Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly EuroBiotech Report. We start this week in Amsterdam, where uniQure and Themis Bioscience had a week of mixed fortunes.
First, the positive news. UniQure is back in the hemophilia B gene therapy race after posting preliminary data that suggest its revised candidate can compete with a rival asset in development at Spark Therapeutics and Pfizer. Themis Bioscience, an Austrian biotech that planned to IPO in Amsterdam, had a more troubled week.
The chikungunya vaccine developer became the latest European biotech to pull out of an IPO in the face of a frosty market. Elsewhere, Boehringer Ingelheim co-led a €21.2 million ($24 million) investment in Amal Therapeutics and entered into a collaboration with Epizyme. GlaxoSmithKline committed to test a pancreatic cancer candidate in combination with Merck's Keytruda. And more. — Nick Taylor
1. UniQure’s hemophilia B gene therapy achieves 31% FIX activity
UniQure has posted eagerly anticipated data on the modified hemophilia B gene therapy it plans to take into phase 3. The FIX-Padua variant therapy achieved factor IX (FIX) activity levels of 23% to 37%, suggesting it is several times more effective than the version uniQure tested in earlier-phase trials.
2. Themis pulls out of IPO, looks into 'strategic options' to fund phase 3 vaccine trial
Themis Bioscience has postponed its planned IPO in Amsterdam. The Austrian biotech is now looking into “all strategic options” to secure the cash it needs to move its chikungunya vaccine into phase 3.
3. Boehringer powers cancer vaccine startup Amal to B round
Amal Therapeutics has added €21.2 million ($24 million) to its series B round. Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund co-led the financing to tee Amal up to take lead colorectal cancer vaccine ATP128 into the clinic next year.
4. Boehringer Ingelheim and Epizyme launch $300M precision oncology program
In a worldwide collaboration worth up to $300 million or more, Boehringer Ingelheim is expanding its precision oncology programs by tapping Epizyme for research into two previously unaddressed regulators of genes linked to cancer.
5. GSK pancreatic cancer drug heads to phase 1 combo with Merck's Keytruda
Early results from a preclinical trial of a related GSK drug suggest that the combo holds promise in treating pancreatic cancer.