New company Areteia Therapeutics launched with up to $350 million in financing and an asthma drug candidate from Knopp Biosciences. That drug, dexpramipexole, previously failed a pivotal test in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis but more recent clinical testing found that the way the small molecule works has applications in eosinophilic asthma, a severe form of the respiratory disease.
Neuroscience drug developer Biohaven Pharmaceuticals is expanding its pipeline to include epilepsy and spinal muscular atrophy. The drug developer is acquiring Channel Bioscience and licensing global rights to a Phase 3-ready drug from Bristol Myers Squibb.