AbbVie has been a longtime supporter of Morphic Therapeutic, chipping into multiple venture rounds and forking over $100 million upfront in an R&D deal. Now, the Big Pharma is taking the next step: It’s paying Morphic $20 million to pick up its integrin inhibitors for the treatment of fibrotic diseases.

One of the world’s most renowned tumor immunologists, Patrick Hwu, M.D., is set to become the new chief at the Moffitt Cancer Center eight months after its former chief stepped down over alleged Chinese influence.

With 40 million people thought to suffer from dementia throughout the world and the number due to double in 20 years, there’s no overstating the desperate need for drugs to slow down its progression.

Bristol Myers Squibb has struck a deal to buy Forbius for its portfolio of TGF-beta inhibitors. The takeover will give Bristol Myers control of a clinical-phase inhibitor of TGF-beta 1 and 3 that Forbius is developing to increase the activity of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Alkermes has a tentative fall date with a virtual FDA review committee that will focus on potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) for its experimental schizophrenia and bipolar med.

Audentes Therapeutics has reported a third death in a clinical trial of its gene therapy against a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder. The Astellas Pharma subsidiary said it “remains committed” to the program despite the rising death rate in the higher-dose cohort of the phase 1/2 clinical trial.

Novartis, Amgen, Sanofi, PPD and Google’s VC arm are just a few of the big names backing California’s “siteless” trial expert Science 37’s $40 million funding round.

Shares of Sorrento Therapeutics were nearly 8% this morning after the company announced it abruptly terminated Chief Financial Officer Jiong Shao.

Checkpoint inhibitors that unleash the immune system so it can fight cancer have proven powerful in many tumor types. But their efficacy rests on the premise that patients’ T cells can launch an attack against tumors on their own. That’s why scientists are looking for ways to improve immuno-oncology by drawing T cells to the tumor microenvironment.

Turning Point Therapeutics has posted early phase 2 data on ALK inhibitor repotrectinib that suggest it may pose a threat to Roche’s Rozlytrek. Buoyed by the data, Turning Point is tweaking the trial with a view to pulling forward a filing for FDA approval.