May 2 Quick Takes: Janssen paying CBMG $245M for CAR T rights

More than a year into the launch of CAR T therapy Carvykti ciltacabtagene autoleucel, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has again struck a deal with a cross-border company with China operations for two additional CAR Ts. This time, the pharma’s Janssen Biotech Inc. unit is paying $245 million up front to Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc. for worldwide, ex-Greater China rights to bispecific therapy C-CAR039, which targets CD19 and CD20; and C-CAR066, which targets CD20. A Phase Ib study of the former is ongoing to treat diffuse large B cell lymphoma, and the latter is due to reach the clinic next half in the same indication. J&J shares rights to Carvykti, an anti-BCMA therapy approved to treat multiple myeloma, with Legend Biotech Corp. (NASDAQ:LEGN), which is headquartered in New Jersey but originated in China.

A Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee meeting to debate and vote on bipartisan drug pricing legislation ended in acrimony Tuesday after ranking member Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) accused the chairman, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), of acting in bad faith. Cassidy said Sanders had violated a private agreement to avoid committee votes on some proposed amendments to PBM transparency legislation. Other committee members objected to voting on legislation ahead of a hearing at which it will be discussed. Sanders postponed the committee votes, including on legislation that some attorneys who practice FDA law oppose because it would create barriers to suing FDA to seek redress for complaints such as violating orphan or pediatric exclusivities...