Billion-Dollar Molecules: Etavopivat, an Allosteric PKR Kinase Activator for Sickle Cell Disease
Billion-Dollar Molecules: Etavopivat, an Allosteric PKR Kinase Activator for Sickle Cell Disease Abstract. Novo Nordisk has acquired Forma Therapeutics for $1.1B for its primary investigational drug, etavopivat. Etavopivat, a past Molecule of the Month, is an oral, once-daily allosteric activator of pyruvate kinase-R (PKR), which is currently being tested in Phase II/III clinical trials for…
Billion-Dollar Biotransformations: On the Metabolism of Ozanimod
Today, ozanimod is a likely megablockbuster drug approved for ulcerative colitis and multiple sclerosis. But before it became the first S1P modulator approved in ulcerative colitis, it received a scary, headline-making “Refuse to File” letter from the FDA due to insufficient preclinical characterization of an active metabolite RP112273 (CC112273). Addressing the refusal to file letter…
Why Did Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) Pay $4.1 Billion for Turning Point Therapeutics?
Turning Point Therapeutics ($TPTX) was recently acquired by BMS for a whopping $4.1 billion in cash. Turning Point’s most advanced molecule is repotrectinib, a potential best-in-class ROS1/TRK/ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor in Ph. I/II studies for cancer. This article explores the science behind repotrectinib, one of our 2021 Molecules of the Month, what properties make it…
Billion-Dollar Molecules: Voxelotor, A $5.4 Billion Reversible Covalent Aldehyde
Abstract. Voxelotor, a gram-daily reversible covalent aldehyde drug, is an approved first-in-class oral drug that prevents the hemoglobin polymerization that drives sickle cell disease. It was one of several agents in clinical trials acquired from Global Blood Therapeutics by Pfizer as part of an over $5 billion buyout. In this article, we dive into:
The 27 Lead Drug Molecules Acquired from Biotechs in 2021
Our team conducted a review of all the biotech acquisitions of 2021 and distilled it down to the acquisitions of drug discovery-focused biotechs. Navigate the 2021 M&A Series the top overall drug discovery M&A transactions by value (Part 1) the transactions with disclosed upfront payments (Part 2) the most valuable small molecule acquisitions (Part 3)…
Billion-Dollar Molecules: Avacopan (Tavneos), a First-in-Class C5aR Antagonist Acquired by Amgen
Amgen has acquired ChemoCentryx in a deal that includes lead molecule avacopan (Tavneos), a first-in-class orally bioavailable small molecule complement 5a receptor (C5aR) antagonist approved as an adjunctive treatment to standard of care therapy for adults with severe active anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). In this article we review: