FarmaKology Newsletter - Issue #72

May 07, 2021

Today's Startup

Relay Therapeutics

Relay Therapeutics is a clinical-stage precision medicines company transforming the drug discovery process. Built on unparalleled insights into protein motion and how this dynamic behavior relates to protein function, our approach combines unprecedented computational power with leading-edge experimental approaches across the fields of structural biology, biophysics, chemistry, and biology. By applying these insights, we believe we have a differentiated approach to drug-protein targets based on their motion, enabling us to select and advance unique product candidates that can be developed into novel therapies for patients.

News

GSK and Vir Biotechnology announce the start of the EMA rolling review of VIR-7831 (sotrovimab) for the early treatment of COVID-19

GlaxoSmithKline plc and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has started a rolling review of data on sotrovimab (previously VIR-7831), an investigational dual-action SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of adults and adolescents (aged 12 years and over and weighing at least 40 kg) with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who do not require oxygen supplementation and who are at risk of progressing to severe COVID-19.

ZS and Seven Bridges Partner to Innovate Drug Research and Propel Precision Medicine

ZS and Seven Bridges today announced a partnership that will combine ZS's expertise in biomedical research services and data science with the Seven Bridges technology platform enabling multi-omics analytics, spanning the translational to clinical continuum. The combination provides biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with a one-stop solution for innovation and scalability for multi-omics analysis. Together, ZS and Seven Bridges help clients create breakthrough science, accelerate drug discovery and increase the probability of success for new drug candidates.

Pfizer and BioNTech Initiate Rolling Submission of Biologics License Application for U.S. FDA Approval of their COVID-19 Vaccine

Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE today announced the initiation of a Biologics License Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval of their mRNA vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 16 years of age and older. Data to support the BLA will be submitted by the companies to the FDA on a rolling basis over the coming weeks, with a request for Priority Review. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act goal date for a decision by the FDA will be set once the BLA is complete and formally accepted for review by the agency.

OntoChem Assigns Anixa Covid-19 Drug Discovery Project to MolGenie

OntoChem GmbH, a German Life Science IT company, announced today that it has assigned its drug discovery technologies and assets, including its drug discovery collaboration with Anixa Biosciences, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the treatment and prevention of cancer and infectious diseases, to the newly formed MolGenie GmbH, a biotech company focusing on drug discovery and development.