Sinopharm Modern announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Sinopharm Industrial received the Chemical API Marketing Application Approval Notice issued by the National Medical Products Administration, approving the marketing application for esketamine hydrochloride API. Esketamine is a non-selective NMDA receptor antagonist, an anesthetic and analgesic drug commonly used in surgical anesthesia, pain management, and treatment of treatment-resistant depression.
NRx Pharma rises as FDA completes initial review of ketamine product
Shares of NRx Pharmaceuticals rose after the FDA completed an initial review of its marketing application for a preservative-free ketamine product without identifying any major drug-related deficiencies. The regulator did not require new clinical or drug-related findings to prove safety and efficacy, but it classified a question about the luer lock tip of the medication vial as a major deficiency. Following a clarification meeting on August 6, NRx Pharma cited a substantially de-risked path to approval, noting that three ANDA-approved products on the market use the same luer-lock vial. CEO Jonathan Javitt said the company is encouraged by the FDA's commitment to review the remaining information in the shortest possible cycle.
Eli Lilly is acquiring psychedelic drug developer AtaiBeckley for $2.8 billion. The deal, which could be valued at up to $3.8 billion, marks a significant move into psychedelic-based mental health treatments. Mizuho Americas healthcare equity strategist Jared Holz noted that large-cap pharma is increasingly embracing alternative therapies, citing J&J's ketamine-based product annualizing nearly $2 billion. Holz expects 2025 to be a historic year for biotech M&A, with over 30 transactions north of a billion dollars.
AtaiBeckley Joins Russell 2000 and 3000 Indices, Canaccord Raises Price Target to $17
AtaiBeckley N.V. will be added to the Russell 2000 and Russell 3000 indices effective June 29, a move the company notes is significant given over $12 trillion in assets benchmarked to Russell indexes. Canaccord Genuity subsequently raised its price target on the stock from $15 to $17 on July 7, implying more than 227% upside, while reiterating a Buy rating. The revision followed completion of dosing in the Phase 2 Elumina trial of VLS-01 for treatment-resistant depression, with the company targeting Phase 3 development for major depressive disorder and potential expansion into generalized anxiety disorder. AtaiBeckley is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on mental health therapies, with a pipeline that includes BPL-003 in Phase 2 for treatment-resistant depression and alcohol addiction, and RL-007 for cognitive decline from schizophrenia.