Ryan Cross

Synthorx raises cash for synthetic proteins

The San Diego-based biotech Synthorx has raised

Sanofi boosts rare blood disease pipeline

63 million in a series C funding round led by OrbiMed to make protein therapeutics from an expanded genetic code. Normally, DNA is composed of four different nucleotides. Synthorx incorporates two more synthetic nucleotides into DNA, allowing cells to build proteins with unnatural amino acids that enhance a drug’s function. Synthorx has used the system to design an improved version of the anticancer protein interleukin-2. It plans clinical studies next year.

Takeda taps Wave for antisense compounds

The French pharma giant Sanofi announced last week that it will buy the Belgium-based antibody drug developer Ablynx for

Synthetic biology poses new biosecurity risks

4.8 billion in cash. The deal will further bolster Sanofi’s rare blood disease portfolio and pipeline and gives it access to Ablynx’s small-sized antibodies, called nanobodies. In striking a deal for Ablynx, Sanofi outbid the Danish drug company Novo Nordisk, which offered

Roche buys cancer drugmaker Ignyta

3.1 billion for Ablynx three weeks ago. Novo’s chief financial officer, Jesper Brandgaard, told Reuters that he could not justify paying the higher price. On Jan. 22, Sanofi also said it would spend

Pfizer enters pact for off-the-shelf CAR T

11.6 billion to acquire the rare blood disease company Bioverativ, which is Biogen’s former hemophilia business. Sanofi emphasized that the long-term value lies in Ablynx’s nanobodies. Normal antibodies are composed of two main segments, a heavy chain and light chain. Nanobodies are heavy-chain-only antibodies that are derived from camels and llamas. The end result is a

At BIO, business boomed, and drug pricing loomed

Takeda Pharmaceutical is partnering with Wave Life Sciences to develop antisense nucleic acid therapies to treat neurological conditions such as Huntington’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Takeda will pay

CRISPR comes to the clinic

110 million in cash to Wave, purchase

Vaccitech raises

60 million of Wave’s shares, and provide

27 million for the flu

60 million or more in research funding over four years. Wave’s oligonucleotides are designed to block the production of proteins that cause disease. The Harvard chemist and serial entrepreneur Gregory Verdine was one of Wave’s cofounders.