• Allozyne Inc., of Seattle, announced positive data from preclinical studies evaluating AZ17, a bispecific Th17 antagonist that inhibits the differentiation and effector function of human Th17 cells in vivo. The company said those results demonstrated AZ17 to have improved efficacy over individual parental antibodies in addition to high potency and affinity for each respective target. The findings are based on evaluation across two distinct disease models in psoriasis and skin graft rejection, the company said. AZ17 represents an approach to treating Th17 associated diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Crohn's and psoriasis.

• Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation entered a research collaboration agreement to provide financial support for a clinical proof-of-concept study to investigate the effects of metreleptin, an analogue of the human hormone leptin, in patients with Type I diabetes. Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center will conduct the study. Prior studies there conducted in animal models with Type I diabetes showed an improvement in blood glucose, blood fats and cholesterol following administration of the hormone. The company said that the study will help to determine if similar improvements in glucose, and reduction of the amount of insulin required, can be achieved in people with Type I diabetes. Leptin is a hormone secreted by fat cells that plays a fundamental role in the regulation of glucose metabolism.

• Chimerix Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., said in vitro data demonstrated that its lipid-conjugated drugs, CMX001 and CMX157, are not substrates for the human organic anion transporters (hOATs) and thus have significantly reduced potential to cause nephrotoxicity via this mechanism. The study was designed to test whether the compounds were substrates of hOAT1 and hOAT3, which are both linked to kidney excretion of endogenous substances and certain drugs. Those data were presented at the International Pharmaceutical Federation Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress and American Association of Pharmaceutical Sciences meeting in New Orleans. Chimerix is developing CMX001 as a broad-spectrum antiviral and is currently in Phase II trials in cytomegalovirus infection with that drug.

• Epigenomics AG, of Berlin, and Predictive Biosciences Inc., of Lexington, Mass., extended their licensing agreement for the prostate cancer biomarker GSTP1 . Under the terms, Predictive Biosciences obtained rights to develop a prostate cancer test incorporating the DNA methylation biomarker and has now exercised its option to license GSTP1 for commercialization of the test, triggering an undisclosed one-time license fee. Epigenomics also will be entitled to royalties on any future sales.

• InteRNA Technologies BV, of Utrecht, the Netherlands, said it was awarded an innovation credit of €1.3 million (US$1.77 million) from the Dutch government. The company said the award will support the development of miRNA-based therapeutics for the treatment of melanoma. The funding is granted by Agentschap NL, an agency of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation.

• Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Carlsbad, Calif., and Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia, inked a deal to discover and develop antisense drugs to treat the common disease anemia of inflammation. Under the terms, Isis will get an undisclosed up-front payment in the form of a convertible promissory note from Xenon to discover and develop antisense drugs to the targets hemojuvelin and hepcidin. Upon the identification of a development candidate, Xenon has the option to license worldwide rights in exchange for license and option fees, as well as milestones, plus royalties on any product sales. Specific financial details were not disclosed.

• Isotechnika Pharma Inc., of Edmonton, Alberta, entered a development, distribution and license deal with Iljin Life Science Co. Ltd., a unit of the Iljin Group, of Seoul, South Korea, for the further clinical and commercial development of voclosporin for use in transplant indications. In exchange, Iljin agreed to fund a single Phase III trial in kidney transplantation through a combination of a $5 million license fee and the purchase, in three tranches, of common stock. Iljin gains rights to voclosporin for transplant and autoimmune indications for the U.S. and other regions outside of Canada, Israel, South Africa, Europe, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Isotechnika retains rights over voclosporin in Europe.

• Nautilus Neurosciences Inc., of Bedminster, N.J., and Tribute Pharmaceuticals, of Milton, Ontario, announced an exclusive license agreement for the commercialization of Cambia (diclofenac potassium for oral solution) in Canada. Cambia is approved in the U.S. for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura and was launched in the U.S. in June. It is a water-soluble, buffered diclofenac potassium powder. Nautilus said it is the only prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug available for the acute treatment of migraine.

• NovAliX SAS, of Strasbourg, France, entered a definitive agreement to acquire a majority interest in Graffinity Pharmaceuticals GmbH, of Heidelberg, Germany. Financial details were not disclosed. Graffinity's fragment-based SPR drug discovery technology will be added to NovAliX's integrated chemistry and biophysical capabilities, NovAliX said.

• Optivia Biotechnology Inc., of Menlo Park, Calif., and the University of California, San Francisco, received a Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a system for characterizing the role transporter proteins play in the disposition of drugs by the liver. The $430,000 Phase I grant will combine the expertise of UCSF researchers with Optivia's transporter technology platform, with the goal of developing a transporter-based assay system capable of predicting the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of drug candidates.

• PolyMedix Inc., of Radnor, Pa., and the University of Massachusetts, of Amherst, have received a $750,000 Phase 2 Small Business Technology Transfer contract from the U.S. Army Research Office that will allow PolyMedix to conduct further testing on antimicrobial compounds, which the company identified under the Phase I contract received in August 2009. The company said that Phase II will include in vitro and proof-of-concept in vivo studies to identify lead small-molecule defensin-mimetic antimicrobial compounds active against bacterial pathogens associated with biofilm infections. The company said that the compounds are being developed to treat multidrug-resistant biofilm-embedded bacteria.

• Proteostasis Therapeutics Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said it entered a research collaboration with the laboratory of Laurie H. Glimcher, of the Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, focused on evaluating new signaling pathways important for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. The company said that it hopes the collaboration will accelerate its programs aimed at developing small-molecule drugs, which modulate cellular "quality control" pathways for the maintenance of appropriate protein function. Financial terms were not disclosed.

• Stratatech Corp., of Madison, Wisc., received a $3.5 million fast-track Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to expand the development of its anti-infective living human skin substitute. The company is partnering the project with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Waisman Clinical Biomanufacturing Facility, and the NIAID grant will support work on ExpressGraftEnhance tissue, a genetically modified living human skin substitute, for the prevention and disruption of biofilms.