AstraZeneca has bumped up its stake in US biotech Moderna, which is pioneering the development of a new class of drugs made of messenger RNA, to nine percent.
The UK-listed group said it is investing a further $140 million to increase its equity interest in the company, adding to its previous stake garnered through a collaboration agreement signed back in March 2013.
The parties initially hooked up to develop medicines for cardiovascular, metabolic and renal diseases, as well as oncology, and subsequently signed another agreement in January this year solely focused on the development of cancer therapies.
The companies coupling AstraZeneca group MedImmune’s protein engineering and cancer biology expertise with Moderna’s technology platform in the hope of developing new mRNA-based therapies.
These enable the body to produce therapeutic protein in vivo, and thus potentially offer a new treatment approach for a wide range of diseases.
By Selina McKee
Source: Pharma Times
Giovanni Caforio, the former CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb, is set to become the next board chairman of Novartis, which on Tuesday proposed the pharmaceutical industry veteran as its pick to replace Joerg Reinhardt in the role next year. Reinhardt has served as Novartis’ chair since 2013 and plans to retire when his 12-year term ends in 2025.
GE HealthCare has raised the curtain on two ultrasound systems equipped with artificial intelligence programs designed to assist in diagnosing conditions in women’s health, including obstetric exams. The Voluson Signature 20 and 18 imaging systems include AI tools capable of automatically identifying and annotating measurements of fetal anatomy.
Scientists from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Chemistry have revealed a new sustainable method of manufacturing complex molecules that could reduce waste produced during drug production. The method published in Nature Chemistry could help to prevent severe side effects caused by drugs that can exist as enantiomers.
