has acquired Actagene Oncology Inc., both of San Diego...Sorrento Therapeutics Inc. (STI), of San Diego, said the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases renewed the second year of a two-year Phase I fast-track advanced technology small business technology transfer research (STTR) grant to support the development of human antibody therapeutics to combat Staphylococcus aureus infections, including methicillin-resistant S

AnaptysBio Inc., of San Diego, disclosed a contract award from the U.S

Sorrento Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, and Igdrasol Inc., of Irvine, Calif., said they acquired exclusive distribution rights from Samyang Biopharmaceuticals, a South Korean firm, to Cynviloq (marketed as Genexol-PM in South Korea) in the 27 countries of the European Union

Institut de Recherches Servier, of Paris, inked a nonexclusive collaboration to use the enhanced spine platform (ESP) technology developed by Afraxis Inc., of San Diego, to discover central nervous system (CNS) drugs

Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, said partner Eisai Inc., of Woodcliff Lake, N.J., will be able to launch obesity drug Belviq (lorcaserin) next month, following completion of a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) review that deemed the drug as a Schedule IV substance

Vical Inc., of San Diego, said preclinical evaluations of its Vaxfectin adjuvant in combination with cell culture-derived seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines from Baxter International Inc., of Deerfield, Ill., were published online in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics

Cardium Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, said the April 2013 issue of Molecular Therapy published a paper, titled "Mechanistic, Technical, and Clinical Perspectives in Therapeutic Stimulation of Coronary Collateral Development by Angiogenic Growth Factors

Institut de Recherches Servier, of Paris, inked a nonexclusive collaboration to use the enhanced spine platform (ESP) technology developed by Afraxis Inc., of San Diego, to discover central nervous system (CNS) drugs...Pfenex Inc., of San Diego, awarded Glide Pharma, of Oxford, UK, a subcontract to develop a solid formulation containing the recombinant protective antigen (rPA) from Bacillus anthracis expressed in Pfenex Expression Technology, suitable for delivery with the Glide SDI (solid dose

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, reported preclinical data showing highly targeted liver delivery of a clinically active NS5B polymerase inhibitor using the firm's HepDirect technology platform and also demonstrating that HepDirect liver targeting of active nucleosides may be an effective method to improve efficacy while reducing systemic side effects in hepatitis C treatment...Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, said Australian regulators approved Dificid (fidaxomicin) tablets

EpiVax Inc., of Providence, R.I., and BioAtla LLC, of San Diego, formed a collaboration to incorporate EpiVax's immunogenicity screening technology, EpiMatrix, into BioAtla's antibody Express Humanization platform...Tranzyme Pharma Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., and Ocera Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, entered a definitive agreement under which Ocera will merge with a subsidiary of Tranzyme in an all-stock transaction

Fate Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, presented preclinical data showing that its WNT7, a protein analogue for the treatment of muscular dystrophy, produced dose-dependent muscle hypertrophy and several-fold expansion of the satellite stem cell population when given as an intramuscular injection in an MDX mouse model

La Jolla Pharmaceutical Co., of San Diego, said the FDA granted orphan designation to LJPC-6417 for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP

Mast Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, said data presented at the Sickle Cell Disease Research & Educational Symposium in Miami showed that MST-188 reduced aggregation of both older and younger red blood cells, with a greater effect on older red blood cells...Santarus Inc., of San Diego, and Pharming Group, of Leiden, the Netherlands, said they submitted a biologics license application (BLA) for Ruconest (recombinant human C1 esterase inhibitor) for acute angioedema attacks in patients with

Pfenex Inc., of San Diego, and Agila Biotech Private Ltd., of Bangalore, India, a subsidiary of Strides Arcolab Ltd., entered a joint venture to develop, manufacture and commercialize an initial pipeline of six biosimilar products for the global market

Amylin Pharmaceutical Inc., of San Diego, (later acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. with help from AstraZeneca plc) is the subject of a three-defendant lawsuit along with Merck & Co

Hovione, of Lisbon, Portugal, entered a co-promotion and collaboration agreement to provide its customers with access to Captisol technology from San Diego-based Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc

Hovione, of Lisbon, Portugal, entered a co-promotion and collaboration agreement to provide its customers with access to Captisol technology from San Diego-based Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc...La Jolla Pharmaceutical Co., of San Diego, said its common stock started quotation on the OTC Bulletin Board under the ticker "LJPC

Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, said partner Eisai Inc., of Woodcliff Lake, N.J., submitted a marketing authorization application for Belviq (lorcaserin HCl) in Mexico for use as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or greater, or 27 kg/m2 or greater in the presence of at least one weight-related co-morbid condition

Mast Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, said it engaged ESC Advisors, a division of investment bank KEMA Partners LLC, to serve as its exclusive financial advisor to identify potential partners for MST-188 and advise the company in transactions discussions