Researchers from the National Institutes of Health have shown that Sirt2, a member of the anti-aging sirtuin family, functions as a tumor suppressor – and that it does so for different tumor types for males and females. In mice, knocking out Sirt2 led to high rates of breast tumors in females, while about a quarter of male mice (but only one out of 26 female mice) lacing the gene developed liver cancer. Read More
Canadian biotech Sunshine Biopharma Inc. is seeking to bring a ray of light to women with multidrug-resistant breast cancer by arresting the rapid development and spread of their disease. Read More
• Imagen Biotech Inc., of New York, secured up to $40 million in a Series A financing from SV Life Sciences, Novo Ventures and Fidelity Biosciences to identify and develop treatments for dry age-related macular degeneration and other eye diseases with high unmet medical needs. The company was launched this summer by ophthalmologist Matthew Feinsod, a former executive at Eyetech Pharmaceuticals and former medical officer in the FDA's ophthalmology division, and David Guyer, former founder and CEO of Eyetech and partner at SV Life Sciences. The funding is designed to develop approximately three compounds through predetermined milestones. Additional details were not disclosed. Read More
• Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cheshire, Conn., reported third-quarter revenues of $204 million, besting analyst estimates of $198.9 million, thanks to higher sales of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria drug Soliris (eculizumab). Net income totaled $72.6 million, or 34 cents per share, compared to consensus estimates of 29 cents per share. In September, Soliris gained approval for a second orphan indication, atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. Alexion ended the third quarter with about $445.2 million in cash, equivalents and marketable securities. The company's stock (NASDAQ:ALXN) closed Thursday at $66.25, up 19 cents. (See BioWorld Today, Sept. 26, 2011.) Read More
• Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp., of New York, said it will begin trading under the new stock symbol "TNXP." The firm completed a reverse merger earlier this month with Tamandare Explorations Inc. Read More
• Unigene Laboratories Inc., of Boonton, N.J., said all patients have completed the course of therapy in its Phase II study of an oral parathyroid hormone analogue in osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Top-line data are anticipated by year-end. The drug is being developed in collaboration with London-based GlaxoSmithKline plc. Read More
Amgen Inc. will lay off about 380 employees at several R&D sites and shift resources to several late-stage programs. The furloughs, effective Dec. 30, involve about 2 percent of the giant biotech's roughly 17,600 employees worldwide. Read More
LONDON – Ipsen SA has followed up an equity investment in Syntaxin Ltd with a research collaboration that will net the UK botulinum toxin specialist $9 million over three years for discovery work, with additional fees for any compounds that go into development, and a potential further $90 million in commercial milestones. Read More
