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Immunology & inflammation stole the show this week, as Gileaddropped up to $2.1 billionfor Ouro Medicines and its T cell engager OM336—an investment it hopes to split with longtime partner Galapagos. Meanwhile, Sanofi also added a T cell engager in alicensing deal with Kali Therapeuticsworth $180 million upfront.
One I&I partnership that bore fruit last week was that of Johnson & Johnson and Protagonist Therapeutics which got their IL-23 receptor blockerIcotydeacross the FDA finish line for plaque psoriasis. Icotyde is the first commercial product for Protagonist.
Even the drama this week came from the I&I space, as Kevin Tang took the reins as CEO of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, which you may remember was the company at the heart of former Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Director George Tidmarsh’s exit from the FDA.
Outside of I&I, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices made headlines once again as Vice Chair Robert Malone posted to social media that the group was being disbanded. The Department of Health and Human Services quickly corrected the record, but Maloneposteda few hours later that “dissolving and reforming remains one of options being considered.”
In FDA policy news,BioSpacerecapsthe now nine-month-old Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher pilot program and unpacks newdraft guidanceon animal testing alternatives. Plus, check outan opinion articleon the need for precision ALS drugs and features ongene therapy for hearing lossand Big Pharma’s overall R&D spending in 2025.