Plus, news about TenNor Therapeutics, Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals, Orasis and Optus Pharmaceuticals:
Exscientia receives $15M milestone from Sanofi:
The companies
are advancing
two programs as part of a deal first announced in 2022. Exscientia said it’s now eligible for additional milestones worth more than $600 million, in addition to royalties.
— Jaimy Lee
Eli Lilly brings Gateway Labs to China:
The drugmaker is launching one of its Gateway Labs in China, the company said Tuesday, the day after announcing plans to
open one in the UK.
Lilly also said it’s opening a research hub in Beijing called the Lilly China Medical Innovation Center.
— Anna Brown
TenNor raises more than $42M in Series E:
The Chinese company plans to use
the funds
to support the development and potential approval in China of rifasutenizol, its candidate for
Helicobacter pylori
infection. AMR Action Fund chipped in as a new investor, alongside existing supporters such as Zhongshan Venture Capital.
— Ayisha Sharma
Gan & Lee’s trio of diabetes drugs passes mid-stage trials:
The Beijing-based biotech unveiled promising blood sugar
data
from its GLP-1 agonist (GZR18), once-weekly insulin analog (GZR4) and premixed dual insulin analog (GZR101) from their respective mid-stage studies. Notably, the GLP-1 agonist showed greater reductions in HbA1c and body weight than Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide.
— Ayisha Sharma
Orasis signs licensing deal with Korean drugmaker:
Optus
is paying
$18 million to commercialize, import and market Qlosi, an eye drop for presbyopia, in South Korea. It plans to launch the treatment there by 2026.
— Jaimy Lee