Hello there, seekers of science and scandal,
This week’s biotech mix has it all: skyrocketing stocks, breakthrough science, and a dash of drama. Akero’s patience pays off as its MASH therapy delivers stunning long-term results, and GSK and Oxford University are teaming up to catch cancer off-guard. Meanwhile, Pfizer is dealing with a $60M settlement, Insilico has developed a quantum-classical AI model, and researchers have crafted a fully engineered yeast genome.
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🚀 Akero's stock doubles as mid-phase MASH trial generates 'transformational' data (Fierce Biotech): Jolly good show from Akero Therapeutics. Efruxifermin, developed to treat metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (a type of liver disease) has produced some rather spectacular 96-week data. Despite missing the 36-week endpoint, patience proved key – with 29% of patients achieving cirrhosis reversal versus 12% on placebo. Most impressive was the GLP-1-free cohort, showing a smashing 45% response rate. The market, unsurprisingly, doubled its valuation.
Our take: A drug with more pronounced effects over time? In MASH, that’s almost unheard of. But Akero’s long-haul approach suggests metabolic disease demands a slower clock – one that might finally make cirrhosis reversal feasible. With big names in the space struggling, this success is a rare beacon for metabolic drug developers. If Akero proves its case in Phase 3, expect renewed interest – and maybe a buyout.
💉 GSK signs £50m deal with Oxford University on cancer vaccines (Guardian): A new three-year Cancer Immuno-Prevention Programme combines Oxford's sequencing know-how with GSK's commercial muscle, in order to hunt down sneaky pre-cancerous cells before they cause trouble. With a focus on identifying neoantigens – those clever little proteins that alert our immune system to cancer cells – researchers aim to create vaccines that target pre-cancerous cells before they turn malignant.
Our take: With cancers taking up to 20 years to develop, the idea of vaccinating before tumours form has been floating around for years; but this project is turning theory into practice. Targeting pre-cancerous cells means tackling malignancy at a stage when immune defences are still intact – potentially making interventions more effective and longer-lasting. The real test will be if this translates across different cancers or if it’s bound to select tumour types.
💸 Pfizer settles Biohaven kickback suit for nearly $60M (BioSpace): Oh dear…a rather thorny inheritance for Pfizer following its Biohaven acquisition. Responding to rumours of an alleged kickback scheme and false Medicare claims for its migraine drug Nurtec ODT, the whistleblower-initiated settlement reveals the scale of commercial pressure in the competitive migraine market. Though curiously, Nurtec ODT's market position remains rather robust despite this $59.7M regulatory telling-off.
Our take: A cautionary tale for pharma dealmakers: when you buy a biotech, you inherit its baggage. This case highlights the risk of aggressive sales tactics in competitive markets, where sales can all-too-easily blur into misconduct. Unfortunately, compliance missteps can erode trust in even the most commercially successful drugs. Hopefully, Pfizer is working hard to check that everything is above board under their leadership…
👩💻 Insilico and Toronto researchers develop quantum-classical computing AI model (GEN): Researchers have married quantum and classical computing to tackle KRAS, the notoriously stubborn cancer-driving protein that's been giving drug developers headaches for decades. From a robust dataset of 1.1 million molecules (including 650 validated KRAS inhibitors), the team's approach has identified two promising candidates: ISM061-018-2 and ISM061-022, both showing rather splendid binding and multi-mutation activity
Our take: KRAS has a well-earned reputation for being “undruggable”, due to its shallow binding pockets and quickly evolving mutants that drive resistance. While current market offerings typically target just one variant, G12C, this new model is a rather elegant way to explore vast amounts of data and uncover some multi-mutation inhibitors. It seems, while everyone's been nattering on about quantum computing's theoretical potential, these researchers have developed something far more concrete.
And finally…
🍞 Final synthetic yeast chromosome completed, paving way for biotech advances (phys.org): Researchers have developed the missing piece of yeast’s genomic puzzle – synthetic chromosome synXVI – to complete the world's first synthetic yeast genome. What’s more, using CRISPR tools, the team were then able to “debug” the yeast – correcting the genetic errors that impact growth. Nifty!
Our take: Ah, yeast – the gift that keeps on fermenting. With a synthetic genome built for tinkering, researchers can now sculpt yeast strains to their exact specifications without those pesky mutations. This landmark moment could open up new possibilities in biological engineering – with applications including biomanufacturing, therapeutic protein production, and even creating new materials – making yeast an even more versatile workhorse.
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