 million per cancer target for developmental, commercial, and regulatory milestones, in additional to royalties from the sales of the products.
Innovent’s PD-1 beats target again in Phase 3 lung cancer trial
Innovent Biologics’s PD-1 drug, Tyvyt, showed it is effective as a first-line treatment for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after meeting the primary endpoint in its Phase 3 trial.
According to the Suzhou-based drug developer, the immunotherapy, which is also called sintilimab, improved progression-free survival of patients with locally advanced or metastatic squamous NSCLC when combined with Eli Lilly’s Gemzar and platinum chemotherapy, compared to a combination of chemotherapy and placebo.
The latest outcome builds on Tyvyt’s success when it is paired with Eli Lilly’s chemotherapies. In January, the immunotherapy also cleared its Phase 3 trial (ORIENT-11) as a first-line therapy in nonsquamous NSCLC, improving patient survival when combined with Alimta and chemotherapy.
According to the Suzhou-based drug developer, the immunotherapy, which is also called sintilimab, improved progression-free survival of patients with locally advanced or metastatic squamous NSCLC when combined with Eli Lilly’s Gemzar and platinum chemotherapy, compared to a combination of chemotherapy and placebo.
The latest outcome builds on Tyvyt’s success when it is paired with Eli Lilly’s chemotherapies. In January, the immunotherapy also cleared its Phase 3 trial (ORIENT-11) as a first-line therapy in nonsquamous NSCLC, improving patient survival when combined with Alimta and chemotherapy.
Harbour BioMed discovers antibody blocking Covid-19 virus
Immunology-focused Harbour BioMed and researchers in the Netherlands identified a fully human monoclonal antibody that can neutralize SARS-CoV-2.
Their latest findings were published in Nature Communications.
The Dutch scientists, at the Erasmus Medical Center and Utrecht University, had previously discovered antibodies targeting the virus that caused the SARS outbreak in 2002, and tested samples from that collection to identify an antibody that can also neutralize SARS-CoV-2.
The antibody, currently dubbed 47D11, targets an epitope that is conserved in both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses, which explains why it can neutralize both viruses.
“Such a neutralizing antibody has potential to alter the course of infection in the infected host, support virus clearance or protect an uninfected individual that is exposed to the virus,” Berend-Jan Bosch, the lead of research at Utrecht University, said in a statement.
Their latest findings were published in Nature Communications.
The Dutch scientists, at the Erasmus Medical Center and Utrecht University, had previously discovered antibodies targeting the virus that caused the SARS outbreak in 2002, and tested samples from that collection to identify an antibody that can also neutralize SARS-CoV-2.
The antibody, currently dubbed 47D11, targets an epitope that is conserved in both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses, which explains why it can neutralize both viruses.
“Such a neutralizing antibody has potential to alter the course of infection in the infected host, support virus clearance or protect an uninfected individual that is exposed to the virus,” Berend-Jan Bosch, the lead of research at Utrecht University, said in a statement.
A three-drug combo is better than one, Hong Kong experts say
Why use one drug on Covid-19 when you can use three?
According to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Hong Kong, a combination of interferon beta-1b, lopinavir-ritonavir, and ribavirin was more effective at treating patients with Covid-19 than a treatment with just lopinavir-ritonavir, the HIV drug from AbbVie known as Kaletra.
The Phase 2 trial, published in The Lancet last week, randomly assigned 127 patients with mild to moderate Covid-19 to receive either the triple antiviral therapy or Kaletra monotherapy. Patients receiving combination therapy recovered faster, with shorter time to symptom alleviation, time to negative viral load, and shorter hospital stay.
Based on these results, the scientists believe that a double antiviral therapy with interferon beta-1b could serve as a backbone for future clinical studies and potential treatments.
According to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Hong Kong, a combination of interferon beta-1b, lopinavir-ritonavir, and ribavirin was more effective at treating patients with Covid-19 than a treatment with just lopinavir-ritonavir, the HIV drug from AbbVie known as Kaletra.
The Phase 2 trial, published in The Lancet last week, randomly assigned 127 patients with mild to moderate Covid-19 to receive either the triple antiviral therapy or Kaletra monotherapy. Patients receiving combination therapy recovered faster, with shorter time to symptom alleviation, time to negative viral load, and shorter hospital stay.
Based on these results, the scientists believe that a double antiviral therapy with interferon beta-1b could serve as a backbone for future clinical studies and potential treatments.
More reads:
- China’s coronavirus vaccine drive empowers a troubled industry (New York Times)
- Can China win big in vaccine race with biotech bet? (Financial Times)
- How China’s blockchain technologies can help contain and monitor Covid-19 or future outbreaks (GlobalData)
- Chinese scientists unveil two more antibodies with potential against Covid-19 (South China Morning Post)
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