[Updated 8/13/2020, 3:19 p.m.] Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients whose disease is characterized by a particular genetic mutation now have a new treatment option following the FDA’s Wednesday approval of a drug developed by NS Pharma. DMD is a genetic disorder that leaves patients unable to produce dystrophin, a protein key to muscle function. NS […]

Ligand Pharmaceuticals plans to acquire recombinant protein therapeutics maker Pfenex for $438 million, the companies announced Monday. The larger company agreed to pay $12 per share for Pfenex (NYSE American: PFNX)—a 57 percent premium to its closing price Monday. San Diego-based Ligand (NASDAQ: LGND) generates revenue from licensing deals and royalties paid by pharmaceutical companies […]

Results from four studies within a major Roche-run clinical trials program of an investigational gut disease drug have muddled the antibody’s path forward after its performance proved mixed. The company has been studying etrolizumab, an antibody designed to block two members of a family of proteins called integrins, as a potential treatment for the two […]

The FDA on Friday approved a new spinal muscular atrophy drug that patients can take at home. Risdiplam (Evrysdi) is a liquid medicine intended for daily use that was developed by Roche subsidiary Genentech in partnership with the SMA Foundation and South Plainfield, NJ-based PTC Therapeutics (NASDAQ: PTCT). Regulators OK’d the drug, intended for daily […]

Patients with advanced multiple myeloma have a new treatment option with the FDA’s approval of a GlaxoSmithKline drug that targets B-cell maturation antigen, a protein found on the surface of cancerous plasma cells. The agency OK’d the London-based pharma giant’s cancer drug, belantamab mafodotin (Blenrep), based on the results of a study in which patients […]

Robert Zeldin has joined gene therapy developer MeiraGTx as its chief medical officer. Most recently he held the same role at Immunovant (NASDAQ: IMVT). Prior Zeldin served as CMO at Acceleron Pharma (NASDAQ: XLRN) and at Ablynx. His experience also includes time at Stallergenes, Novartis (NYSE: NVS), and Merck, as well as a stint with […]

Black Diamond Therapeutics (NASDAQ: BDTX) has appointed Fang Ni to serve as its chief business officer. Ni has held the role on an interim basis since the company emerged from stealth in late 2018. Ni was most recently a principal and member of the investment team at Versant Ventures, which incubated Black Diamond before launching it […]

Yuan Xu, the CEO of Legend Biotech (NASDAQ: LEGN) for the past two years, has resigned for “personal reasons,” the company announced Sunday. No other details were given. She has also stepped down from the Somerset, NJ, company’s board of directors. Frank Zhang, chairman of Legend’s board and CEO of GenScript, the biotech’s largest shareholder, […]