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 certain Asia-Pacific and Middle East territories from Astellas...Tris Pharma Inc., of Monmouth Junction, N.J., said it received the first milestone payment under its U.S

Company (Location) Product Description Indication Status Date AUTOIMMUNE Ablynx NV (Ghent, Belgium) ALX-0061 Anti-IL-6R nanobody Moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis Phase I/II data showed ACR20, ACR50 and ACR70 scores of up to 100%, 75% and 63%, respectively 2/14/13 CANCER AbbVie (Chicago) ABT-199 A selective Bcl-2-targeting therapy Chronic lymphocytic leukemia Phase II was suspended after a patient died from tumor lysis syndrome 2/19/13 Acceleron Pharma Inc. (Cambridge, Mass

Astellas Pharma Inc., of Tokyo, said its Canadian subsidiary won Health Canada approval of Myrbetriq (mirabegron, extended-release tablets) for overactive bladder with symptoms of urgency, urgency incontinence and urinary frequency

Hyperion gained rights to Ravicti from Ucyclyd Pharma Inc., a subsidiary of Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp

Acceleron Pharma Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said it started a Phase II study testing protein therapeutic ACE-536, in patients with beta-thalassemia

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

MEI Pharma Inc., of San Diego, added Thomas C. Reynolds to its board

Medivation Inc., of San Francisco, said net sales of Xtandi (enzalutamide) capsules for the quarter, as reported by its partner Astellas Pharma Inc., of Tokyo, were $57.4 million

Potential merger and acquisition partners for Optimer include Astellas Pharma Inc

AVEO Oncology Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., and Astellas Pharma Inc., of Tokyo, said the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee will review the new drug application for tivozanib for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma during the morning session of its May 2 meeting

The current standard of care for atopic dermatitis includes corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors such as Prograf (tacrolimus, Astellas Pharma Inc

Pharma Inc. (Bridgewater, N.J.) Suda Ltd. (Australia) ND NovaDel signed a preliminary agreement to sell its NovaMist technology to Suda The proposed transaction includes the sale of NovaDel's patents and trademarks relating to its NovaMist technology but does not include the NitroMist or ZolpiMist intellectual property or licenses 12/28/12 Open Monoclonal Technology Inc. (Palo Alto, Calif.) Crystal Bioscience Inc. (Emeryville, Calif.) ND Strategic alliance allowing OMT to use Crystal's antibody

Akela Pharma Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia, said its wholly owned subsidiary, Formulation Technologies LLC, received a notice of default and that on Feb. 13 the subsidiary also received a notice of disposition of collateral on default from a secured creditor

San Diego-based Ambit is partnered with Astellas Pharma Inc

Since its founding in 2010 by former executives of MGI Pharma Inc., the company has been a financing powerhouse, beginning with a $20 million Series A financing. (See BioWorld Today, March 27, 2012.) The company went on to raise an additional $101 million in its Series B round in June 2011, attracting new investors Interwest Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, Venrock, Pappas Ventures, T. Rowe Price, Oracle partners, Deerfield Management and Leerink Swann, in addition to existing

MEI Pharma Inc., of San Diego, named Christine A. White acting lead director of its board

Company (Location) Product Description Indication Status Date CANCER Acceleron Pharma Inc. (Cambridge, Mass.) ACE-536 A modified Type II activin receptor fusion protein Myelodysplastic syndromes Started a Phase II study 1/30/13 Active Biotech AB (Lund, Sweden) Anyara A tumor-targeting superantigen comprising a modified version of the Staphylococcal enterotoxin A fused to the Fab portion of a monoclonal antibody that recognizes the 5T4 antigen Advanced renal cell cancer Missed the primary

Company (Location) Product Description Indication Status Date Allergan Inc. (Irvine, Calif.) Botox Onabotulinum-toxinA Overactive bladder FDA approved it 1/23/13 Astellas Pharma Inc. (Tokyo) Betmiga Mirabegron Overactive bladder Received European approval 1/14/13 Astellas Pharma Inc. (Tokyo) Tarceva Erlotinib Non-small-cell lung cancer FDA accepted for filing a supplemental NDA for first-line use in patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease whose tumors have epidermal growth factor

The trial, designated TIVO-1, was carried out in partnership with Astellas Pharma Inc., of Tokyo