British Canadian Biosciences Corp.

GSK CEO Emma Walmsley told Fierce Biotech that the company is still “keeping an eye on the opportunity in HPV.” GSK has scrapped a phase 2 human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine from its pipeline after deciding the asset wouldn’t have best-in-class potential.The British Big Pharma—which still markets the HPV vaccine Cervarix in various countries—announced the decision to remove an adjuvanted recombinant protein vaccine for the viral infection, dubbed GSK4106647, from its phase 2 pipeline as part of second-quarter earnings results (PDF).On a call with journalists this morning, CEO Emma Walmsley told Fierce Biotech that while GSK is still “keeping an eye on the opportunity in HPV, for sure,” the company has decided it doesn’t want to pursue GSK4106647 further.“One of the most important things you can do when developing a pipeline is focus on the big bets of new and differentiated assets,” Walmsley said. “And part of that means switching off things where we don't think we can necessarily cut through with something that can be a best in class.”When it comes to GSK’s vaccines portfolio more generally, the company is “doubling down both on mRNA and on our new MAPS technology,” the CEO added. Earlier this month, the Big Pharma paid CureVac $430 million for the full rights to the mRNA specialist’s flu and COVID vaccines. “The key point is: Can you bring something that's new and different and better, where there's material unmet need, and we can demonstrate differentiated value,” she added.GSK still markets the recombinant HPV vaccine Cervarix in various countries around the world. Despite pulling the vaccine from the U.S. in 2016 due to low demand, the company still saw £120 million ($154 million) in global revenue for the shot in 2023.One other drug was removed from GSK’s pipeline this morning: a proteasome inhibitor for a tropical disease called visceral leishmaniasis. Walmsley stressed on the same call that GSK has a “long-term commitment to neglected tropical diseases,” but said the decision to end work on this specific asset was a result of “the discipline of betting where we can win.”

On LinkedIn, former CEO Roberto Bellini wrote that most Bellus employees will wrap up their work with the company after last summer's GSK acquisition. After GSK’s $2 billion buyout of Canada-based Bellus Health last summer, an undisclosed number of the biotech’s team members are out of a job.   “When two companies come together during an acquisition, the capabilities across both companies are evaluated to determine the best path forward for the acquired portfolio,” a GSK spokesperson told Fierce Biotech in an emailed statement March 22. “During the GSK Bellus acquisition, we retained employees to a predetermined date to ensure the successful integration of the business. As often is the case during this process, redundancies may occur.” While it’s unclear how many Bellus staff members will lose their jobs, former Bellus CEO Roberto Bellini wrote, “After having completed the transition activities linked to the GSK acquisition, most Bellus Health employees will be wrapping up their involvement with the company on March 31,” in a March 21 LinkedIn post. The former CEO went on to vouch for his former staff members, tagging more than 40 people looking for new work opportunities. The acquisition closed in June 2023 and centered around a P2X3 antagonist called camlipixant, a molecule with the same mechanism of action as Merck & Co.’s unapproved chronic cough med gefapixant.     Bellus took camlipixant into a pair of late-phase chronic cough trials, putting it on track to deliver data in the second half of this year and 2025. Now, GSK has pocketed the phase 3 drug and expects to win approval for camlipixant with a launch in 2026. The British Big Pharma paid out $14.75 per Bellus share, a 103% premium over the biotech’s most recent closing price at the time. The payment marks a significant turnaround from just a few years prior when Bellus traded below $3 after a 2020 mid-phase trial flop for camlipixant. Following that trial failure, the biotech managed to recover its share price with the release of phase 2b data late in 2021. Now, GSK will keep driving phase 3 camlipixant development forward to address an unmet need among patients with refractory chronic cough, the company spokesperson said.

