Bepirovirsen made the hepatitis B virus undetectable in nearly 30% of patients in a Phase II study – but it remains to be seen whether this response be sustained once treatment with the novel antisense product ends.

Ipsen CEO David Loew recently told Scrip that a return to more rational valuations for biotechs should led to more deals. The Epizyme acquisition could be the first of many by the French group this year.

Indian firms are getting their act together in areas like cell and gene therapy, with Dr Reddy’s aiming big and readying a facility alongside an alliance with a Chinese firm for a CAR-T therapy. The company is also doubling down in contract development and manufacturing, with an eye on opportunities in biologics.

F-star's novel bispecific technology attracts Sino Biopharma-affiliated acquisition, Shionogi agreement with GARDP brings antibiotic cefiderocol to 135 countries, deal with WinHealth covering Greater China expands Quoin’s licensing of Netherton syndrome candidate to 60 nations, Kyorin and CellGenTech team up in Fabry disease.

Hopes rise as first four evaluable patients experienced no serious adverse events, and a sustained decline in level of key Huntington’s disease protein with the novel gene therapy product.

India’s COVID-19 immunization focus has shifted to children as over 88% adults are fully vaccinated. However, Scrip’s examination of weekly data reveals the number of doses given to children are also dropping sharply off peaks. Meanwhile, Biological E is winning over others like Novavax in this segment while Zydus Lifesciences is yet to score

After months of speculation and anticipation, Shionogi’s once-daily oral antiviral for the treatment of COVID-19 has stumbled after receiving an unexpected preliminary decision on its emergency approval from an advisory committee in Japan.

Federal Trade Commission study of the six largest pharmacy benefit managers in the US wins the unanimous support of commissioners after its scope was broadened from an earlier version.

The US firm has started a rolling US BLA for its infectious disease candidate, SER-109, following positive data from a second late-stage study, a milestone which could draw attention to firms in the microbiome space. 

Bepirovirsen made the hepatitis B virus undetectable in nearly 30% of patients in a Phase II study – but it remains to be seen whether this response be sustained once treatment with the novel antisense product ends.

Solasia's arsenical drug darinaparsin has received its global-first approval in Japan, for PTCL, in a landmark for the Texan chemist who discovered it back in the 70s and paving the way for wider indications and Asian markets.

In this week's podcast version of Five Must-Know Things: Genmab confident in CD20xCD3 battle; Alzheimer’s disappointment for Roche; Japan speed bump for Shionogi’s oral COVID antiviral; pharma’s view of psychedelics; and a roundup of key BIO sessions.