This week's Philadelphia-area life sciences and health care news includes a major award for two local researchers, a home collection kit partnership, and an overseas product approval. Here's the rundown:
University of Pennsylvania
Penn researchers Katalin Karikó and Dr. Drew Weissman were among the winners of a Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences from the Breakthrough Prize Foundation for their work advancing mRNA-based vaccine technology. Their work helped lead to the development of the Covid-19 vaccines developed by Moderna and by Pfizer and BioNTech.
The prize included a $3 million award for the duo.
Weissman, a professor of vaccine research in Penn's Perelman School of Medicine, and Karikó, an adjunct professor of neurosurgery at Penn and a senior vice president at BioNTech, first began collaborating at Penn more than 20 years ago. They initially came together to study messenger RNA, or mRNA, as a potential therapeutic. Messenger RNA uses information in genes to instruct the body how to make proteins for a variety of purposes, including triggering immune responses.
They published their landmark research in 2005 showing how mRNA could be altered and used in therapies and vaccines. They also devised a method that allows mRNA to be delivered into the body to reach a specific target. Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna licensed technology from Penn that was used in their vaccines.
Labcorp and IBC
Labcorp, a national laboratory services provider, and Independence Blue Cross, the region's largest health insurer, formed a collaboration to support chronic disease management and prevention with home collection kits. The kits will be offered to Independence Medicare Advantage members to manage diabetes, and screen for colon cancer and kidney disease in people who have diabetes.
“Many health care services can be delivered through telemedicine, but there are times when physical screenings are necessary to identify conditions in their early stages, and that’s where these home collection kits come in," said Dr. Heidi Syropoulos, medical director for government markets at Independence. "Offering our most at-risk Medicare Advantage members home collection kits can help them take control of their health.”
The Labcorp home collection kits, which contain the same tests that are used by physicians and hospitals across the country, will need to be authorized and ordered by a member’s physician.
Nabriva Therapeutics
The Fort Washington biopharmaceutical company said its partner Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co. has received approval to market oral and intravenous formulations of Xenleta in Taiwan. Xenleta is approved for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in adults.
In May, Nabriva entered into an agreement granting the development and commercialization rights for lefamulin, the active ingredient in Xenleta, in the greater China Region to Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals, the Chinese affiliate of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma. The launch date for Xenleta in Taiwan is still to be determined.
