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This week in Drug Discovery (30 March – 3 April)

News round-up for 30 March – 3 April by Diana Turner, Deputy Editor, DDW.
This week, there have been a number of developments in neuroscience drug discovery. Elsewhere, a new treatment for platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer has been approved in the US.
The top stories:
FDA approves Denali’s Hunter syndrome treatment
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval for Avlayah (tividenofusp alfa-eknm), the first FDA-approved biologic specifically designed to cross the blood-brain barrier.
Lilly acquires sleep-wake disorders specialist Centessa
Eli Lilly has announced a definitive agreement under which it will acquire Centessa Pharmaceuticals for approximately $6.3 billion upfront and a potential equity value of $1.5 billion.
AI-powered ‘co-scientist’ wins prestigious Alzheimer’s prize
Developers of an AI-powered ‘co-scientist’ have been awarded the $1 million Alzheimer’s Insights AI Prize.
Global initiative to tackle gaps in ALS/MND drug discovery
A global initiative has launched to close the gap in ALS/MND drug discovery.
Platinum-resistant ovarian cancer drug gets FDA green light
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Lifyorli (relacorilant) in combination with nab-paclitaxel for the treatment of adults with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer.
The post This week in Drug Discovery (30 March – 3 April) appeared first on Drug Discovery World (DDW).
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BioNTech to shutter Singapore HQ after ‘comprehensive review’
BioNTech, in a move to streamline its operations, is set to close its factory in Singapore that it bought from Novartis just over three years ago.
The facility at the Tuas Biomedical Park, which employs …
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STAT+: Merck’s experimental HIV prevention pill could be made for less than $5 a year, researchers say
An experimental HIV prevention pill being developed by Merck could be mass produced for less than $5 per patient a year according to a new analysis. Advocates argue the low cost means the company should find it easier to license the drug so that low- and middle-income countries can gain easy access.
The pill, dubbed MK 8527, is currently undergoing a pair of late-stage clinical trials that are expected to determine whether the medicine can lower HIV transmission when given to people at high risk of infection. The results are due in the latter half of 2027, according to ClinicalTrials.gov.
Already, the pill is generating considerable interest after Merck released mid-stage results last summer showing its drug holds promise. In addition to being safe and effective, the study found it could protect against infection, a form of prevention known as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, within 24 hours after being taken. Merck noted the pill works in a novel way.
An experimental HIV prevention pill being developed by Merck could be mass produced for less than $5 per patient a year according to a new analysis. Advocates argue the low cost means the company should find it easier to license the drug so that low- and middle-income countries can gain easy access.
The pill, dubbed MK 8527, is currently undergoing a pair of late-stage clinical trials that are expected to determine whether the medicine can lower HIV transmission when given to people at high risk of infection. The results are due in the latter half of 2027, according to ClinicalTrials.gov.
Already, the pill is generating considerable interest after Merck released mid-stage results last summer showing its drug holds promise. In addition to being safe and effective, the study found it could protect against infection, a form of prevention known as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, within 24 hours after being taken. Merck noted the pill works in a novel way.
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Opinion: STAT+: Former Geisinger CEO: U.S. health systems must replace huge numbers of people with AI
About 20 years ago, I stepped on stage at one of our Geisinger town halls and looked out upon a sea of people: thousands of full-time employees at an integrated health system charged with the health and well-being of millions of Pennsylvanians.
Only a fraction of the people in that room were clinicians.
That was the first time I fully visualized the problem: We employed more people in our revenue cycle department to process bills and reconcile data than we did doctors. And we weren’t alone. It’s the same story at every health system in America, large and small, and over the past two decades, the ratio has become dramatically more disparate.
About 20 years ago, I stepped on stage at one of our Geisinger town halls and looked out upon a sea of people: thousands of full-time employees at an integrated health system charged with the health and well-being of millions of Pennsylvanians.
Only a fraction of the people in that room were clinicians.
That was the first time I fully visualized the problem: We employed more people in our revenue cycle department to process bills and reconcile data than we did doctors. And we weren’t alone. It’s the same story at every health system in America, large and small, and over the past two decades, the ratio has become dramatically more disparate.
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