Weekly Quick Hits (Research Triangle Park) – Week of September 4, 2023

This week in RTP’s life sciences ecosystem, M&A deals were on the minds of multiple companies with three company acquisitions. At the same time, there were multiple investments made into various companies and organizations that could lead to future M&A deals. An industry snapshot composed by MassBio demonstrated the strength of employment in RTP over the last year. The USDA is also investing in a new plant research facility at N.C. State University.

By Alex Keown | September 8, 2023

Quick Hits is BioBuzz’s weekly round up of all the life science news you don’t want to miss, in your region of interest. Don’t miss a beat; SUBSCRIBE to our weekly Quick Hits newsletter via LinkedIn (BioHealth Capital Region, Greater Philadelphia, Research Triangle Park) or get it delivered to your inbox every week.

Funding, Awards and Collaborations 

Jobs Report Highlights Employment Growth in N.C.

A new jobs report conducted by MassBio shows North Carolina surpassed Massachusetts’ R&D employment growth. The report also showed that North Carolina ranked sixth in funding from the National Institutes of Health. The Tar Heel state secured $2.16 billion in NIH funding, less than half of California’s $5.4 billion. The full report can be found here. 

USDA to Break Ground on New Plant Research Facility on NC State University Campus

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service broke ground on a new facility at N.C. State University focused on plant research. The new facility underscores USDA’s commitment to supporting scientific research that addresses agricultural challenges impacting farmers and consumers nationwide. This state-of-the-art facility will house approximately 30-40 experts from ARS and NC State University who will conduct research on maize, soybean, wheat, cotton and peanuts. When completed, the 51,296 square-foot, single-story building will feature processing areas, office and research spaces organized in wings corresponding to their respective crop.

Cell Microsystems Buys Fluxion Biosciences, Broadens Cell Analysis Product Services

Cell Microsystems, a Durham-based provider of pioneering solutions for cell biology research, acquired Fluxion Biosciences, a leader in automated patch clamp technology and cell-based assay tools. This acquisition complements the company’s platforms and applications based on the CellRaft technology, enhancing its offerings for researchers and life science professionals worldwide. The acquisition brings Fluxion’s IonFlux, BioFlux, and IsoFlux products to Cell Microsystem’s current portfolio to form a suite of innovative cell analysis solutions. The product expansion will further leverage the cell line development and rare cellular event isolation capabilities by providing unique cell lines and an expanded set of applications for use on the IonFlux and BioFlux instrumentation.

N.C. State Secures $1.9 Million NIH Grant to Study Gene-Environment Interactions

A new research project funded by the National Institute of Health and led by Joseph Gage, assistant professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at North Carolina State University, will examine how two or more genotypes — crop varieties — respond to environmental variation. The project is part of the Genomes2Fields (G2F) Initiative, a network of interdisciplinary scientists studying the complex interplay between different corn varieties and the environments where they grow. 

Kriya Therapeutics Buys Tramontane, Launches NASH Gene Therapy Program

Kriya Therapeutics, which has a significant presence in RTP, acquired privately-held Tramontane Therapeutics. Tramontane, a spin-out from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, is focused on developing treatments for metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. With the transaction, Kriya acquires a portfolio of Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) assets including Tramontane’s lead program, an adeno-associated virus vector designed to express a steady level of the native FGF21 protein. FGF21 has beneficial metabolic effects across several target organs including the liver. Importantly, FGF21 has been established as a clinically-validated biological target in NASH, which Kriya has prioritized as its lead FGF21 program.

Private Equity Group Announces Proposed $1.7 Billion Offering to Fund Syneos Buy

Star Parent and Syneos Health announced plans to offer $1,700,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Senior Secured Notes due 2030 . The proceeds are expected to be used to fund the previously announced acquisition of Syneos Health.

Levee Medical Secures $4.3 Million Investment to Accelerate Development Program

Durham-based Levee Medical, a clinical-stage medical device company designing solutions to improve surgical outcomes following prostate cancer, raised $4.3 million in oversubscribed funds, which will be used to support the development of the Voro Urologic Scaffold. The Voro Urologic Scaffold is the first and only bioresorbable device designed to be placed during the robotic prostatectomy procedure for the treatment of urinary incontinence. It is designed to reduce the stress on the urinary sphincter by managing the geometry of the bladder neck and maintaining urethral length, which is the best predictor of post-op incontinence. In addition to the financing, Levee announced it successfully treated the first study participants in its first-in-human study evaluating the Voro Urologic Scaffold as a prophylactic treatment for post-prostatectomy stress urinary incontinence.

Phononic Announces Strategic Supplier Agreement for LiDAR Sensor Systems

Phononic, a leader in sustainable solid state cooling, announced a strategic supply agreement to provide thermoelectric cooling devices and related design and engineering services to Luminar, an automotive technology company focused on a new era of vehicle safety and autonomy.

