MERCK DIVES DEEP INTO AI WITH $610 MILLION+ ABSCI PACT

On January 7, 2022 Absci Corporation reported that inked a research pact with Merck (Press release, Biosortia Pharmaceuticals, JAN 7, 2022, View Source [SID1234607739]). Under the deal, Absci will leverage its Bionic Protein non-standard amino acid technology and its artificial intelligence-powered integrated Drug Creation Platform to create enzymes to meet Merck’s biomanufacturing applications .

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Under the terms of the agreement, Absci is eligible for up to $610 million in upfront fees and milestone payments for three targets. In addition, they are up for research funding and tiered royalties on any sales that come out of the partnership.

Mustang Bio Announces MB-106 CD20-Targeted CAR T Data Selected for Presentation at the 2022 Tandem Meetings I Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR

On January 7, 2022 Mustang Bio, Inc. ("Mustang") (NASDAQ: MBIO), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on translating today’s medical breakthroughs in cell and gene therapies into potential cures for hematologic cancers, solid tumors and rare genetic diseases, reported that interim Phase 1/2 data on MB-106, a CD20-targeted, autologous CAR T cell therapy for patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas ("NHL") and chronic lymphocytic leukemia ("CLL"), have been selected for a poster presentation at the 2022 Tandem Meetings I Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of the American Society of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy ("ASTCT") and Center for International Blood & Marrow Transplant Research ("CIBMTR"), taking place February 2 – 6, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah ("2022 Tandem Meetings") (Press release, Mustang Bio, JAN 7, 2022, View Source [SID1234598444]). MB-106 is being developed in a collaboration between Mustang and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center ("Fred Hutch").

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Manuel Litchman, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Mustang, said, "The compelling clinical activity and favorable safety profile that MB-106 continues to demonstrate in the ongoing Phase 1/2 trial at Fred Hutch highlight its potential as an outpatient therapy for patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. We look forward to the updated data that will be presented by Fred Hutch at the 2022 Tandem Meetings, in particular for patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma and Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia. We also look forward to advancing our MB-106 CD20-targeted CAR T cell therapy program towards a multicenter trial under Mustang’s IND in the current quarter."

Details of the presentation are as follows:

Title: High Efficacy and Low Toxicity of MB-106, a Third Generation CD20 Targeted CAR-T for Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory B-NHL and CLL
Poster Number: 225
Dates and Times: Thursday, February 3, 6:45 pm to 8:15 pm and Saturday, February 5, 6:15 pm to 7:45 pm
Presenter: Mazyar Shadman, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch, Seattle, WA; Physician at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance; Associate Professor, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine

For more information, please visit the 2022 Tandem Meetings website at View Source

Note: Scientists at Fred Hutch played a role in developing these discoveries, and Fred Hutch and certain of its scientists may benefit financially from this work in the future.

About MB-106 (CD20-targeted CAR T Cell Therapy)
CD20 is a membrane-embedded surface molecule which plays a role in the differentiation of B-cells into plasma cells. The CAR T was developed by Mustang’s research collaborator, Fred Hutch, in the laboratories of the late Oliver Press, M.D., Ph.D., and Brian Till, M.D., Associate Professor in the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutch, and exclusively licensed to Mustang in 2017. The lentiviral vector drug substance used to transduce patients’ cells to create the MB-106 drug product produced at Fred Hutch has been optimized as a third-generation CAR derived from a fully human antibody, and MB-106 is currently in a Phase 1/2 open-label, dose-escalation trial at Fred Hutch in patients with B-NHLs and CLL. The same lentiviral vector drug substance produced at Fred Hutch will be used to transduce patients’ cells to create the MB-106 drug product produced at Mustang Bio’s Worcester, MA, cell processing facility for administration in the planned multicenter phase 1/2 clinical trial to be initiated shortly under Mustang Bio’s IND. It should be noted that Mustang Bio has introduced minor improvements to its cell processing to facilitate eventual commercial launch of the product. In addition, prior to commercial launch, Mustang Bio will replace the Fred Hutch lentiviral vector drug substance with vector produced at a commercial manufacturer. Additional information on the trial can be found at View Source using the identifier NCT03277729.

