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Around 25 million Americans are affected by the eye disease Demodex blepharitis, which is caused by small mites that make their way into the eyelid. This causes chronic inflammation that can, in severe cases, cause problems on the cornea of the eye itself. The disease can also cause damage to eyelashes and cause other allergic reactions. Despite its prevalence, there wasn’t any good treatment for the disease until July of last year, when the FDA approved Tarsus Pharmaceuticals’ Xdemvy, an eyedrop solution that directly targets the mites that cause the disease. The treatment hit the market in late August 2023.
Since then, CEO Bobak Azamian told Forbes, the company has been busy getting the treatment to patients. “We did $25 million in revenue in the first quarter,” he said. “That was a nearly 90% increase from the fourth quarter.” That figure represents getting the drug to over 26,000 people with the disease, with over 8,000 eye doctors beginning to provide the drug to patients, he said. He added that the company has heard lots of anecdotal praise from patients, including from Azamian’s own mother, who was afflicted with the disease.
Mites aren’t the only bug Tarsus is setting its biochemical sights on. The company is also working on a pill that can be taken after exposure to ticks to prevent Lyme disease. The pill works by killing ticks both when you take it and any ticks who bite up to 30 days after. Phase 2 data released by the company in February 2024 found that the pill killed over 90% of sterile ticks that were attached to healthy volunteers, compared to about 5% mortality in patients who took a placebo.
In addition, Azamian said that Tarsus is also working on drugs that can reduce transmission of malaria by killing mosquitoes who bite patients, as well as drugs aimed at other diseases that are also caused by mites. “What we are really committed to is creating an entirely new category of medicine,” he said.
FDA Panel Unanimously Recommends Eli Lilly’s Alzheimer’s Drug
An FDA advisory panel unanimously voted Monday to recommend Eli Lilly’s Alzheimer’s drug donanemab making the drug’s final approval more likely. Data from clinical trials suggest the drug can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s by about 29% compared to a placebo, though it does risk some severe side effects. Safety concerns about those effects have caused delays in the approval process, but they are roughly on par with Biogen and Eisai’s Alzheimer’s drug Leqmbi, which was approved by the FDA last year.
The FDA advisory committee’s unanimous decision that donanemab’s overall risk-benefit profile is favorable bodes well for its ultimate approval,” comments Forbes contributor and healthcare analyst Joshua Cohen on the decision. “In turn, this would provide AD patients and their caregivers another treatment option in a therapeutic area with a considerable amount of unmet need.”
Read more here.
Pipeline & Deal Updates
Digital Therapeutics: Earlier this year, Mahana Therapeutics acquired Forbes Under 30 Europe startup Germany-based Cara Care, which developed a self-guided cognitive behavioral therapy-based app treatment for inflammatory bowel disease. While digital therapeutics companies have struggled to get reimbursement in the U.S. market, Mahana said this week that it had reached a reimbursement agreement with Germany’s national association of health insurers. This means doctors can now prescribe (and re-prescribe) the app at 90 days intervals for patients ages 18 to 70.
Venture Capital: Life sciences investment firm Foresite capital announced that it has raised $900 million for its new Fund VI, which will be aimed at investing in startups in precision therapeutics, healthcare delivery and life science infrastructure. Additionally, philanthropy vehicle SCI Ventures launched with $27 million in commitments aimed at commercializing treatments for spinal cord injuries.
Alzheimer’s: Alzheon, which is developing treatments and diagnostics for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, announced it has raised a $100 million series E round led by Alerce Medical Technology Partners.
Diabetes: Abbott Laboratories Monday said the FDA has cleared its Lingo and Rio glucose-monitoring devices.
AI: Anterior, an AI company focused on healthcare administration, announced it has raised a $20 million series A led by New Enterprise Associates. Meanwhile, Swiss-based Rivia, which is developing AI infrastructure for clinical trial data, announced a $3.2 million seed round.
Radiopharma: Germany-based radiopharma biotech company ITM announced it has raised a $203 million equity investment led by Temasek.
Moderna’s COVID-Flu Vaccine Shows Stronger Immune Response Than Individual Shots, Late-Stage Trial Finds
On Monday, Moderna reported its combination COVID-19 and flu shot elicits a stronger immune response against both viruses than licensed vaccines on the market. These are promising findings for the mRNA company as it works to diversify into areas like influenza and cancer amid diminishing demand for coronavirus shots.
This trial tested the combination vaccine in two groups of roughly 4,000 adults, one aged 65 and older and other between 50 and 64 years, and used blood tests to assess the strength of immune response generated by two different vaccines for the viruses administered at the same time.
In both age groups, Moderna said participants receiving the combination vaccine generated “significantly higher immune responses” against a number of influenza strains, as well as against Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Read more here.
Other Healthcare News
A federal district judge ruled Tuesday that key elements of Florida’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors and related restrictions for adults are unconstitutional.
The FDA rescinded its marketing ban on Juul e-cigarette products last week and placed them back under scientific review.
A man in Mexico died after contracting a strain of avian flu—H5N2—that has never been seen in humans before. This is separate from the H5N1 strain currently ravaging dairy cattle–here are some of the differences between the strains.
The World Health Organization announced that a four-year-old child in India was infected with H9N2–yet another strain of avian flu. This is the second human case in India and the disease has infected about 100 people globally since 1998.
Senators from both parties are putting private equity’s involvement in healthcare under more scrutiny. The latest salvo was launched at Ascension Illinois by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).
Across Forbes
Trump Shifts Nearly $5 Million Of Campaign Money Into His Private Business
The World’s Highest-Paid Golfers 2024
How This Former Greeting Card Mogul Developed A Remote Golf Paradise
What Else We are Reading
This biologist aims to solve the cell’s biggest mystery. Could it help cancer patients, too? (Science News)
Michigan stands out for its aggressive bird flu response. Will other states follow its lead? (Stat)
Bird Flu Tests Are Hard To Get. So How Will We Know When To Sound the Pandemic Alarm? (KFF Health News)