Overall spend across the top 10 pharma companies hit a massive $247.8 million in January, higher than any single month in 2023 and a strong way to start 2024. It's a new year, but AbbVie's winning streak continues as its two leading immunology meds, Skyrizi and Rinvoq, secure the first and second spots, respectively, for the highest spending on pharma TV drug ads in January, according to real-time ad trackers iSpot.TV.  The third spot also goes to a familiar contender and arch-rival of AbbVie’s drugs, in the form of Sanofi and Regeneron’s megablockbuster immunology drug, Dupixent. The top three perfectly mirror the podium places seen last year, but there is a big change for the fourth highest DTC spender. For January, this was Pfizer’s COVID drug Paxlovid, which had ad hoc appearances last year but was not listed in the top 10 in December. That changed last month when Pfizer spent a meaty $22.7 million on its old DTC “If it’s Covid, Paxlovid,” up from the $6.7 million in December. This comes as the New York pharma giant is reducing its workforce and aiming to save billions in 2024 amid falling sales for its entire COVID franchise. In the fifth position is another therapy we don’t often see in these top 10 lists in the form of AstraZeneca’s respiratory drug Breztri Aerosphere. The British Big Pharma spent $20.7 million last month on its DTC “Road Trip,” massively up on the $5.7 million it spent in December. Bristol Myers Squibb’s new immunology drug Sotyktu, not listed in December, comes in sixth and was yet another drug to see a massive injection of DTC spend, with BMS handing over $20.4 million last month, up from just $7.2 million at the end of last year. AbbVie makes its third appearance in the top 10 for January with its atypical antipsychotic Vraylar. AbbVie, echoing Pfizer, AZ and BMS, also saw its spend jump month-over-month for its three Vraylar DTCs, hitting $20.3 million and enough to put it in seventh place. That’s thanks to a big boost with spending up from $7.8 million in December. It’s a sense of déjà vu for GSK’s RSV vaccine, Arexvy, as, once again, the drug’s DTCs were not listed in the top 10 in December. However, GSK spent big, increasing from $5.1 million in December to $19.9 million last month—enough to secure the eighth position in a tight pack, moving up from fourth place. In ninth we have Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim’s type 2 diabetes therapy Jardiance, a constant in these top 10 lists over the years.  Rouding off the top 10 is Pfizer’s rival RSV vaccine Abrysvo, down six spots month-over-month, despite Pfizer only spending $400,000 less over that period. Overall spend across the top 10 pharma companies hit a massive $247.8 million in January, higher than any single month in 2023 and a strong way to start 2024. Check out the full top 10 list below as given to Fierce Pharma Marketing by iSpot.TV.    1. Skyrizi Movement: Up one spot What is it? AbbVie’s immunology drug Est. national TV ad spend: $38.8 million (down from $39.7 million in December) Number of spots: Eight (two Crohn’s, three psoriasis, three psoriatic arthritis) Biggest-ticket ad: “Sailing” (est. $18.5 million)   2. Rinvoq  Movement: Down one spot What is it?  AbbVie’s JAK inhibitor immunology drug Est. national TV ad spend: $38.8 million (down from $39.8 million in December) Number of spots: Four (one eczema, one arthritis, two UC/Crohn’s) Biggest-ticket ad: “Just Okay: Hiker and Event Planner” (est. $17.1 million)   3. Dupixent Movement: No change What is it? Sanofi and Regeneron’s immunology drug Est. national TV ad spend: $30.7 million (up from $27.6 million in December) Number of spots: Ten (six eczema, four asthma) Biggest-ticket ad: “Du More: Kick Boxing” (est. $10.6 million)   4. Paxlovid Movement: Not listed last month What is it? Pfizer’s COVID-19 drug Est. national TV ad spend: $22.7 million (up from $6.7 million in December) Number of spots: One Biggest-ticket ad: “If it’s Covid, Paxlovid” (est. $22.7 million)   5. Breztri Aerosphere Movement: Not listed last month What is it? AstraZeneca’s respiratory therapy Est. national TV ad spend: $20.7 million (up from $5.4 million in December) Number of spots: One Biggest-ticket ad: “Road Trip” (est. $20.7 million)   6. Sotyktu Movement: Not listed last month What is it? Bristol Myers Squibb’s immunology drug Est. national TV ad spend: $20.4 million (up from $7.2 million in December) Number of spots: Two Biggest-ticket ad: “The Feeling of Finding Your Back” (est. $12.4 million)   7. Vraylar Movement: Not listed last month What is it? AbbVie’s atypical antipsychotic Est. national TV ad spend: $20.3 million (up from $7.8 million in December) Number of spots: Three Biggest-ticket ad: “Stuck” (est. $14.6 million)   8. Arexvy Movement: Not listed last month What is it? GSK’s RSV vaccine Est. national TV ad spend: $19.9 million (up from $5.1 million in December) Number of spots: Five Biggest-ticket ad: “RSV Protection” (est. $8.1 million)   9. Jardiance Movement: Down two spots What is it? Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim’s type 2 diabetes therapy Est. national TV ad spend: $17.9 million (up from $13.3 million in December) Number of spots: Three Biggest-ticket ad: “Musical: Bus” (est. $12.4 million)   10. Abrysvo Movement: Down six spots What is it? Pfizer’s RSV vaccine Est. national TV ad spend: $17.6 million (down from $18 million in December) Number of spots: Two Biggest-ticket ad: “579 Breaths” (est. $17.6 million)