Plus, news about Novo Holdings, Oxford Nanopore, Ionis, Valneva, LimmaTech and Bayer:
Blueprint pulls in $114.1 million for Ayvakit: The company raised its net product revenue guidance to between $435 million and $450 million for 2024 following the drug’s second-quarter sales. Ayvakit was approved a year ago for indolent systemic mastocytosis, a rare disorder that can cause symptoms like abdominal issues, anemia, and bone and muscle pain. — Katherine Lewin
Aurinia moves ahead with AUR200: Six months after announcing it would axe its preclinical asset AUR200, Aurinia changed its mind and said it was moving the drug into a Phase 1 single ascending dose study in the third quarter in patients with BAFF (B-cell Activating Factor) and APRIL (A Proliferation-Inducing Ligand). Aurinia CMO Greg Keenan wrote in a statement that the company would develop the drug “in disease states where there are currently few market entrants, including exploring one larger indication and one fast-to-market smaller indication that meets the FDA criteria for orphan and rare diseases.” — Katherine Lewin
Novo Holdings invests £50 million into Oxford Nanopore: Novo is interested in Oxford Nanopore’s molecular analysis technology, which is used for DNA/RNA sequencing. According to Novo Holdings, the tech is used to “understand biology across human health, plant and animals, pathogens and planetary health, which align with Novo Holdings’ mission to invest in people and the planet.” — Katherine Lewin
Ionis drops ophthalmic drug candidate: The company said in its second-quarter earnings release that it discontinued development of IONIS-FB-LRx for geographic atrophy after a Phase 2 study of the candidate showed “insufficient efficacy.” — Ayisha Sharma
Valneva licenses LimmaTech’s S4V Shigella vaccine candidate: There are currently no Shigella vaccines, and the two biotechs are teaming up to change that. LimmaTech will be responsible for conducting two Phase 2 trials, which are expected to start this year. Valneva will then take over the rest of development. Valneva paid LimmaTech an upfront payment of €10 million and LimmaTech is also eligible for milestone payments as well as royalties on sales. — Katherine Lewin
Bayer axes 70 staffers: The cuts will affect employees at the company’s site in Whippany, NJ, and will be effective as of Oct. 25, according to a WARN notice. The decision was part of rolling out its new organizational structure, the German conglomerate said in an email statement. — Ayisha Sharma