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        Massachusetts-based antibody drug developer Nabla Bio has raised USD 26 million in a Series A round led by Radical Ventures, with contributions from all existing investors. It also announced partnerships with AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb Company, and Takeda, with potential earnings surpassing USD 550 million in upfront and milestone payments and royalties.
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        Nabla Bio plans to use the acquired funds to accelerate its drug development efforts, focusing primarily on antibodies targeting multipass membrane proteins. The capital will go toward the company&rsquo;s research in creating solutions for hard-to-drug targets and complex cellular processes. 
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        Nabla Bio is a biotech company that leverages AI to design antibodies for challenging diseases. The company's AI platform combines AI with massively parallel experimentation to design antibody therapeutics, primarily targeting complex multipass membrane proteins like G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and ion channels. 
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    <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240514763517/en/Nabla-Bio-Secures-26M-Series-A-Financing-and-Collaborations-with-AstraZeneca-Bristol-Myers-Squibb-and-Takeda-for-Generative-Protein-Design">
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AI Drug Discovery

INCUMBENTS_PRESENT

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<p>Massachusetts-based antibody drug developer Nabla Bio has secured USD 26 million in a Series A funding round led by Radical Ventures, with further participation from all existing investors. The company also revealed partnerships with AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb Company, and Takeda, promising potential earnings more than USD 550 million in upfront and milestone payments as well as royalties.</p>

<p>The funds raised will be utilized by Nabla Bio to expedite its drug development projects, mainly concentrating on antibodies that target multipass membrane proteins. The investment will be used in advancing the company’s research for formulating solutions to tackle difficult-to-drug targets and intricate cellular processes.</p>

<p>Nabla Bio is a biotechnology firm that uses AI to develop antibodies for treating tough diseases. The company's AI platform merges AI with massively parallel experimentation to design antibody therapeutics, mainly committing to complex multipass membrane proteins like G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and ion channels.</p>
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Nabla Bio raises USD 26 million in Series A funding; signs three Big Pharma deals

Leveraging personal data for custom-fit diagnosis and treatment

Precision Medicine

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

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 <p>AstraZeneca is working with Karolinska Institutet (KI) and Karolinska University in Sweden to enhance precision medicine. The partnership aims to provide personalized diagnoses, preventions, customised treatments, and follow-up care for patients nationwide. The next phase of the collaboration will focus on improving current treatment strategies and initiating new joint projects.</p>
 <p>The pharmaceutical company had previously partnered with KI in 2013. This previous partnership led to the creation of an Integrated Translational Research Centre that focuses on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases as well as regenerative medicine.</p>
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AstraZeneca collaborates with Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital to advance precision medicine in Sweden

Reinventing gene therapies with next-generation technologies

Human Gene Editing

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 <p>Gene-editing company, Cellectis, has received an additional $140 million in equity investment from AstraZeneca, raising AstraZeneca's stake in Cellectis to 44%. This transaction forms part of the ongoing collaboration between the two firms that began in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23389"> November 2023 </a>.</p>
 
<p>The investment will further support their joint development of up to ten new cell and gene therapy products. The main focus areas will be oncology, immunology, and rare diseases which have large unmet medical needs. Cellectis stands to gain an option fee and milestone payments ranging from $70 million to $220 million per program.</p>
   
<p>AstraZeneca will have worldwide exclusive license options for the developed candidate products through this collaboration.</p>

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Cellectis secures additional equity investment of USD 140 million from AstraZeneca

Novel therapies to reboot cells and organs

Cell & Gene Therapy

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 <p>Gene editing and CAR T-cell therapy company, Cellectis, has obtained an additional equity funding of USD 140 million (28 million shares at USD 5 per share) from AstraZeneca, adding to its existing collaboration begun in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23389"> November 2023 </a>. This new injection of funds gives AstraZeneca a 44% stake in Cellectis.</p>
 <p>The funds will bolster the the partnership efforts involving Cellectis' gene-editing technologies and the development of up to 10 new gene and cell therapy products, targeting areas with high unmet need, such as immunology, oncology, and rare diseases. Each scheme could earn Cellectis anywhere from USD 70 million to USD 220 million in option fees and milestone payments.</p>
 <p>AstraZeneca retains a worldwide exclusive license option for the candidate products developed under this agreement.</p>
 
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ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

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 <p>Biopharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca has agreed to acquire radiopharmaceutical company Fusion Pharmaceuticals for approximately $2.4 billion. AstraZeneca plans to buy all of Fusion’s shares at $21.00 each in cash, with a further non-transferable contingent right of $3.00 each, payable after a particular regulatory milestone is reached. The deal is set to finalize in Q2 2024, pending standard conditions.</p>
 <p>This acquisition will enable AstraZeneca to enhance cancer therapy and patient outcomes, replacing traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy with more precise methods. The purchase adds R&amp;D, manufacturing, and supply chain skills in actinium-based radiopharmaceuticals to AstraZeneca’s portfolio and increases its presence in the Canadian market.</p>
</div> <p><b>Analyst QuickTake:<br>
 </b> To strengthen its oncology and auto-immune-related portfolio, <a href="https:<br>
//sp-edge.com/updates/25084"> AstraZeneca also acquired Gracell Biotechnologies </a> , a company that focuses on cell therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases, in February 2024 for ~USD 1.0 billion. The acquisition aimed to leverage Gracell's differentiated manufacturing process and FasTCAR platform to improve the effectiveness of its existing CAR T treatments while looking to reset the immune response in autoimmune diseases using cell therapy.</p>

