Rights to TP508 will be returned to the University of Texas...Innate Pharma SA, of Marseilles, France, said its scientific co-founder Eric Vivier, a professor at the Center of Immunology of Marseille-Luminy, published preclinical data in Science showing mice that do not express the NK activating receptor NKp46 have an enhanced resistance to some viral infections...Innate Pharma and INSERM, the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, have filed patent applications relating to that

In other news, AstraZeneca and Hutchison MediPharma Ltd. (HMP), of London, entered a global licensing, co-development and commercialization agreement for Volitinib (HMPL-504), a highly selective inhibitor of the c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase to treat of cancer, currently in preclinical studies...Covis Pharma Sarl, of Zug, Switzerland, agreed with GlaxoSmithKline plc, of London, to acquire commercial rights to Fortaz (ceftazidime), Zinacef (cefuroxime), Lanoxin (digoxin), Parnate (tranylcypromine

Covis Pharma Sarl, of Zug, Switzerland, agreed with GlaxoSmithKline plc, of London, to acquire commercial rights to Fortaz (ceftazidime), Zinacef (cefuroxime), Lanoxin (digoxin), Parnate (tranylcypromine sulfate) and Zantac injection (ranitidine hydrochloride) in the U.S...Roche AG, of Basel, Switzerland, submitted a marketing authorization application to the European Medicines Agency for vismodegib, triggering a $6 million milestone payment to its partner Curis Inc., of Lexington, Mass

AstraZeneca plc, of London, and Prosidion Ltd., of Tokyo, a subsidiary of Astellas Pharma Inc., entered into an option agreement, under which Prosidion grants to AstraZeneca an exclusive option to acquire the Phase II clinical and preclinical assets, PSN821 and PSN842 respectively, for the treatment of Type II diabetes...The FORTRESS study identified 1,945 mother-infant dyads exposed to topiramate either alone or in combination with other antiepileptic agents in the first trimester of pregnancy

Genzyme and Isis already have submitted a marketing authorization application to the European Medicines Agency...In separate news, Isis said it added three new drugs to its development pipeline: ISIS-APOARx, which is designed to reduce Lpa, an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease

Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc., and Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, said the European Commission granted marketing authorization for Dificlir (fidaxomicin) tablets for the treatment of adults with Clostridium difficile infections (CDI), also known as Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea...In other news, Boehringer said it randomized the final patient to treatment in its Phase III program of BI 201335, an oral protease inhibitor for

The biotech will evaluate the peptides to treat beta thalassemia and other diseases associated with iron overload...Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, and Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc., said the European Commission granted marketing authorization for Dificlir (fidaxomicin) tablets for the treatment of adults with Clostridium difficile infections (CDI), also known as Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea

In other news, Compugen said company President and CEO Anat Cohen-Dayag presented data from its antibody target discovery platform at the 7th Annual European Antibody Congress in Geneva...Q Chip Ltd., of Cardiff, Wales, said it signed a deal with an undisclosed specialty pharma firm to develop a sustained-release depot of an undisclosed therapeutic peptide...Santaris Pharma A/S, of Hoersholm, Denmark, won two patent re-examination cases brought by Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Carlsbad, Calif

The news, which sent its shares (NASDAQ:TSPT) soaring 21.7 percent, or $1.51, to close Thursday at $8.48, came less than two weeks after Transcept won FDA approval for Intermezzo, a sublingual version of zolpidem intended specifically for middle-of-the-night waking followed by difficulty returning to sleep

Under the agreement, Aslan will receive exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the BMS drug in Australia, China, Korea, Taiwan and other selected Asian countries while BMS retains exclusive rights in the rest of the world...DuoCort Pharma AB, of Helsingborg, Sweden, said the European Commission granted European Marketing Authorization for Plenadren (hydrocortisone, modified-release tablet), an orphan drug for the treatment of adrenal insufficiency in adults

DuoCort Pharma AB, of Helsingborg, Sweden, said the European Commission granted European Marketing Authorization for Plenadren (hydrocortisone, modified-release tablet), an orphan drug for the treatment of adrenal insufficiency in adults

Approved to treat prolonged, acute, convulsive seizures in infants, toddlers, children and adolescents, Buccolam was the first drug to be granted Europe's new pediatric use marketing authorization, which provides 10 years of market protection. (See BioWorld Insight, Oct. 17, 2011.) ViroPharma has launched Buccolam in the UK and expects to roll it out in Germany by year-end

Clavis Pharma ASA, of Oslo, Norway, established the cutoff level for defining hENT1 low vs...In other news, Elan and Biogen said the FDA extended by three months the initial PDUFA date for its review of the supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) for Tysabri (natalizumab...Galderma Pharma SA, of Lausanne, Switzerland, reported top-line results from a Phase IIb trial showing that CD07805/47, a topical gel in development for moderate to severe facial erythema of rosacea, was rapidly effective

In return, Inspiration will issue a convertible note to Ipsen, bringing Ipsen's fully diluted equity ownership position in Inspiration to approximately 38 percent...Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp., of Osaka, Japan, received approval for the manufacturing and marketing of Telavic (telaprevir) in Japan to treat chronic hepatitis C. Mitsubishi licensed Japanese and Chinese rights to the drug from Cambridge, Mass.-based Vertex Pharmaceutical Inc., which markets it in the U.S

Trying to block an all-stock merger of AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc...marketing authorization application for the once-daily single-tablet regimen Eviplera, which combines Gilead's Truvada (emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) with Edurant (rilpivirine), a non-nucleoside inhibitor from Tibotec Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson, for treatment-naïve HIV-1-infected patients with a viral load less than or equal to 100,000 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL...In separate

Other animal studies have shown inhibition and regression of tumors, and superiority to irinotecan to treat solid tumors...It also is establishing an in-house team to support Armada, establish other sales channels for Alferon N Injection and educate physicians and patients to drive sales in the U.S., as well as in Asia, Europe and Latin America

The company published the first three-dimensional X-ray crystal co-structures of caffeine and other xanthine compounds bound to the adenosine A2A receptor...Synageva BioPharma Corp., of Lexington, Mass., signed a research and development partnership with Osaka, Japan-based Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp., under which Synageva will use its expertise in rare diseases and protein expression technology to develop a drug for an undisclosed orphan disease...Theratechnologies Inc., of Montreal, said an

In other news, the FDA approved AstraZeneca's Brilinta (ticagrelor), an oral antiplatelet treatment for acute coronary syndromes...According to the trial protocol, the board is to review safety data once 100 patients complete the study's follow-up period...Galapagos NV, of Mechelen, Belgium, initiated a Phase I trial for GLPG0492, a small-molecule candidate to treat cachexia (loss of weight and muscle mass) and other potential indications, such as Duchenne's muscular dystrophy

Optimer also has filed a marketing authorization application for fidaxomicin with the European Medicines Agency and has entered an exclusive collaboration and license agreement with Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd...to develop and commercialize the drug in Europe and certain other countries. (See BioWorld Today, June 1, 2011...Ltd., of Osaka, Japan, entered an agreement to acquire all currently marketed products from Victory Pharma Inc., of San Diego, including seven treatments for pain and two for