• BioAlliance Pharma SA, of Paris, reported results showing that its oral nanoparticle formulation of irinotecan (IRN-SRN) allowed for oral delivery, significantly prolonged plasmatic half-lives of IRN and SN-28, its active metabolite, compared to those observed after the intravenous administration of IRN. Tested in in vivo models of colorectal tumors, the formulation was found to have similar efficacy on tumor growth inhibition and to be better tolerated than intravenously administered IRN. Data were presented at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists meeting in Los Angeles.
• Biota Holdings Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, acquired the assets and drug development programs of MaxThera Inc., of Boston, picking up a suite of validated bacterial targets and early stage antibacterial programs aimed at developing compounds for serious bacterial infections. Biota plans to accelerate development of a lead program and to invest up to $15 million. Under the terms, Biota agreed to pay $1.2 million in cash and $300,000 in Biota shares. In separate news, Biota also is buying the antibacterial assets of Prolysis Ltd., of Oxford, UK, for A$10.8 million (US$10 million) as Biota ordinary shares, of which 60 percent will be subject to a 12-month escrow period, as well as the ability of receive up to a 15 percent share in all milestones and royalties earned on commercialization, with Biota retaining all up-front payments on licensed programs. Prolysis has two primary projects focused on antibiotics for multiple drug-resistant infections.
• Cellectis SA, of Romainville, France, said the Paris Tribunal de grande instance dismissed the lawsuit filed by Genoway SA, of Lyon, France, in January. The verdict stated that the contract between Cellectis and Genoway was terminated, and Genoway must pay sums owed to Cellectis. Genoway had filed the suit late last year after Cellectis terminated its nonexclusive license granting certain uses of its homologous recombination.
• CSL Biotherapies, of King of Prussia, a subsidiary of CSL Ltd., said the FDA approved its application for accelerated approval of seasonal flu vaccine Afluria (influenza virus vaccine) for use in pediatric patients, 6 months of age and older. The approval also included labeling for CSL's Influenza A (H1N1 2009 Monovalent Vaccine, an inactivated flu virus vaccine now indicated for active immunization of patients 6 months and older against influenza disease caused by pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus.
• Mersana Therapeutics Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said a review of its lead compound, XMT-1001, a conjugate of the broad-spectrum cytotoxic camptothecin using the company's Fleximer platform, showed that it offered an improved therapeutic window compared to CPT or irinotecan in human tumor xenograft studies. Data were published in the Nov. 12, 2009, issue of Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews on Polymer Therapeutics: Clinical Application and Challenges for Development. XMT-1001 is in Phase I testing in patients with solid tumors.
• Mirna Therapeutics Inc., of Austin, Texas, said Paul Lammers joined as president, CEO and board member. Lammers previously served as president of Repros Therapeutics Inc., of The Woodlands, Texas.
• Nuvo Research Inc., of Mississauga, Ontario, entered a licensing agreement for Oxoferin, a topical wound healing agent, with Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., of Haryana, India, for Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar and Singapore. Under the terms, Nuvo will manufacture and supply the product, and Ranbaxy will be responsible for obtaining regulatory approval in the licensed territories and has committed to minimum annual purchase quantities once approved. Financial terms were not disclosed.
• Trimeris Inc., of Durham, N.C., said Arigene Co. Ltd., of Seoul, South Korea, requested an extension of the expiration date of the tender offer for all of Trimeris' outstanding shares under their October merger agreement. The extension was requested because Arigene and the purchaser do not expect to have sufficient funds and available financing to purchase all shares as of the Nov. 16 expiration date. Arigene offered $3.60 per share for Trimeris in a deal valued at about $81 million. Shares of Trimeris (NASDAQ:TRMS) dropped 64 cents, or 18 percent, on the news to close Thursday at $2.95. (See BioWorld Today, Oct. 5, 2009.)