This week's update on the Philadelphia-area life sciences industry has reports on a new clinical trial recruitment tool, a gene editing collaboration deal, a record day for an event supporting autism research, and more.
Here is the roundup:
AmerisourceBergen
The Conshohocken-based wholesale pharmaceutical distributor and services company has launched a new product called Clinical Trial Navigator, which is designed to assist companies with biopharmaceutical clinical trial recruitment specifically within community-based specialty practices.
The Clinical Trial Navigator was created to match biopharma companies with independently-owned specialty physician practices to increase recruitment opportunities and expand the pool of potential enrollees for trials.
Jennifer Sherak, senior vice president and president of specialty physician services at AmerisourceBergen (NYSE: ABC), said the company is hopeful the product will generate more equitable and accessible trial opportunities for underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, rural patients, older adults, and other underserved communities.
“Historically, it has been difficult for biopharmaceutical companies to have a consolidated and holistic view of independent specialty practices and their patient populations, and, as a result, clinical trial enrollment and logistics in these care settings have been complex and difficult to execute,” Sherak said. “With Clinical Trial Navigator, we want to break down these barriers for biopharma companies, bring more clinical trials into communities nationwide, help broaden the patient populations being considered for trials, and ultimately advance accrual time and bring therapies to market faster."
Through the new product, biopharmaceutical companies will have the chance to connect with practices that are part of AmerisourceBergen's AdvanceIQ Network, a network of independent practices that have already opted in to participate in research opportunities. Initially, the company said, the offering will reach more than 700 practices nationwide and 4,700 physicians treating 245,000 patients per month.
iEcure
The Philadelphia gene editing company has entered into a collaboration deal with the Center for Breakthrough Medicines in King of Prussia.
Under the agreement, the center will supply iEcure with adeno-associated virus for use in its future clinical studies. Final terms of the deal are being kept confidential.
IEcure, founded in 2020, is focused on developing mutation-agnostic in vivo gene insertion, known as knock-in editing, to treat liver disorders.
“Our approach to gene editing relies on highly complex manufacturing processes, and we are eager to establish partnerships to ensure a reliable supply of [Good Manufacturing Practices] materials for future clinical development,” said Paul Firuta, iEcure's chief operating officer. “The Center for Breakthrough Medicines was able to offer us a significant amount of guaranteed capacity with scheduling flexibility and we are confident that they will be a strong partner with their state-of-the-art facilities and end-to-end capabilities.”
Audrey Greenberg, the Center for Breakthrough Medicines' co-founder and chief business officer, said the collaboration with iEcure is an example of the center's mission to support its partners through the entirety of their product lifecycle and bring life-changing medicines to patients in need.
Philadelphia Eagles
This year's Philadelphia Eagles Autism Challenge raised more than $4.1 million — a record for the 5-year-old event — for autism research and care programs.
The event that features walks, runs and bike rides had 2,891 participants and generated more than 17,000 donations from 18 countries. One hundred percent of the participant-raised funds will be invested in groundbreaking research being conducted across the country and in community grants for area-based organizations.
Since the first year of the challenge in 2018, more than $16.1 million has been raised through the Eagles Autism Foundation.
Quick hits
San Diego-based Halozyme Therapeutics (NASDAQ: HALO) completed its previously announced $960 million acquisition of Antares Pharma Inc. Antares, which was originally founded in Exton and is now based in Ewing, New Jersey, is a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes therapeutic products using its advanced drug delivery systems that include autoinjectors. ... Immunome (NASDAQ: IMNM) of Exton said it remains on track to file an investigational new drug application for its lead oncology program, IMM-ONC-01, during the second half of this year. The company is collaborating with Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia on the development of the new drug candidate in different cancer types including head and neck cancer. … The FDA accepted for priority review King of Prussia-based CSL Behring's biologics license application for etranacogene dezaparvovec, also known as CSL222, an investigational gene therapy for the treatment of adults with hemophilia B. With a priority review, the FDA's goal is to take action on the application within six months as compared to 10 months for standard review. … Onocor, a Philadelphia medical device developer, received FDA clearance for its ONO retrieval system. The device is designed to align, compress, and remove suboptimal or embolized devices from the vascular system.
