Somaxon Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, will maintain market exclusivity of its lead drug Silenor (doxepin) for a further eight years

Afraxis Inc., of San Diego, and PsychoGenics Inc., of Tarrytown, N.Y., entered a deal to offer Afraxis' Enhanced Spin Platform (ESP) technology as part of PsychoGenics' testing capabilities and drug discovery services...Zogenix Inc., of San Diego, said the FDA accepted for review its new drug application for Zohydro ER (hydrocodone bitartrate extended-release capsules) for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain

Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, Calif., discontinued development of AM-831 for schizophrenia because it did not meet pre-determined criteria for further development in a Phase I trial

Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, said it filed a marketing authorization application with Swiss regulators for obesity candidate lorcaserin hydrochloride, intended as an adjunct to diet and exercise for weight control in patients with an initial body mass index of 30 kg/m(2) or greater, or 27 kg/m(2) or greater in the presence of at least one related comorbid condition

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., of New York, commenced a cash tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares of common stock in Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego...Cylene Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, reported findings that its RNA polymerase I inhibitor, CX-5461, selectively destroys cancer by activating p53 in malignant cells but not in normal cells

Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, said preclinical studies suggested that pimavanserin, the company's product candidate currently in Phase III development for Parkinson's disease psychosis, may also have therapeutic benefits in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease psychosis

Marshall Edwards Inc., of San Diego, said it's changing its name to MEI Pharma Inc

Adventrx Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, signed an agreement with Patheon Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., for formulation, fill and finish of ANX-188 for clinical trials in sickle cell disease, including a Phase III study

Sistemic Ltd., of Boston, formed an agreement allowing Cytori Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, to use the SistemQC technology platform in its U.S

Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, and Specialised Therapeutics Australia Pty Ltd., of Victoria, Australia, signed an exclusive agreement to register and commercialize fidaxomicin tablets in Australia and New Zealand to treat Clostridium difficile infection

Addex is seeking a partner to advance dipraglurant into a Phase IIb trial for PD-LID and other indications...The vaccine, BM32, is based on a recombinant peptide carrier technology designed to allow for fewer injections and fewer side effects compared with other immunotherapy treatments...In other news, Boehringer and Eli Lilly and Co., of Indianapolis, presented results from two Phase II studies of their investigational basal insulin analogue LY2605541 at the American Diabetes Association meeting in

AdventRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, signed a contract manufacturing agreement with Pierre Fabre Medicament, of Castres, France, to produce the active ingredient in ANX-188 (purified poloxamer 188) for clinical trials, particularly a Phase III trial scheduled to begin this year...Cardium Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, entered an agreement with Advanced Biosciences Research, an affiliate of Aventura, Fla.-based bioRASI, to commercialize Excellagen, a high-molecular weight fibrillar bovine

Advanced BioHealing Inc., a regenerative medicine business within Shire plc, of Dublin, Ireland, signed a lease agreement with BioMed Realty Trust Inc., allowing it to expand operations in San Diego over the next several years

Advanced BioHealing Inc., a regenerative medicine business within Shire plc, of Dublin, Ireland, signed a lease agreement with BioMed Realty Trust Inc., allowing it to expand operations in San Diego over the next several years...Fate Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, and BD Biosciences, part of Becton, Dickinson and Co., of Franklin Lakes, N.J., launched BD SMC4, the first induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-related product resulting from their collaboration to provide researchers with advanced

HUYA Bioscience International, of San Diego, has struck a strategic partnership with Zhuhai Sanzao Science and Technology Industrial Park in China covering new drug development...Sorrento Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, has received an Advanced Technology Small Business Technology Transfer Research Fast-Track grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, said Astellas Pharma Europe, a unit of Tokyo-based Astellas Phase Inc., achieved the first sales of Dificlir (fidaxomicin) tablets, triggering a €10 million (US$12.6 million) milestone payment to Optimer...Zogenix Inc., of San Diego, inked a co-promotion deal with Mallinckrodt LLC, the pharmaceuticals business of Covidien plc, of Dublin, Ireland, for Sumavel DosePro (sumatriptan injection) for acute migraine or cluster headaches

The data, presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers annual meeting in San Diego, showed that significantly more patients treated with Gilenya 0.5 mg remained free from relapse during the study period as compared with those on placebo or interferon beta-1a IM

OncoSec Medical Inc., of San Diego, entered an exclusive manufacturing agreement with VGX International Inc

Those and other data were presented at the Fourth Cooperative Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers and the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis conference in San Diego