AstraZeneca to acquire Fusion Pharmaceuticals for ~USD 2.4 billion to advance cancer treatment capabilities

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<p>Hungarian AI drug discovery firm Turbine and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca have formed a collaboration to study drug resistance in hematological cancers. The specific terms and financial elements of the agreement have not been made public. Through this partnership, Turbine’s Simulated Cell platform will be employed to understand the resistance caused due to changes in protein-protein interactions within hematological cancers.</p>

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Turbine partners with AstraZeneca to discover drug resistance in hematological cancers

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 <p>AstraZeneca is set to acquire Gracell Biotechnologies, a firm specialising in cell therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases, in a deal worth around USD 1.0 billion. Gracell will operate as a subsidiary of AstraZeneca post-acquisition, expected to close by Q1 2024. </p>
 <p>The acquisition allows AstraZeneca to utilize Gracell's unique manufacturing process and its FasTCAR platform to enhance the effectiveness of existing CAR-T treatments, and explore potential cell therapy applications in managing autoimmune diseases.</p>
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AstraZeneca to acquire Gracell Biotechnologies to advance cell therapy pipeline

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<p>Washington-based AI-powered synthetic biology company Absci and AstraZeneca have joined forces in a partnership valued at USD 247 million. Their objective is to develop an antibody capable of tackling cancer. The agreement encompasses upfront payments, R&amp;D funding, milestone payments, and royalties from sales of the resulting product.</p>
<p>The collaboration will benefit from Absci's AI technology, which enables thorough protein analysis for potential cancer therapy discovery. Absci will utilize its zero-shot gen-AI technology to design drug candidates based on factors like target affinity, safety, and manufacturability. The specific type of cancer being targeted remains undisclosed.</p>
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Absci partners with AstraZeneca to design AI-based antibody for cancer treatment

Incorporating technology to improve efficiency and success rate of clinical trials

Clinical Trial Technology

<p>AstraZeneca has launched a new health technology business called Evinova, which aims to bring digital health solutions into clinical research. The company plans to utilize established digital technologies to enhance the design and delivery of clinical trials, with the goal of reducing time and cost in medical development.</p><p>Evinova's suite of digital solutions includes a unified trial solution that enables data collection through digital endpoints and connected medical devices, virtual visits, medicine delivery to patients, telehealth, remote monitoring, and sample tracking. Additionally, it will offer an AI-assisted study design and planning module to help to craft better studies and provide cost estimates and operational viability assessments in real time.&nbsp;</p><p>Evinova notes that its clinical trial solutions have already been tested in AstraZeneca-sponsored trials conducted in over 40 countries and are available in 80 languages. The company will be spread across nine countries and will launch with a staff of 300. Evinova also notes that it has already signed agreements with contract research organizations Parexel and Fortrea, who have both agreed to offer the company’s solutions to its customers.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Analyst QuickTake: </strong>This move by AstraZeneca follows the general industry trend of incumbents in the Clinical Trial Technology space, where they elect to develop in-house solutions to address industry issues. Examples include <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/2555">Oracle </a>’s Oracle Health Sciences department for clinical trial management solutions and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/201465">Microsoft </a>’s Azure-based solutions for patient recruitment, data management, and analysis. Some of the main issues highlighted by incumbents are with regard to trial participation and efficient clinical trial design, with Evinova’s solution directly helping industry players resolve the latter.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

AstraZeneca launches new business ‘Evinova’ to enhance clinical trials

The Foundation Medicine has obtained FDA approval for their diagnostic device called FoundationOne CDx. This device is intended to be used with AstraZeneca's Truqap and Faslodex for treating advanced breast cancer in adults. FoundationOne CDx is a next-generation sequencing-based diagnostic device that can analyze over 300 cancer-related genes in a patient's tumor for genomic alterations. It has more than 35 companion diagnostic indications, with five of them related to breast cancer.

All Updates

Nabla Bio raises USD 26 million in Series A funding; signs three Big Pharma deals

AstraZeneca collaborates with Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital to advance precision medicine in Sweden

Cellectis secures additional equity investment of USD 140 million from AstraZeneca

Cellectis secures additional equity investment of USD 140 million from AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca to acquire Fusion Pharmaceuticals for ~USD 2.4 billion to advance cancer treatment capabilities

Turbine partners with AstraZeneca to discover drug resistance in hematological cancers

AstraZeneca to acquire Gracell Biotechnologies to advance cell therapy pipeline

Absci partners with AstraZeneca to design AI-based antibody for cancer treatment

AstraZeneca launches new business ‘Evinova’ to enhance clinical trials

Foundation Medicine receives FDA approval for FoundationOne CDx