Piper Jaffray analyst Edward Tenthoff said the delay suffered by Ionis' (IONS), whose partner GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has decided not to initiate the Phase III CARDIO-TTR outcomes trial over thrombocytopenia concerns, reduces the competitive risk for Alnylam's (ALNY) competing drug, revusiran. Additionally, increased monitoring in Ionis's program could make for a competitive advantage for Alnylam's patisiran. Tenthoff raised his price target on Alnylam to $118 from $102 following the news and keeps an Overweight rating on its shares, which are up about 11% to $70.48 this morning.

Due to a rapidly changing epidemiological environment following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, CureVac and GSK decided to end the Pandemic Preparedness Agreement jointly concluded with the Federal Republic of Germany in April 2022. This decision was made after consultation with the German Federal Ministry of Health and the German Center for Pandemic Vaccines and Therapeutics. The agreement included the provision of production capacity and supply of mRNA-based vaccines in the event of a public health emergency in Germany. Termination will take effect on May 31, 2024, with no further financial obligations. Completion of CureVac's GMP IV manufacturing plant for the production mRNA-based vaccines is unaffected and progressing. Contingent upon regulatory approval, the facility is expected to be certified in the second half of 2024.

CureVac (CVAC) announced the start of the Phase 1 part of a combined Phase 1/2 study of an investigational influenza A pre-pandemic vaccine candidate developed in collaboration with GSK (GSK). The H5N1 avian influenza virus is considered a potential future pandemic threat, known to sporadically cross species from its original bird host to other animal hosts and humans. The monovalent vaccine candidate is based on CureVac's proprietary second-generation mRNA backbone and encodes an influenza A H5-antigen. The combined Phase 1/2 study will evaluate the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of an investigational influenza A pre-pandemic vaccine candidate in healthy younger adults aged 18 to 64 and healthy older adults aged 65 to 85. In the initial Phase 1 dose-escalation part of the study, up to five dose levels will be assessed compared to a placebo control. The study will be conducted in the United States. The broad CureVac-GSK infectious disease collaboration was first announced in July 2020. It focuses on applying CureVac's mRNA-technology to the development of new products for infectious disease targets.

ProQR Therapeutics (PRQR) announced the Annual General Meeting, AGM, of Shareholders will take place on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at the offices of Allen & Overy LLP, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. As part of the AGM, Martin Maier, PhD, is nominated for appointment as a non-executive Board Member for a period of four years. Dr. Maier is Senior Vice President Research heading the Oncology group at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY).