Serplulimab

Angitia raises $130M to advance musculoskeletal drug pipelineLB Pharma brings in $100M in private placementEisai gains rights to Henlius' anti-PD-1 in JapanCVS drops Amgen, Lilly bone drugs from key formulariesAngitia raises $130M to advance musculoskeletal drug pipelineAngitia Biopharmaceuticals closed a $130-million series D financing to support the continued development of its pipeline of drugs for musculoskeletal diseases. The company's pipeline includes the three biologic product candidates — AGA2118, AGA2115 and AGA111 — in the clinic for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, osteogenesis imperfecta and spinal fusion. The funding round was co-led by Frazier Life Sciences and Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners, with new investors, including Ascenta Capital, BVF Partners, Logos Capital and RA Capital Management, joining existing backers, such as Bain Capital Life Sciences, OrbiMed and TF Capital.CEO David Ke noted that Angitia recently completed enrollment in the Phase II ARTEMIS trial in postmenopausal osteoporosis and started dosing in the mid-stage IDUN study in osteogenesis imperfecta.-Matthew DennisLB Pharma brings in $100M in private placementLB Pharmaceuticals is selling around 3.3 million shares for $21.17 a piece as part of a private placement that is expected to raise approximately $100 million. The funds will support a Phase II trial of the company's lead pipeline candidate, the benzamide antipsychotic drug LB-102, as an adjunctive treatment for major depressive disorder.The private placement comprised new and existing investors, including Balyasny Asset Management, Caligan Partners, Commodore Capital, Deep Track Capital, Nantahala Capital, Pivotal bioVenture Partners, Spruce Street Capital, TCGX and Trails Edge Capital Partners.-Matthew DennisEisai gains rights to Henlius' anti-PD-1 in JapanEisai licensed Japanese rights to Henlius Biotech's anti-PD-1 antibody serplulimab under a deal potentially worth more than $388 million. Serplulimab is already approved in China under the name Hansizhuang and in the EU as the brand Hetronifly for the treatment of various forms of lung cancer.Henlius is currently conducting a Japanese Phase II bridging study of serplulimab in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer, with plans to submit a marketing application in fiscal year 2026 that will also include Phase III data that supported approvals in China and Europe. "We anticipate that it will also become a promising treatment option in Japan for…non-MSI-high metastatic colorectal cancer, for which development is under way," said Toshihiko Yusa, head of Eisai's Japan business unit.As part of the deal, Eisai will make a $75-million upfront payment, along with regulatory milestones of up to $80.01 million and sales milestones of up to $233.3 million. In addition, Henlius is eligible to receive double-digit royalties on sales of the product in Japan.-Matthew DennisCVS drops Amgen, Lilly bone drugs from key formulariesCVS Health will remove two osteoporosis drugs — Amgen's Prolia (denosumab) and Eli Lilly's Forteo (teriparatide) — from certain preferred drug lists, replacing them with biosimilars and generics beginning April 1.Through its pharmacy benefit manager CVS Caremark, the company will add Prolia biosimilars such as Ospomyv, sold by CVS unit Cordavis, and Celltrion's Stoboclo, alongside generic teriparatide options Bonsity and Tymlos, to major national commercial template formularies. "This preferred biosimilar approach is over 50% lower in costs per prescription than the original brand," CVS said.The move follows the expiration of key US patents for Prolia in 2025 and the earlier loss of primary patents for Forteo in 2019. The formulary change also builds on CVS's decision in 2024 to exclude AbbVie's Humira (adalimumab) in favour of biosimilars.-Anna Bratulic