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By PharmaCompass
2025-03-13
Impressions: 807 (Article) || 2 (Video)
In news this week, Roche has acquired rights to develop and commercialize Zealand Pharma’s experimental obesity drug petrelintide through a deal worth US$ 5.3 billion.
In other deals, Indian drugmaker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries has acquired immunotherapy and targeted oncology company Checkpoint Therapeutics for US$ 355 million. Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) has bought its cell therapy partner 2Seventy Bio for approximately US$ 286 million. And Japanese drugmaker Ono Pharmaceutical is shelling out US$ 280 million to acquire Ionis Pharmaceuticals’ phase 2-stage antisense oligonucleotide for a rare type of blood cancer.
A federal judge in the US has ruled in favor of Merck in a lawsuit that accused the drugmaker of concealing the risks of its cancer vaccine Gardasil. This vaccine is one of Merck’s best selling products. Merck has also announced the opening of a US$ 1 billion facility dedicated to manufacturing vaccines at its existing Durham, North Carolina site.
In news from clinical trials, Novo Nordisk reported disappointing results from its second late‐stage trial of its new obesity drug candidate, CagriSema. J&J has said it will stop late-stage studies of its experimental depression drug aticaprant as it failed to demonstrate necessary efficacy in treating major depressive disorder (MDD). And Mineralys Therapeutics’ lead drug — lorundrostat — significantly lowered blood pressure in patients with difficult-to-treat hypertension in late- and mid-stage trials.
Roche gets rights to Zealand’s amylin obesity drug in US$ 5.3 bn deal
Roche has inked a deal with Zealand Pharma, potentially worth up to US$ 5.3 billion, to develop and commercialize petrelintide, an experimental obesity drug. Petrelintide is a long-acting amylin analog designed for once-weekly subcutaneous administration. Amylin is a hormone co-secreted with insulin that induces a sense of fullness, aiding in weight management. In early trials, petrelintide demonstrated an average weight loss of 8.6 percent over 16 weeks. Under the agreement, Zealand Pharma will receive an upfront payment of US$ 1.65 billion. This partnership positions Roche to compete in the rapidly growing obesity drug market, currently dominated by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
Merck wins Gardasil lawsuit; invests US$ 1 bn in Durham to raise vaccine production
In the US, a federal judge ruled in favor of Merck in a lawsuit that accused the drugmaker of concealing the risks of its cancer vaccine Gardasil. This vaccine is one of Merck’s best-selling products. It prevents cervical and other cancers caused by the human papillomavirus. The decision applies to over 200 lawsuits filed in the US.
The plaintiffs, who received the vaccine between 2012 and 2021, said it caused them to suffer excessive increases in heart rates or premature ovarian failure, and that Merck should have added warnings to the labels. In the ruling, the judge said there is lack of evidence to conclude that Merck willingly misrepresented the safety of Gardasil to patients and prescribers.
Meanwhile, Merck announced the opening of a new, US$ 1 billion, 225,000-square-foot facility dedicated to vaccine manufacturing at its Durham, North Carolina, site. Merck has invested over US$ 12 billion in the US since 2018 and plans to invest another US$ 8 billion by 2028.
Novo’s next-gen obesity candidate CagriSema underperforms in late-stage trial
Novo Nordisk reported disappointing results from its second late‐stage trial of its new obesity drug candidate, CagriSema (cagrilintide/semaglutide). The trial, which enrolled around 1,200 participants with type 2 diabetes and a body mass index of 27 or higher, showed an average weight loss of 13.7 percent over 68 weeks when accounting for all participants, and 15.7 percent among those who remained on treatment. Although the drug did deliver better weight loss than Novo’s flagship product, Wegovy (semaglutide), market expectations for a breakthrough superior to rival Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide) were not met. Novo plans to submit CagriSema for regulatory approval in the first quarter of 2026.
BMS acquires cell therapy partner 2Seventy Bio; Sun buys Checkpoint Therapeutics
Biotech company 2Seventy Bio has said it is being acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb for an equity value of approximately US$ 286 million. Both BMS and 2Seventy have been partners, and have jointly developed Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel), a CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma. 2Seventy Bio was spun out of Bluebird Bio in 2021. According to the terms of the deal, BMS will acquire all outstanding shares of 2Seventy Bio for US$ 5.00 per share, which is at a premium of 88 percent to the stock’s close on March 7.
Sun acquires Checkpoint: Indian drugmaker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries is acquiring immunotherapy and targeted oncology company Checkpoint Therapeutics for US$ 355 million. The acquisition bolsters Sun’s innovative portfolio in onco-derm therapy, its chairman and managing director, Dilip Shanghvi said. Checkpoint has received FDA approval for Unloxcyt (cosibelimab-ipdl) for the treatment of adults with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) or locally advanced cSCC who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation.
Ono acquires Ionis’ blood cancer med: Japanese drugmaker Ono Pharmaceutical is acquiring Ionis Pharmaceuticals’ phase 2-stage antisense oligonucleotide for a rare type of blood cancer for US$ 280 million upfront. Known as sapablursen, the med is in a phase 2 trial for polycythemia vera (PV), a rare blood condition characterized by the overproduction of red blood cells.
J&J stops late-stage studies of depression drug due to insufficient efficacy
Johnson & Johnson said it will halt late-stage studies of its experimental depression drug, aticaprant, after the studies failed to demonstrate the necessary efficacy in treating major depressive disorder (MDD). The once-daily medication, intended as an add-on treatment for patients suffering from anhedonia — a condition that impairs the ability to experience pleasure — did not meet the predefined clinical benchmarks.
The disappointing results come on the heels of similar setbacks within the same drug class, most notably with Neumora Therapeutics’ navacaprant. Despite the setback, the company expressed its intention to explore alternative development opportunities for aticaprant in other areas of high unmet need. J&J had expected aticaprant to earn US$ 1 billion to US$ 5 billion a year in MDD.
Mineralys’ BP med achieves target in late-stage trial: Mineralys Therapeutics’ lead drug — lorundrostat — significantly lowered blood pressure in patients with difficult-to-treat hypertension in late- and mid-stage trials. Lorundrostat was tested in patients with uncontrolled hypertension, a condition that raises the risk of heart attacks or strokes.
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