July 17 Company Quick Takes: FDA approves Merck antibiotic combo; plus PureTech, Inovio, BiomX

FDA approves Merck's antibiotic combo
FDA approved Merck's Recarbrio imipenem/cilastatin/relebactam antibacterial to treat adults with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) and complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs). Unlike most of its peers, Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is in infectious disease for the long haul, and new regulatory pathways and emerging funding mechanisms could soon reward the pharma (see "Why Merck is in Infectious Disease for the Long Haul").

PureTech adds clinical candidate to lymphatic system pipeline
PureTech Health plc (LSE:PRTC) acquired small molecule LYT-100, which it plans to develop to treat lymphatic and immunofibrotic diseases, including lymphedema. The undisclosed pharma from which it was bought for an undisclosed amount had completed a Phase I trial of the candidate. In January, PureTech shifted away from an affiliate model and towards developing its internal pipeline, which brings together three nascent lymphatic programs: an exosome platform; one that involves lymphatic-based drug delivery; and another that modulates brain lymphatics (see "PureTech Turns Inward")...