• Arbor Vita Corp., of Sunnyvale, Calif., entered a partnership with NoNO Inc., of Toronto, to develop and commercialize stroke drugs. The research and development collaboration combines Arbor Vita's PDZ-based drug discovery platform - the partners will develop drugs targeting PDZ-protein interactions to mitigate brain damage from cerebral ischemia - with NoNO's experience in neurological disorders. Financial terms were not disclosed.

• Debiopharm Group, of Lausanne, Switzerland, entered an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Cambridge Antibody Technology, of Cambridge, UK, to develop and commercialize SC-1 and all derivative products generated by the use of the SC-1 technology. SC-1, developed by Debiopharm, is a fully human monoclonal IgM antibody that targets CD55SC-1, a cell-surface receptor specifically expressed on gastric carcinoma cells. It completed a Phase I/II study in 51 resectable gastric cancer patients, in whom SC-1 has orphan drug status from the FDA. In return, Debiopharm will receive up-front and milestone payments of an undisclosed amount, as well as royalties on future sales.

• MediciNova Inc., of San Diego, said its shareholders approved a 1-for-10 reverse stock split to reduce proportionately the number of authorized shares of common stock and preferred stock of the biopharmaceutical company. The effort could qualify MediciNova to seek listing on the Nasdaq Global Market; at present the company is listed on a Japanese exchange. After giving effect to the reverse stock split, there will be about 10.4 million common shares outstanding.

• Neurochem Ltd., of Ecublens, Switzerland, a wholly owned subsidiary of Laval, Quebec-based Neurochem Inc., submitted a complete response letter to the FDA's August 2006 approvable letter for Kiacta (eprodisate, formerly Fibrillex) in amyloid A amyloidosis. The letter includes safety and efficacy data from a follow-up of all 183 patients enrolled in the Phase II/III trial, as suggested by the agency, including analysis showing that fewer patients progressed to dialysis/ESRD in the Kiacta group (18) vs. the placebo group (32). (See BioWorld Today, Aug. 15, 2006.)

• Tercica Inc., of Brisbane, Calif., and Ipsen SA, of Paris, closed their previously announced worldwide collaboration agreement providing Tercica with exclusive rights to sell Ipsen's Somatuline Autogel in the U.S. and Canada, and provided Ipsen exclusive rights to sell Tercica's short stature drug, Increlex, in all areas of the world except for the U.S., Japan, Canada, Taiwan and certain countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Ipsen has acquired 12.5 million Tercica shares at $6.17 each, representing a 25 percent stake, as well as a warrant to buy 4.9 million shares of Tercica common stock. Tercica also issued a convertible note for about $25 million to Ipsen, offsetting the up-front payments for Somatuline Autogel rights. (See BioWorld Today, July 20, 2006.)