Intra-Cellular Therapies Announces Closing of $460 Million Public Offering Including Full Exercise of Underwriters’ Option to Purchase Additional Shares

On January 7, 2022 Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ITCI), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, reported the completion of its previously announced underwritten public offering of 9,523,810 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $42.00 per share (Press release, Intra-Cellular Therapies, JAN 7, 2022, View Source [SID1234598437]). In addition, the underwriters have exercised in full their option to purchase an additional 1,428,571 shares.

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All of the shares in the offering were sold by Intra-Cellular Therapies, with gross proceeds to Intra-Cellular Therapies of approximately $460.0 million and net proceeds of approximately $433.7 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses.

J.P. Morgan, SVB Leerink, BofA Securities, Evercore ISI and RBC Capital Markets acted as joint book-running managers for the offering. Cantor and Canaccord Genuity acted as co-lead managers for the offering. Needham & Company acted as co-manager for the offering.

The public offering was made pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 that was previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and became effective upon filing. A final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the offering has been filed with the SEC and is available on the SEC’s website located at View Source, and may be obtained from J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Attention: Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at 1-866-803-9204, or by email at [email protected], SVB Leerink LLC, Attention: Syndicate Department, 53 State Street, 40th Floor, Boston, MA 02109, by telephone at 1-800-808-7525, ext. 6105, or by email at [email protected], BofA Securities, Attention: Prospectus Department, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001 or by e-mail at [email protected], Evercore Group L.L.C., Attention: Equity Capital Markets, 55 East 52nd Street, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10055, by telephone at (888) 474-0200 or by email at [email protected], or RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Attention: Equity Capital Markets, 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10281, by telephone at (877) 822-4089 or by email at [email protected].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

Upcoming Investor Conferences – January 2022

On January 7, 2022 Adocia reported that invites you to meet management team members available for virtual meetings: Gérard Soula (CEO), Olivier Soula (Deputy General Manager) and Valérie Danaguezian (Chief Financial Officer) (Press release, Adocia, JAN 7, 2022, View Source [SID1234598436]).

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• 25th ODDO BHF Forum

Date: January 6-11, 2022

Link: View Source

• French Delegation @ JP Morgan Healthcare Conference

Date: January 10-13, 2022

Link: View Source

• Biotech Showcase

Date: January 10-12 & 17-19, 2022

Link: https://informaconnect.com/biotech-showcase/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA8ICOBhDmARIsAEGI6o31OJhl9HkuWr0UvHw6OxlXr3i2J42j_-dvnYmiyuhzE7r7Mr_pYRUaAlNBEALw_wcB

• H.C. Wainwright BIOCONNECT Virtual 2022 Conference

Date: January 10-13, 2022

Link: View Source

KAZIA THERAPEUTICS TO PRESENT AT HC WAINWRIGHT BIOCONNECT CONFERENCE

On January 7, 2022 Kazia Therapeutics Limited (NASDAQ: KZIA; ASX: KZA), an oncology-focused drug development company, reported that CEO, Dr James Garner, will be speaking at the HC Wainwright BioConnect Conference, to be held virtually from 10-13 January 2022 (Press release, Kazia Therapeutics, JAN 7, 2022, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kazia-therapeutics-to-present-at-hc-wainwright-bioconnect-conference-301455376.html [SID1234598431]). The company has been invited to participate via a ‘fireside chat’ with a senior equity research analyst at the bank.

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The HC Wainwright BioConnect Conference brings together more than 275 presenting companies from the life sciences sector, along with invited speakers and panellists. This year’s keynote speakers include Scott Gottlieb, MD, who was Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between 2017 and 2019.

Dr Garner will participate in a fireside chat with Sean Lee, an equity research analyst at HC Wainwright. Dr Garner’s interview will be available via online streaming at the conference event platform from 7am (ET) on Monday, January 10, 2022. The interview is expected to cover an update on Kazia’s significant progress in 2021, and a discussion of the rich milestones anticipated in 2022.

Registration to the conference is free and is available via the conference website at:-

View Source