Brian Buntz

Antidepressants remain some of the most widely prescribed drugs, but most popular antidepressants are now available as generics. While selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) remain the most commonly prescribed antidepressants, various new types of drugs may be available in the future. For example, drug companies are working on…

EEG data can bolster rare disease drug research and trials. An epilepsy drug trial, for instance, could ask patients to log the number of seizures they experience in a day. “If you look at a seizure diary, there might be 10 seizures a day. But if you look at EEG, there could be 150,” said Dr.…

A comprehensive review published in Molecular Psychiatry found scant evidence for the so-called serotonin hypothesis, suggesting that diminished serotonin pathways’ activity is associated with depression. The authors conclude that the research provides “no consistent evidence of an association between serotonin and depression.” They also note they could not find support for “the hypothesis that depression is caused…

Amgen (Nasdaq:AMGN) is sharpening its focus on generative biology, an emerging discipline that can accelerate protein drug discovery. The company describes generative biology as “a revolutionary approach to drug discovery and development” that enlists the help of AI and machine learning to design novel protein therapeutics. Although the term generative biology may be new, Amgen has…

The pandemic, climate change, rapid inflation and a surge in violence are contributing to a mental health crisis. Against that backdrop, demand for antidepressants, anti-anxiety and anti-insomnia drugs is booming. In 2021, there were more than 337 million antidepressant prescriptions in the U.S., according to data from IQVIA. In the first four months of 2022,…

Codexis (Nasdaq:CDXS) has announced that its board of directors has appointed Dr. Stephen Dilly, former CEO of Sierra Oncology, to be its president and CEO. Dilly will assume the role on August 9, 2022. Former CEO John Nicols will retire to spend more time with his family. Nichols will continue to serve on the Codexis…

Founded in 2017, the proteomics company Seer (Nasdaq:SEER) is building up a growing roster of customers, including pharma and biotech companies, translational and academic labs and CROs. Applications of its technology include biomarker discovery, target identification and multiomics research for cancer or other complex disease detection. Recently, Weill Cornell Medicine and privately-held SpaceX used Seer’s…

Psilocybin-focused mental health company Compass Pathways (Nasdaq:CMPS) has seen its share price steadily decline since late last year. In early November, 2021, its share price flirted with reaching $50 per share. On July 18, CMPS shares closed at $13.02. Today, however, the shares were up 6% in mid-day trading, hovering around $13.80, after the company…

Merck (NYSE:MRK) has announced that it will stop the Phase 3 LYNK-003 trial focused on Lynparza (olaparib) with or without bevacizumab for patients with unresectable or metastatic colorectal cancer. Two experimental arms in the trial, one focused on Lynparza as monotherapy or in combination with the immunotherapy drug bevacizumab, will be suspended. The primary endpoint…

R&D scientific software company Dotmatics recently debuted Chemistry Solution for Small Molecule Drug Discovery, a software package including applications, workflows and data management capabilities. “Supporting collaboration is a central theme of the solution,” said Andrew LeBeau, vice president, product integrations at Dotmatics. “Drug discovery is a team-effort, spanning internally within organizations and, often, externally as…

R&D scientific software company Dotmatics has launched Chemistry Solution for Small Molecule Drug Discovery, a software package including applications, workflows and data management capabilities. Boston-based Dotmatics says the software supports collaboration and productivity between research teams, helps curb operational inefficiencies and supports data-driven decision-making. The company says the software can help drug developers optimize investments…

Takeda (NYSE:TAK) recently announced that in the open-label Phase 3 SPRING study, children aged 2 to 12 had 94.8% fewer hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks when receiving Takhzyro (lanadelumab-flyo) over 52 weeks compared to baseline The primary objectives of the SPRING study was to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of Takhzyro in HAE patients aged 2…

Antidepressants have made headlines recently, with far-right-leaning figures such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) suggesting that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have played a role in fueling mass shootings. “Among many other side effects, they can cause suicidal and homicidal thoughts,” Greene wrote on Twitter in May. In early July, Fox News television host…

