• Biocryst Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., said the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority released funding under the current $234.8 million contract to enable completion of a new drug application (NDA) filing for intravenous peramivir. Biocryst is seeking an indication for the treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza and expects to submit the NDA by the end of this year. Shares of Biocryst (NASDAQ:BCRX) gained 19 cents, or 11.7 percent, to close Thursday at $1.82.

• Nuvilex Inc., of Silver Spring, Md., said it completed the acquisition of all the shares of Bio Blue Bird AG (BBB), a wholly owned subsidiary of SG Austria Private Ltd., of Singapore. As a result, BBB, which holds worldwide licenses associated with the live-cell encapsulation-based pancreatic cancer treatment, is now a subsidiary of Nuvilex. The funding to complete the acquisition was secured though the sale by Nuvilex to accredited investors of $1.5 million in restricted stock at $0. 125 per share. The total purchase price for BBB was $1.5 million.

• Prometic Life Sciences Inc., of Laval, Quebec, said lead candidate PBI-4050 is set to start clinical testing in September. The firm has scaled up its manufacturing process for the antifibrotic drug and has reported preclinical data showing the PBI-4050 demonstrated efficacy with a good safety profile. Toxicology studies are ongoing.

• Questcor Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Anaheim, Calif., said it plans to initiate a pilot commercialization effort for H.P. Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) for the treatment of respiratory manifestations of symptomatic sarcoidosis. The pilot effort will focus on pulmonologists, who are the respiratory specialists treating that rare autoimmune disorder. The company said it anticipates hiring and training a small, pilot sales force of five to 10 reps during the current quarter, with introductory sales calls expected to begin in the fourth quarter.

• Replicel Life Sciences Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia, said it completed its collaboration and technology development transfer agreement with Shiseido Co. Ltd., a Japanese cosmetic technology company, giving Shiseido an exclusive geographic license to Replicel's RCH-01 hair regeneration technology in Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan and the ASEAN countries. Shiseido will pay Replicel an up-front fee of ¥400 million (US$4 million), and Replicel will be eligible for sales milestones of up to ¥3 billion plus royalties. The companies will collaborate on the continued improvement of the technology and will conduct clinical trials in each of their territories.

• Ultragenyx Inc., of Novato, Calif., said it expanded its exclusive license from Baylor Research Institute in Dallas to develop and commercialize triheptanoin outside of North America. The license includes rights to patents, patent applications and other intellectual property related to the composition and formulation of UX007, as well as its use in treating a number of diseases, including fatty acid oxidation disorders (FAOD). Ultragenyx plans to initiate a Phase II trial of UX007 later this year in patients with long-chain FAOD and also is completing a retrospective study of triheptanoin in 24 long-chain FAOD patients who have been receiving the drug through an investigator-sponsored compassionate-use protocol for up to 13 years. UX007 is a highly purified form of triheptanoin.