Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, initiated dosing in a Phase I trial of APD334, an oral drug candidate targeting the sphingosine 1-phosphate subtype 1 receptor, for the potential treatment of autoimmune diseases

Aragon Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, dosed its first patient in a Phase I trial of ARN-810 for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer...Vital Therapies Inc., of San Diego, enrolled the first patient in a Phase III trial designated VTI-208, a randomized, open-label, multicenter, controlled trial comparing the company's investigational bio-artificial liver support system, ELAD plus standard of care, vs

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...La Jolla Pharmaceutical Co., of San Diego, said its common stock started quotation on the OTC Bulletin Board under the ticker "LJPC

Despite positive Phase II data, Paris-based Sanofi SA and San Diego-based Vical Inc

Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, said partner Eisai Inc., of Woodcliff Lake, N.J., submitted a marketing authorization application for Belviq (lorcaserin HCl) in Mexico for use as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or greater, or 27 kg/m2 or greater in the presence of at least one weight-related co-morbid condition

San Diego-based Ambit Biosciences Corp

San Diego) Bionomics Ltd. (Adelaide, Australia) 9/18/12 9/18/12 $10 Bionomics acquired Eclipse for 23.9M shares, valued at $10M Elevation Pharmaceuticals Inc. (San Diego) Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Marlborough, Mass.) 8/31/12 9/6/12 $430 Sunovion offered $430M to acquire Elevation, including $100M up front and $330M in milestone payments Kitov Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Tel Aviv, Israel) XTL Biopharma-ceuticals Ltd. (Herzliya, Israel) 6/20/12 9/15/12 $48 XTL acquired Kitov for up to $48M in

Apricus Biosciences Inc., of San Diego, appointed Richard W. Pascoe CEO...Ignyta Inc., of San Diego, appointed Tom Huizinga to its scientific advisory board

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

Neurocrine Biosciences Inc., of San Diego, said it started a Phase IIb trial testing elagolix, an oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist, in uterine fibroids

Despite positive Phase II data, Paris-based Sanofi SA and San Diego-based Vical Inc

after the San Diego firm licensed North American development and commercialization rights to the compound, paying BioLineRx $30 million up front and potentially $335 million in milestones

Mast Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, said the European Commission designated MST-188 (purified poloxamer 188) as an orphan medicinal product for the treatment of sickle cell disease

OncoSec Medical Inc., of San Diego, reported positive, durable response results in an update on interim data from its Phase II metastatic melanoma trial of its ImmunoPulse DNA-based immunotherapy and NeoPulse therapy to treat solid tumors...Trius Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, reported top-line results from its ESTABLISH 2 Phase III study of tedizolid phosphate (TR-701) in acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI), including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA

Other Opinions Issued by CHMP Baxter International Inc., of London, and Halozyme, of San Diego, received a positive opinion on HyQvia (solution for subcutaneous use) for primary and secondary immunodeficiencies

San Diego) McMaster University Collaboration To characterize the in vivo advantages and potential clinical impact of Genoa's lead program, inhaled GP-101 in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis The research will combine Genoa's expertise in aerosol drug delivery with McMaster's experience in exploring mechanisms of pulmonary fibrosis and managing patients with IPF 1/17/13 Intrexon Corp. (Germantown, Md.) Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (La Jolla, Calif.) Collaboration To accelerate stem cell

Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, presented results from its pivotal Phase III -020 study with pimavanserin in patients with Parkinson's disease psychosis, with the analysis of the full dataset from the study showing robust and consistent efficacy of pimavanserin across a wide array of study measures and confirming the positive top-line results previously reported...MediciNova Inc., of San Diego, reported data from a Phase Ib/IIa study of MN-166 (ibudilast) in opioid withdrawal and

Upsher-Smith Laboratories Inc., of Maple Grove, Minn., presented data at the American Academy of Neurology meeting in San Diego, supporting favorable tolerability and a predictable, consistent pharmacokinetic profile of USL255 at high doses following single-dose administration to healthy subjects

after the San Diego firm licensed North American development and commercialization rights to the compound, paying BioLineRx $30 million up front and potentially $335 million in milestones