Roche (SIX:RO, ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) has announced new positive two-year data from its TENAYA and LUCERNE studies of Vabysmo (faricimab) in neovascular or “wet” age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Based on the study results, Roche estimates that more than 60% of people taking the drug could receive an injection of facrimab once every four months while achieving…

Amazon (Nasdaq:AMZN) and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center are working together on a Phase 1 FDA-approved clinical study that will investigate a personalized neo-antigen peptide vaccine for melanoma and certain types of breast cancer. According to a listing on clinicaltrials.gov, the study aims to recruit 20 participants. Amazon will offer scientific and machine learning capabilities…

An international team of researchers has identified a technique that uses fluoride nanoparticles to potentially eliminate protein deformations. The method, which also can promote positive structural changes, could lead to the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The scientists from Tokyo University of Science (TUS) in Japan and Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan published the research…

First announced in January 2020, Novavax’s (Nasdaq:NVAX) NVX-CoV2373 COVID–19 has won FDA authorization for primary immunization. However, it is presently not authorized as a booster. NVAX shares ticked up 0.27% to $69.95. Novavax is late to the COVID-19 vaccine partner, scoring authorization more than a year and a half after Moderna (NYSE:MRNA) and Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) won emergency use authorization for…

The biotech CytoDyn (OTCQB:CYDY) installed Cyrus Arman as president starting on July 9, 2022. Arman will assume the CEO role and join the company’s board within six months.  Before joining CytoDyn, Arman was the chief business officer at Nimble Therapeutics (Madison, Wisconsin), assuming that role on ​​September 08, 2021.  “Early in the process, Dr. Arman…

A study of 1,944 patients published in JAMA found that pharmacogenomic testing helped to minimize drug-gene interactions in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) but had little to no effect on symptom remission at 24 weeks. In the randomized trial, 45% of patients who received pharmacogenomic testing had no predicted drug-gene interactions. Of those who received standard…

Facing potential competition from Novo Nordisk’s (NYSE:NVO) investigational blood coagulation factor stimulants Mim8, Roche (SIX:RO, ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) released positive new data from the Phase 3 HAVEN 6 study focused on the use of Hemlibra (emicizumab) in patients with mild or moderate hemophilia A. Hemlibra won FDA approval in 2018 for hemophilia A without factor VIII…

Founded in 1970, BioVectra is a CDMO with specialties in microbial fermentation, complex chemistry and biologics. The company is looking to bolster its mRNA manufacturing capability. In November 2021, the Canadian company announced its intent to build a new $79.6 million facility dedicated to producing and manufacturing mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. The initiative resulted from…

Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) continues to face supply shortages for its Wegovy (semaglutide) pens, which are FDA approved for weight management.  Against that backdrop, a growing number of companies have begun selling compounded versions of the drug.  Drug compounding involves “combining, mixing, or altering ingredients to create a medication tailored to the needs of an individual patient,”…

Clairvoyant Therapeutics, a Canadian drug developer, has initiated the first of 15 planned sites for the Phase 2 CLARITY clinical study investigating the use of magic mushroom molecule psilocybin to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD). The randomized, placebo-controlled study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of 25 mg of synthetic psilocybin with Motivational Enhancement Therapy…

Roche (SIX:RO, ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) has announced that it has accepted the company’s Biologics License Application (BLA) and granted priority review for Lunsumio (mosunetuzumab), a CD20xCD3 T-cell engaging bispecific antibody developed by the company’s Genentech subsidiary. In February, Biogen (Nasdaq:BIIB) said it would pay $30 million to exercise an option to participate in the development and…

The synthetics biology company CB Therapeutics recently named Tiffany Hurd as its new business development lead. At Carlsbad, California-based CB Therapeutics, Hurd will focus on creating business partnerships with companies in the psychedelic, cannabinoid and food tech industries.  In May, CB Therapeutics won a patent covering the use of microorganisms to produce psychedelic tryptamines and…