May 20 Quick Takes: China approves Bayer-Merck heart failure drug

China’s National Medical Products Administration approved Verquvo vericiguat from Bayer AG (Xetra:BAYN) and Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) to treat heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, opening up a new market for a drug already approved in the U.S., the EU, Japan and other territories. The sGC inhibitor is indicated in China to reduce the risk of hospitalization or use of IV diuretics in heart failure emergencies. Bayer and Merck have shared Verquvo’s development costs. Merck is commercializing it in the U.S., while Bayer holds its commercialization rights elsewhere.

With the goal of investing in start-ups based on work from the Universities of Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield, newly launched Northern Gritstone has raised £215 million ($268 million) in the first close of a fund with a £500 million ($624 million) target. A spokesperson told BioCentury therapeutics companies will be within its investment scope. The firm said it will invest in “science and IP-rich businesses” across “sectors such as advanced materials, health technology, cognitive computation and AI.” ...