| |OCTOBER 20249STEALTH TO DEVELOP MITOCHONDRIAL THERAPEUTIC FOR FRIEDREICH'S ATAXIAELI LILLY FUNDS $1.8 BLN IN IRELAND SITES TO BOOST OBESITY DRUG PRODUCTIONStealth BioTherapeutics Inc., a biotech company in clinical stage, and Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) have announced that Stealth has received the Kyle Bryant Translational Research Award from FARA to study SBT-589 in Friedreich's ataxia (FA), a disease related to mitochondrial dysfunction.The preclinical research will help guide the progress of SBT-589 for FA neuropathy. Dysfunction of the mitochondria is key to the disease process in FA and results in deficiencies in iron control, energy production, and responses to oxidative stress. These disturbances may decrease the level at which iron-induced cell death occurs, resulting in early loss of neuronal cells during the disease.Preclinical study has demonstrated that SBT-589 specifically focuses on addressing mitochondrial dysfunction in order to enhance bioenergetics, alleviate issues related to iron dysregulation, and decrease the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the research, SBT-589 effects on neurological and biochemical aspects of disease will be examined in a transgenic mouse model of FA neuropathy."We are grateful for our continued partnership with FARA to determine the therapeutic potential of SBT-589 for individuals living with Friedrich's ataxia," said David A. Brown, Senior Vice President of Discovery at Stealth. "This collaboration will enable further development of SBT-589 as a potential new treatment that directly targets mitochondrial pathology in FA. Stealth has a diverse pipeline of molecules designed to improve cellular energy production, and this award is expected to bolster the progression of one of our lead candidates, SBT-589, into clinical testing" POEli Lilly announced that it will invest $1.8 billion in two manufacturing facilities in Ireland to increase production of its highly popular obesity medication and a recently approved treatment for Alzheimer's disease.The funding is a continuation of Lilly's dedication to increasing production, specifically for its popular diabetes and obesity medications, Mounjaro and Zepbound. Since 2020, the company has invested more than $20 billion to enhance its manufacturing sites in the U.S. and Europe.The new facility in Kinsale, Ireland, where Lilly's obesity and diabetes medicines started being produced last year, received an investment of about $800 million from the company. The need for Zepbound has been greater than the available amount for the majority of the year. The remaining funds will be used to grow the drug company's site in Limerick, Ireland, where it will specialize in manufacturing active biological components for specific medications, such as those used to treat Alzheimer's.Lilly's Alzheimer's drug was approved in the U.S. in July and is now being assessed by health regulators in Europe and the UK. Novo Nordisk, a competitor from Denmark, has also invested billions in production to increase the supply of its successful weight-loss drug Wegovy, through a large deal worth $11 billion to acquire three sites from Catalent, a contract manufacturer.Since its launch in December, Zepbound quickly gained a market share of approximately 40 per cent in the United States. Analysts predict that with Lilly expanding its production capacity, the market may be evenly divided between Lilly and Novo Nordisk by the end of the year. PO
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