Johnson & Johnson hails Tremfya phase 3 results

(AWP Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by global companies, issued on Monday and not separately reported by Alliance News:

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Ramsay Health Care Ltd - Sydney-based global private hospital operator - Confirms intention to distribute its 52.79% shareholding in Ramsay Sante to its own shareholders through an in-specie distribution, scheduled for December 9 if shareholders approve at the general meeting on November 24. Ramsay Sante Chair Natalie Davis will step down with effect from, and subject to, completion of the distribution, as will Directors Henrietta Rowe, Karen Penrose, Steven Sargent and Anthony Neilson. Davis is Ramsay Health Care's chief executive. Frederic Collet is proposed to succeed Davis as Ramsay Sante's independent chair following the distribution. Ramsay Sante Managing Director Pascal Roche is proposed to be appointed to the board, along with Alexandra Boleslawski.

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Gilead Sciences Inc - Foster City, California-based pharmaceutical company - Announces positive results from the phase 2 Swift dose-ranging study evaluating its investigational, once-daily oral therapy emvistegrast (GS-1427), in adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. Says a 200 miligram dose met the primary endpoint and demonstrated significant differences across multiple secondary measures of disease activity, with a generally well-tolerated safety profile. The primary endpoint of clinical response was achieved by 66% of participants, compared with 37% on placebo. Gilead says the data supports the continued development of emvistegrast as a potential new treatment option for people living with UC. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory bowel disease and many patients do not achieve sustained disease control, showing the need for additional treatment approaches, Gilead adds. Also on Monday, Gilead says it will present new findings from its HIV and antiviral research and development programs at IDWeek 2026. Says its 28 presentations will feature research in HIV treatment, HIV prevention and new insights into broader experiences of people living with HIV, as well as emerging antiviral programs. The research includes new analyses from the phase 3 Artistry-1 and -2 studies, which "will provide further insights into the safety and efficacy of Bixlenvo...for the treatment of HIV in adults who are virologically suppressed"; data from the phase 4 Accelerate Implementation Study on Biktarvy, studying rapid antiretroviral therapy restart for people with HIV returning to care; and final results from a phase 1b study of GS-1179, an oral, long-acting herpes simplex virus helicase-primase inhibitor being developed for suppression of recurrent genital herpes.

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Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd - Tokyo-based pharmaceutical firm - Says new data from the Verdict phase 4 trial shows that treating adults with intravenous Entyvio, or vedolizumab, to achieve corticosteroid-free disease clearance results in a significantly longer time to first ulcerative colitis-related complication when compared with CSF symptomatic remission alone, reducing the UC complication risk by nearly 70%. Says that Verdict, therefore, provides the first prospective, randomised evidence that disease clearance is an achievable and clinically relevant target in the treatment of moderate to severe UC. Notes that key findings include the primary endpoint being met with the disease-clearance group, which experienced a longer time to first UC-related complication than the symptomatic-remission group.

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Johnson & Johnson - New Brunswick, New Jersey-based healthcare company - Announces one-year results from the phase 3 Fuzion study. Says they show that Tremfya, or guselkumab, maintained or improved combined fistula remission through 48 weeks in adults with Crohn's disease. Among those receiving 100 mg every eight weeks, combined fistula remission further increased from 28% at Week 24 to 35% at Week 48, while among patients receiving 200 mg every four weeks remained consistent through Week 48. J&J says these reinforce the week 24 results, which showed that 28% of patients receiving 100 mg every eight weeks, and 27% receiving 200mg every four weeks, achieved combined fistula remission compared with 10% receiving a placebo.

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Prysmian Spa - Milan-based electrical cable producer - Completes acquisition of US-based electrical infrastructure solutions provider Atkore. Says it acquired all outstanding shares of Atkore for USD95 per share in cash, representing an implied enterprise value of approximately USD3.8 billion. "The acquisition strengthens Prysmian's US leadership and broadens its range of electrical infrastructure solutions," the firm says. "It combines Prysmian's unique service model in the electrification space, focused on product availability, fast delivery and vertical integration, with Atkore's complementary portfolio of conduits, cable management systems and metal framing. Prysmian will now serve a greater share of customers' needs in data centres, utilities and commercial and industrial infrastructure. The combination will also create opportunities to develop integrated solutions that improve job-site productivity, installer safety and infrastructure reliability." Prysmian reaffirms its expectation of approximately USD150 million in annual run-rate pretax synergies within three years of closing, and of "high single-digit earnings per share accretion in the first full year...increasing to double digits once run-rate synergies are achieved."

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By Emma Curzon, Alliance News reporter

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