Restor3d Completes Acquisition of Conformis

Durham-based restor3d, Inc., a spinout of Duke University, completed its $17 million acquisition of Conformis, Inc. J. Kurt Jacobus, CEO of restor3d said the addition of Conformis will provide “tremendous opportunity to deliver clinically differentiated and cost-effective solutions across the orthopedic landscape, including shoulder, foot & ankle, spine, and large joints such as knees and hips.” He said the company has created a product roadmap that will allow the combined companies to provide medical teams with more personalized surgical tools.  

In the Clinic

Brii Biosciences Shares Topline Interim Results of Phase II BRII-179 Study 

Brii Biosciences first-in-class Pre-S1/Pre-S2/S therapeutic vaccine continues to show promise in an ongoing Phase II trial. The company announced topline data from an interim analysis assessing BRII-179 in combination treatment with pegylated interferon-alpha (PEG-IFNα) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) compared with PEG-IFNα only treatment. Data shows a significant number of patients treated with BRII-179/PEG-IFNα achieved HBsAg loss compared to placebo. The company previously reported that BRII-179 induced broad antibody and T-cell responses against Pre-S1, Pre-S2 and S epitopes in CHB patients. More detailed data will be shared at a future scientific conference, the company said. 

Verona Pharma to Share Additional Analysis of Phase III ENHANCE-1 Study in COPD

Verona Pharma will present additional analysis from its Phase III ENHANCE-1 study that assessed ensifentrine for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2023. The presentation will highlight additional analyses of the ENHANCE-1 24-week exacerbation data which demonstrated treatment with ensifentrine resulted in a substantial decrease in the rate and risk of moderate COPD exacerbations as well as moderate and severe COPD exacerbations. Additionally, it will demonstrate the impact of ensifentrine treatment on healthcare resource utilization related to COPD including fewer physician’s office visits, emergency department visits and hospitalizations compared with placebo treatment. The abstract is available to conference attendees on the ERS website and will be published in an upcoming issue of the peer-reviewed publication, European Respiratory Journal.

Opus Genetics Doses First Patient in Phase I/II OPGx-LCA5 Gene Therapy Trial

Opus Genetics announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase I/II, first-in-human clinical trial of OPGx-LCA5, an adeno-associated virus 8 (AAV8) vector designed to precisely deliver a functional LCA5 gene to the outer retina in patients with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) resulting from biallelic mutations in the LCA5 gene (LCA5). The trial is evaluating the subretinal delivery of OPGx-LCA5 in nine adult patients with LCA5, an early-onset retinal degeneration that affects approximately one in 1.7 million people in the U.S. Currently, there are no approved treatments for individuals with LCA5-related vision loss.

New Products

Biofidelity Announces the Commercial Launch of ASPYRE-Lung in the U.S.

Biofidelity, a genomic technology company, announced the commercial launch of ASPYRE-Lung in the U.S. ASPYRE-Lung is a novel assay that dramatically simplifies and accelerates the detection of biomarkers for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), enabling clinicians to determine which treatment is best for each patient at a fraction of the cost of current sequencing tests, in days instead of weeks.

New Patents

RedHill Announces New Patent for Opaganib and EU Patent Grant for RHB-102 

RedHill Biopharma announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a Notice of Allowance for a new opaganib patent covering sphingosine kinase 2 inhibition treatment for Ebola virus disease, supporting opaganib protection until October 2035. The company also announced that the European Patent Office granted RHB-102 a new patent, covering ondansetron extended-release solid dosage forms for treating either nausea, vomiting or diarrhea symptoms. This new patent is expected to provide protection of RHB-102 across multiple indications until March 2035.

Research Roundup

New Intravenous Lipid Nutrition Cuts Pediatric Hospitalizations and Infections

A formulation for intravenous nutrition that includes four lipid sources, including fish oil, reduced hospitalizations and urinary tract infections among pediatric patients at Duke Children’s Hospital. The multi-component lipid with fish oil, which is provided to young patients with cancer, bowel conditions and other illnesses that prevent them from eating, has not been as widely used as expected after FDA approval a few years ago, Duke Univesity reported. The findings from the Duke research team team, published in JAMA Network Open, is the first evidence in a pediatric population that switching to the newer multi-component lipid with fish oil can improve patient outcomes and significantly shorten patient length of stay.

Duke Team Focuses on Blood Target Tests for Parkinson’s Disease

A research scientist from the Duke University School of Medicine is leading a program assessing a blood test that detects Parkinson’s disease. The test could lead to early-stage diagnosis of the progressive neurological disease. The research team uses DNA damage in the mitochondria as a biomarker tool. Previous studies associated mitochondrial DNA damage with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease. The Duke research team earlier reported an accumulation of mitochondrial DNA damage specifically in the brain tissue of deceased Parkinson’s patients, according to reports. 

People on the Move

Life Sciences Consultants Triangle Insights Group Promotes Sarah Jims

Triangle Insights Group, a strategy consulting firm that delivers high-impact solutions across the life sciences value chain, announced Sarah Jims has been made Partner at the firm. Jims joined Triangle in August 2014. Building from her scientific background in AAV gene therapy, Jims has established the firm’s position as a thought partner for cell and gene therapy leaders.