ALK-Abello A/S, of Horsholm, Denmark, reported a positive outcome of the first of two pivotal Phase III trials of its allergy immunotherapy tablet for the treatment of house dust mite-induced respiratory diseases, demonstrating that the treatment has a significant clinical effect in allergic rhinitis. Data from the MERIT trial showed that the immunotherapy tablet significantly reduced symptoms and medication use in patients with house dust mite-induced allergic rhinitis (p < 0.01). The outcome
Bluebird Bio Inc.'s above-the-range initial public offering (IPO) sold about 5.9 million shares at $17 each to raise $101 million for a gene therapy strategy that deploys stem cells harvested from the patient's bone marrow, and the lead program is slated to kick off a Phase II/III trial late this year in childhood cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CCALD), caused by the buildup of fatty acids that damages the myelin sheath. The Cambridge, Mass.-based firm's stock (NASDAQ:BLUE) closed Wednesday at
By Randy Osborne | BioWorld Today | Thursday, June 20, 2013
By combining Namenda (memantine, Forest Laboratories Inc.) with nitroglycerin, researchers have developed a compound that appears capable of repairing damaged synapses in animal models of Alzheimer's disease. Such reversal of synaptic fortune might mean that the new compound, named Nitromemantine by its makers, could be developed into the first disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's. The drug "finally is the one that seems to protect the synapses, which is the holy grail," memantine
By Anette Breindl | BioWorld Today | Thursday, June 20, 2013
The potential value of cell therapy in wound care applications grabbed the attention of the biotech world last fall when Smith & Nephew plc, of London, picked up Fort Worth, Texas-based Healthpoint Biotherapeutics for $782 million in cash on the strength of its cell therapy product, HP802-247, in wound care. (See BioWorld Today, Nov. 29, 2012.) Macrocure, of Petach Tikva, Israel, hopes to generate similar success. The company's lead product, Curexcell, uses white blood cells obtained from the
By Marie Powers | BioWorld Today | Thursday, June 20, 2013
ALK-Abello A/S, of Horsholm, Denmark, reported a positive outcome of the first of two pivotal Phase III trials of its allergy immunotherapy tablet for the treatment of house dust mite-induced respiratory diseases, demonstrating that the treatment has a significant clinical effect in allergic rhinitis. Data from the MERIT trial showed that the immunotherapy tablet significantly reduced symptoms and medication use in patients with house dust mite-induced allergic rhinitis (p < 0.01). The outcome