Ionis plans to initiate a Phase III trial for ION582 in the first half of 2025, positioning it just behind Ultragenyx in the race to bring a treatment to market for the rare neurologic condition.

An analysis of the most valuable research-stage products pinpoints several neurological candidates – and a deeper dive into this segment shows more CNS therapies that look to be worth big money.

Public Company Edition: Several special purpose acquisition corporations have emerged, including various health care- and life science-focused SPACs. Also, Alvotech entered into a $965m refinancing agreement and Avidity grossed $461m in a follow-on offering, among other updates.

The Mereo-partnered drug is in pivotal development for osteogenesis imperfecta. Ultragenyx also recently reported positive Phase III data for a rare disease gene therapy.