• 4-Antibody AG, of Basel, Switzerland, signed a collaboration agreement with Human Genome Sciences Inc., of Rockville, Md., to discover and develop fully human therapeutic antibodies. Financial terms were not disclosed. The collaboration is focused on 4-Antibody's high-throughput in vitro Retrocyte (Retroviral B lymphocyte) Display technology for rapid discovery of fully human antibodies against targets nominated by HGS.

• BiOasis Technologies Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia, said its investigational product for cancer, BT21111, delivered Herceptin (trastuzumab, Roche AG) across the blood-brain barrier and into the brain tissue. Fluorescently labeled BT2111 was found in the brain two hours after injection, whereas trastuzumab alone was not found in the brain. The product has relevance for treating breast cancer metastasis to the brain.

• Critical Outcome Technologies Inc., of London, Ontario, reported preclinical data demonstrating COTI-2's ability to significantly inhibit the growth of cancer cells that overexpress Akt/Akt2. Detailed analysis showed a complete remission rate of 30 percent in the high-dose I.V. treatment group (40 mg/kg) and a 10 percent complete remission rate in the low-dose I.V. treatment group (20 mg/kg). Tumor growth inhibition was greater than 84 percent in all treatment groups and was strongly associated with the dose of COTI-2.

• GeoVax Labs Inc., of Atlanta, will receive a $3.6 million annual Integrated Preclinical/Clinical AIDS Vaccine Development Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to support its HIV/AIDS vaccine program. It is the company's fifth such award. GeoVax will use the funding to further production of its GM-CSF adjuvanted vaccine for clinical trials. GeoVax expects to begin a Phase I trial within the next six months.

• Heartlink Ltd., of Perth, Australia, reported preclinical data from three synthetic isoflavonoid compounds that demonstrated anti-proliferative and cytotoxic effects against a range of tumor cell lines, with the highest activity against prostate and cervical cancer. An initial in vitro drug screen study revealed activity of the selected compounds against a panel of nine human cancer cell lines. A subsequent in vivo study showed a 42 percent reduction in tumor growth relative to controls after 14 days of treatment at low dosage levels (10 mg/kg).

• Melior Discovery Inc., of Exton, Pa., received a grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation to study the opportunity to reposition an existing drug in Parkinson's disease (PD). The funding will allow Melior to test the efficacy of the existing drug – currently used in other disease states – in preclinical PD models. If successful, Melior will evaluate the drug's therapeutic potential in PD patients as an adjunct therapy to improve existing treatments.

• Nabi Biopharmaceuticals Inc., of Rockville, Md., received a $5 million milestone payment from Fresenius USA Manufacturing Inc., of Walnut Creek, Calif., triggered by the first commercial sale of Phoslyra. The payment resulted from an agreement governing the 2006 sale of PhosLo (calcium acetate) and other assets to Fresenius. Nabi received $65 million at closing of the transaction in November 2006, and has since collected $18 million in milestone payments. The next potential milestone is a $2.5 million payment for approval of a new indication for PhosLo.

• PharmAthene Inc., of Annapolis, Md., was awarded a $5.7 million contract by the U.S. Department of Defense to evaluate a mammalian cell-based manufacturing system for rBChE, a recombinant form of a human protein found in minute quantities of blood. Preclinical animal studies suggested rBChE has the potential to provide significant protection against chemical nerve agent poisoning when administered prophylactically and may increase survival when administered therapeutically.

• Qiagen NV, of Venlo, the Netherlands, and Pfizer Inc., of New York, inked a partnership to develop a molecular diagnostic test for use with Pfizer's investigational compound, dacomitinib (PF-00299804), an oral inhibitor of HER-1 (EGFR) and other tyrosine kinases that is in clinical development for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer. Qiagen's companion diagnostic will be based on its KRAS assay technology and may help to identify patients most appropriate for EGFR-inhibitor therapies. The partnership covers clinical trials and submissions for a premarket approval application in the U.S. and the CE mark in Europe, as well as applicable regulatory approvals in other regions. Financial terms were not disclosed.

• Scil Proteins GmbH, of Halle, Germany, entered a collaboration with Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg to research new treatments for gastrointestinal tumors. Scil will use its Affilin platform to identify and advance therapeutic candidates. Terms were not disclosed.

• Theratechnologies Inc., of Montreal, said its new drug submission for Egrifta (tesmorelin for injection) for lipodystrophy in HIV, will be reviewed by the Therapeutic Products Directorate of Health Canada, following completion of screening of the submission. Egrifta received marketing approval from the FDA in November 2010. (See BioWorld Today, Nov. 12, 2010.)