• Affymax Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif., and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., of Osaka, Japan, said Omontys (peginesatide) injection is now available in the U.S. in anemia due to chronic kidney disease in adult patients on dialysis. The once-monthly erythropoiesis-stimulating agent for anemia was approved by the FDA in March. (See BioWorld Today, March 28, 2012.)

• Active Biotech AB, of Lund, Sweden, extended and expanded its 2010 medicinal chemistry collaboration with Evotec AG, of Hamburg, Germany. The program aims to find small-molecule modulators of cancer and immune disorder target selected by Active Biotech.

• Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia, said two leading health insurers in Switzerland agreed to fully reimburse the cost of Scenesse (afamelanotide 16-mg implant) for erythropoietic protoporphyria, a rare disease characterized by severe phototoxicity. The drug is also available in Italy; it is under review at the European Medicines Agency and slated to start a Phase III trial in the U.S.

• Galena Biopharma Inc., of Lake Oswego, Ore., initiated steps to complete its previously announced spin-off of RXi Pharmaceuticals Corp. Galena is paying a dividend of one share of RXi common stock for each outstanding share of Galena common stock. Galena will retain minority equity interest in RXi, with the potential to receive up to $45 million in milestones. (See BioWorld Today, Sept. 27, 2011.)

• Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc., of South San Francisco, said the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee will review the new drug application for multiple myeloma drug carfilzomib at its June 20 meeting. The PDUFA date for carfilzomib is July 27; Onyx is seeking accelerated approval based on a Phase II trial, but its confirmatory Phase III trial is well under way with data expected next year. (See BioWorld Today, Dec. 13, 2011.)

• Zalicus Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said partner Novartis AG, of Basel, Switzerland, exercised its second option to extend its oncology research discovery collaboration through April 2013, using Zalicus' combination high-throughput screening platform.