plc, of Dublin, Ireland, published a response to an offer made by Echo Pharma Acquisition Ltd. (Royalty Pharma) on May 2...Helsinn Healthcare SA, of Lugano, Switzerland, and Vifor Pharma, of Villars-sur-Glane, Switzerland, signed an exclusive license and distribution agreement for netupitant-palonosetron fixed-dose combination, an investigational Helsinn product for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, giving rights to Vifor to distribute the product in Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal

In other news, Addex said dipraglurant demonstrated dose-dependent mGlu5 receptor occupancy in a nonhuman primate positron emission tomography study, showing the correlation between the plasma concentration of dipraglurant and occupancy of dipraglurant on mGlu5 receptors in the brain...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

Allergan licensed rights to the Darpin technology from Molecular Partners AG for development in AMD and other eye diseases. (See BioWorld Today, Aug. 22, 2012.) And Eylea has fared well so far against Roche AG's Lucentis (ranibizumab), due to its lower cost and a label that calls for less frequent dosing, and even to cancer drug Avastin (bevacizumab), a cheaper, off-label alternative

In separate news, Hyperion said it exercised its option to acquire Buphenyl (sodium phenylbutyrate) tablets and powder, an FDA-approved therapy for the chronic management of the most prevalent UCDs, and Ammonul (sodium phenylacetate and sodium benzoate) injection, a hospital-based product used to treat UCD patients in hyperammonemic crisis, from Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., of Montreal...The big pharma firm stated that it has opted to prioritize the fixed-ratio combination of Lantus

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

Celgene Corp., of Summit, N.J., said the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use adopted a positive opinion for Revlimid (lenalidomide) for the treatment of patients with transfusion-dependent anemia due to low or intermediate-1 risk myelodsyplastic syndromes associated with an isolated deletion 5q cytogenetic abnormality when other therapeutic options are insufficient or inadequate...Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, reported preclinical data showing highly targeted liver

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

Net proceeds will be used to complete a Phase II Squalamine eye drop clinical trial for the wet form of age-related macular degeneration, to further the clinical development of the eye drops for the treatment of other neovascular ophthalmic disorders, to fund development of other pipeline molecules, and for general corporate purposes

La Jolla Pharmaceutical Co., of San Diego, said the FDA granted orphan designation to LJPC-6417 for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP...Santaris Pharma A/S, of Hoersholm, Denmark, said the European Patent Office issued minutes of the oral proceedings specifying the board of appeal's decision to maintain EP 1015469, the "Wengel" patent, with claims to amino- and thio-LNA nucleotides and oligonucleotides

Armgo Pharma Inc., of Tarrytown, N.Y., and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) said $1 million was awarded for preclinical work in support of an investigational new drug application for AMR201, an oral, small-molecule Rycal drug that has the potential to treat Duchenne's muscular dystrophy...In separate news, another Galapagos unit, Argenta, inked a deal with Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, of Ingelheim, Germany, to apply its respiratory drug discovery services to an undisclosed target within

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...Pradax is used to prevent clotting in patients who suffer from atrial fibrillation

Covis Pharma Sarl, of Zug, Switzerland, inked a deal with affiliates of Paris-based Sanofi SA to acquire full commercial rights to Nilandron (nilutamide), Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), Rilutek (riluzole), Uroxatral (alfuzosin hydrochloride) and Kayexalate (sodium polystyrene sulfate) in the U.S. Sanofi will retain rights to the products outside of the U.S. Financial terms were not disclosed...In other news, Prana reported that it received a A$2.5 million (US$2.6 million) cash refund under the R&D

DFH Pharma Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., said it entered a research and product development agreement with Hetero Group, a research-based pharmaceutical group headquartered in Hyderabad, India, to develop next-generation HIV maturation inhibitor drugs...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

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...In other news, SCT closed its previously announced private placement for gross proceeds of C$3.2 million (US$3.1 million

Another $13 million to $15 million in equipment, integration service and testing will be provided by Agila...Cardiome Pharma Corp., of Vancouver, British Columbia, said Institutional Shareholder Services Inc...The compounds are thought to have relevance for Parkinson's disease

Ark has been struggling to keep itself afloat since 2010, when the European Medicines Agency rejected gene therapy candidate Cerepro for use in glioma...Medigene's partner, Nordic Pharma Group, of Paris, is planning to launch Veregen in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia this year, upon conclusion of the reimbursable price-fixing procedure by the responsible authority...Vanda said it intends to reassess its European regulatory strategy once those results become available

Apricus Biosciences Inc., of San Diego, said it intends to cease financing its French subsidiaries, Finesco SAS, its French holding company, Scomedica SAS, its French sales company and NexMed Pharma SAS, its marketing company...In other news, law firm Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, of New York, said it is investigating claims on behalf of purchasers of Spectrum securities, after shares (NASDAQ:SPPI) fell as much as 38 percent on March 13 on news that the company slashed its revenue projections

The IMODI project, which brings together big pharma firms including Paris-based Sanofi SA and Ipsen SA, along with biotechs such as Transgene SA, of Illkirch, France, is designed to make the selection of new effective treatments to combat eight cancer pathologies easier...That news "shocked the Street," according to Roth Capital Partners analyst Joseph Pantginis...Investors took the news hard, sending shares of Spectrum (NASDAQ:SPPI) falling $4.64, or 37.3 percent, to close Wednesday at $7.79

Adventrx Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, completed its corporate name change to Mast Therapeutics Inc., and said its new stock ticker, "MSTX," is listed on the NYSE...Celtic Therapeutics Management LLLP, of New York, changed its name to Auven Therapeutics Management LLLP to overcome confusion related to other Celtic entities...Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Lexington, Mass., and Astellas Pharma Inc., of Tokyo, said they entered an agreement under which Cubist obtains the rights to ceftolozane in