Targeted Medical Pharma Inc., of Los Angeles, said results from an open-label study of oral amino acid-based erythrocyte stimulating system (ESS) for the treatment of chronic anemia showed that hemoglobin increased an average of 11.39 percent from baseline measurement to 45 days...Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said VX-787 in a Phase II influenza challenge study resulted in statistically significant improvements in viral and clinical measurements of infection...Also, 93 percent of

The volasertib clinical development program is the company's most advanced in cell cycle inhibition

Dezima Pharma BV, of Naarden, the Netherlands, said it raised €14.2 million (US$18.6 million) for the clinical development of its cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitor, DEZ-001 (previously TA-8995), and to develop additional earlier-stage dyslipidemia assets...It will use the proceeds to advance its opthalmic programs through clinical proof of concept

Antisense Pharma GmbH, of Regensburg, Germany, revised its business objectives related to the advancement of its next-generation TGF-beta inhibitor oligonucleotide program...In conjunction with the changes in its clinical program, the company said it reduced its work force by 50 percent and outsourced noncritical research and development functions...Kiadis Pharma BV, of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, said it received a No Objection Letter from Canadian regulators to proceed with a Phase II study testing

Competitors in atopic dermatitis include Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., Oculus Innovtive Sciences and LEO Pharma A/S...Atopic dermatitis was also part of a recent set of collaborations between LEO Pharma A/S and institutions in Australia, France, Germany and the U.S., including the International Institute of Dermatology and Allergy with Charité University of Medicine in Berlin...The company is planning to begin clinical studies in the first half of 2014

Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holdings Group Ltd., of Hong Kong, said pinoxacin hydrochloride received approval for clinical studies from the State Food and Drug Administration

Amicus Therapeutics Inc., of Cranbury, N.J., reported positive results from clinical and preclinical studies of the pharmacological chaperone AT2220 (duvoglustat HCl) in combination with ERT for Pompe disease at the Lysosomal Disease Network World Symposium...Based on those results, the company plans to initiate a repeat-dose clinical study in the third quarter of 2013 to evaluate an intravenous formulation of AT2220 co-administered with Myozyme/Lumizyme...BioAlliance Pharma SA, of Paris, said the FDA

The data, from the latest pre-specified interim analysis of the study, were presented at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in Orlando, Fla

Two posters feature clinical data of PROSTVAC evaluated as monotherapy or in combination with a radiopharmaceutical...The preliminary results from the studies supported the further clinical investigation in patients suffering from advanced prostate cancer, the company said...BHR Pharma LLC, of Herndon, Va., said the European Medicines Agency (EMA) granted an orphan medicinal product designation for treating moderate and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) to its intravenous progesterone infusion agent

As this money is dispensed through its clinical development programs, the company expects to receive £12 million in government R&D tax credits, bringing the total pot to £60 million...Pharma doesn't want more questions than answers, so you can't do development on a shoestring or cut corners...The total amount raised in the private placement is $7.9 million.

Cerulean Pharma Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said the first patient was dosed in a Phase II study of CRLX101, a nanopharmaceutical designed to inhibit both topoisomerase 1 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha, in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer sensitive to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy...The goal of the trial will be first to find optimum dosing of the drug, and second to assess safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and clinical activity in disease-specific cohorts of at least

Aileron's pharma investors, including Roche, hold traditional venture stakes in the company, with no rights of first look or first refusal, according to Yanchik...While continuing to converse with big pharma, Aileron also is exploring potential relationships with mid-cap and large biotechs, which are "becoming more significant players in the collaboration field," Yanchik said...Together, the three collaborated in the seminal discovery of the first biologically active stapled peptide and translation

Acura intends to complete clinical testing for a new drug submission via the 505(b)(2) pathway in the first half of 2014...BioAlliance Pharma SA, of Paris, said the European Independent Board of Experts held its first meeting on the ReLive Phase III trial evaluating the efficacy of Livatag (doxorubicin Transdrug) in primary liver cancer and recommended continuing the global, multicenter, randomized study without modification. (See BioWorld International, June 29, 2011...About 79.6 achieved clinical

that included a $30 million equity investment and a $50 million synthetic royalty agreement linked to future sales of Meningitec, a vaccine Nuron acquired earlier this month from Pfizer Inc., and its HibTiter vaccine (Haemophilus b conjugate vaccine [diphtheria CRM197 protein conjugate]), in-licensed from Wyeth LLC and subsequently out-licensed in January to Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp., of Osaka, Japan. (See BioWorld Today, Jan. 13, 2012.) In a second biotech deal on the same day, HC Royalty

Arno is conducting clinical and preclinical studies of three drug candidates to treat a variety of cancers...MEI Pharma Inc., of San Diego, completed a private placement of common stock and warrants in a financing led by new investors Vivo Ventures and New Leaf Venture Partners...NeRRe Therapeutics Ltd., of London, raised £11.5 million (US$18.4 million) to develop a portfolio of clinical and preclinical neurokinin receptor antagonists divested from GlaxoSmithKline plc, also of London. #kicker123

EyeGate Pharma Inc., of Waltham, Mass., said it enrolled the last patient in a 200-subject pivotal Phase III study of EGP-437 (dexamethasone phosphate ophthalmic solution) in patients with anterior uveitis...The company is trying to reduce the cost of clinical trials by 50 percent or more, and is partnered with Advanced Monitored Caregiving, a telehealth provider, to that end...Study patients will have in-person visits with the clinical trial staff at the beginning and end of the trial, and all other

Acasti Pharma Inc., of Laval, Quebec, said it achieved significant progress in two ongoing clinical studies with CaPre for lipid management...The registrational Phase II double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study has completed the first of two interim analyses

Data also indicated rapid onset of activity, with clinical activity reported for 16 of 19 responders occurring within the first two cycles of treatment...OncoSec plans to use the proceeds to fund clinical trials and research and development and for other corporate purposes...The company plans to use the proceeds to fund research and development, clinical trials and for other corporate purposes.

BioAlliance Pharma SA, of Paris, said the European Independent Board of Experts held its first meeting on the ReLive Phase III trial of Livatag (doxorubicin transdrug) in primary liver cancer and recommended continuing the study without modification...Clavis Pharma ASA, of Oslo, Norway, said it reached the enrollment target for its Phase III CLAVELA study investigating elacytarabine in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML...with experience and expertise in stem cell