The blowup in phase II with Aclaris Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s oral MK2 inhibitor zunsemetinib (ATI-450) for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sent shares (NASDAQ:ACRS) into a tailspin and sparked Wall Street speculation about the firm’s other mid-stage prospect. Wayne, Pa.-based Aclaris’ stock ended Nov. 13 at 64 cents, down $4.11, or 86%, after investors learned that ATI-450 missed the study’s primary and secondary endpoints. Development of the candidate, which was also under phase IIa investigation in psoriatic arthritis, will be stopped.
Nearly a year and a half after an interim analysis cast doubt on the future of Atara Biotherapeutics Inc.’s phase II study of ATA-188 in treating non-active progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS), the newly released primary analysis didn’t change much.
Top-line results from Moonlake Immunotherapeutics AG’s phase II study of sonelokimab treating active psoriatic arthritis encouraged the company but discouraged investors.
Scientists at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) have designed a group of synthetic molecules that could prevent the rejection of allogeneic cell transplants. Their strategy consisted of activating the immune checkpoints of different populations of immune cells from the cell surface, but avoiding the cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages that would destroy the transplanted cells.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is set to conduct a phase I trial with Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp.’s TNX-1800 (recombinant horsepox virus, live vaccine), a vaccine candidate to protect against COVID-19.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the University of Oxford have launched a new project to initiate early development of prototype vaccines against the Junín virus, selected as an exemplar of the Arenavirus family which is responsible for multiple deadly hemorrhagic fevers with epidemic and pandemic potential.
Viridian Therapeutics Inc. has disclosed a preclinical portfolio of neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) inhibitors designed for next-generation treatment of antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases.
VBI Vaccines Inc. has announced the development of its next-generation mRNA-launched enveloped virus-like particle (eVLP) technology, which expands on the company's current proprietary eVLP technology by coding the particles in messenger RNA (mRNA).
Triveni Bio Inc. has announced a $92 million series A financing that will support the advancement of its lead antibody program, TRIV-509, from preclinical development to a phase IIa clinical trial in atopic dermatitis and fuel a pipeline of novel antibodies with two additional development candidate nominations expected in 2024.
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