#01- Biotech Dodo finally has wings
The one-minute biotech roundup
🦤 Good day, and welcome to the inaugural edition of the Biotech Dodo. Congratulations on being the early bird who caught the worm!
We’re kicking off proceedings with an unintentional avian theme, featuring the endangered pink pigeon and the surprising biotech boon from *checks notes* bird flu. Elsewhere, Merck ventures into the weight loss market, Pfizer’s phase 3 gene therapy fails in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) trials, and Ochre Bio partners with British pharma giant GSK for data-led liver disease research.
If there’s anything you’d like to see in future editions of Biotech Dodo, send us a message.
Thank you for reading, cheerio!
Dodo
Discover 🔍
❌ Pfizer's phase 3 gene therapy trial fails to improve function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Fierce Biotech) — Pfizer's most recent phase 3 gene therapy trial has, regrettably, not met its desired outcome. The investigational treatment, fordadistrogene movaparvovec, has failed to hit its primary goal of improving motor function when compared to placebo at one year of treatment.
Our take: This is a sobering moment in the latest in a series of fails for DMD clinical research after the death of a young boy in a related phase 2 trial, just last month. For Pfizer, the disappointing news "all but removes” fordadistrogene movaparvovec from the competitive landscape.
💊 Merck eyes next-gen obesity drugs that offer additional benefits (Biospace) — Merck is aiming to carve out its own niche in the lucrative weight loss market with efinopegdutide, an innovative GLP-1/glucagon receptor dual agonist. This next-gen oral treatment not only targets weight reduction but also offers significant cardiometabolic benefits by reducing liver fat and inflammation.
Our take: Merck is eager to claim its portion of the weight loss market, and this oral GLP-1 agonist could seriously disrupt a sector dominated by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. If successful, an oral medication could increase patient access and reduce manufacturing costs. Quite the promising venture!
🤝 GSK partners with Ochre Bio to advance liver disease research (Fierce Biotech) — GSK has entered a multi-year data license agreement with British biotech Ochre Bio to explore liver disease. This partnership leverages Ochre Bio’s computational biology, cellular and perfused human organ platforms to build AI models that deepen the understanding of liver function and disease.
Our take: With a total deal value of $37.5 million, this data-led alliance has the potential to significantly impact understanding of the drivers of liver disease - and will allow both Ochre Bio and GSK to use the insights generated in their respective R&D pipelines. This follows Ochre Bio’s drug discovery partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim, in April. Quite the feather in their caps!
📈 Shares in Biotechs surge as new human Bird Flu infections emerge (Financial Times) — Well, it seems bird flu is back in the headlines! Shares in vaccine developers, including Moderna and BioNTech, soared after reports of new human H5N1 bird flu cases in Australia and the US. The resurgence of bird flu has investors betting that these companies might lead the charge in tackling another potential pandemic.
Our take: It looks like some feathered friends are causing quite a stir in the biotech market. With vaccine stocks climbing, it's a reminder that a pandemic threat is ever-present. As a result, Moderna is expediting its flu mRNA vaccine through to clinical trials. This really is a story to watch as it unfolds.
And finally…
🫱🏾🫲🏼How dodo de-extinction is helping rescue the extraordinary pink pigeon (New Scientist) — Ah, the marvels of modern science! Colossal Biosciences is not only working on reviving the dodo (ahem!) but also its lesser-known cousin: the iconic pink pigeon. The conservationists are leveraging genetic tools to diversify the DNA in our pink-feathered friends and stop them teetering on the brink of extinction in Mauritius (read the press release).
Our take: It seems that dodos and pigeons make a splendid team (but we knew that already). Although it’s not just a feathery tale: a robust gene pool gives these pigeons a better chance in withstanding diseases and environmental shifts, giving them a fighting chance at a future. This work is part of Colossal’s mission to tackle de-extinction across the globe, an idea we can certainly get behind.
Tune in 🎧
🧠 Enabling the nervous system to repair itself (The Bio Report) - NervGen Pharma’s innovative strategy could very well revolutionise neuroregeneration. Should it succeed, we may see a beacon of hope for those grappling with spinal cord injuries and other neurodegenerative woes.
🧬 Cerevance's New Approach to Parkinson's Disease (Raising Biotech) — Surani Fernando continues to bring us insightful interviews with biotech leaders. In the latest episode, CEO Craig Thompson and CNS expert Prof. Karl Kieburtz talk about Cerevance's mission to transform Parkinson's treatment by targeting the GPR6 receptor.
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It seems that the fledglings have flown the nest this summer, and having a well-earned break means August is quiet on the event front. However, get in touch if you know of any upcoming biotech events that should be on our radar.
Got news, jobs or events you think are worth coo-ing over? Post an event here, or email us at biotechdodo@substack.com!
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