Kalobios Pharmaceuticals Inc., of South San Francisco, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 15-12628). The company said it will continue to manage and operate its business and assets as a debtor-in-possession under the court's jurisdiction. The move came a day after the company submitted a request to Nasdaq requesting an appeal of the exchange's decision to delist the company's securities following criminal indictment and arrest of Martin Shkreli, the company's controlling shareholder, former chairman and former CEO, based on allegations of securities fraud and other wrongdoings, and the arrest and indictment of Evan Greebel, the company's former outside counsel, based on similar allegations.

Kempharm Inc., of Coralville, Iowa, plans to initiate development of KP746, an oral prodrug of oxymorphone, to manage pain in patients where an opioid analgesic is appropriate. The company said KP746, which uses its ligand activated therapy platform technology, has the potential to be the first approved prodrug of oxymorphone, offering enhanced bioavailability and abuse-deterrent features in comparison to standard oxymorphone.

Lixte Biotechnology Holdings Inc., of East Setauket, N.Y., granted an exclusive license in Asia to Taipei Medical University for its lead anti-cancer compound, LB-100, to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Taipei Medical University will investigate the effectiveness of LB-100 against HCC in trials conducted in compliance with both Taiwanese and U.S. regulatory requirements and will pay undisclosed milestone and royalty payments to Lixte.

Meda AB, of Göteborg, Sweden, completed the divestment of the manufacturing unit, Euromed SA, to The Riverside Co. for €82 million (US$89.5 million) in cash. Euromed was a subsidiary of Rottapharm Madaus SpA, of Monza, Italy, which Meda acquired last year for SEK21.2 billion (US$3.1 billion).

Regenxbio Inc., of Rockville, Md., said the FDA granted rare pediatric disease designation to RGX-111, its gene therapy candidate to treat mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I), also known as Hurler syndrome. The company plans to file an investigational new drug application for RGX-111 in MPS I in the first half of 2016. (See BioWorld Today, April 9, 2015.)

Midatech Pharma plc, of Oxford, U.K., completed its acquisition of the anti-emetic Zuplenz (ondansetron) from Portland, Ore.-based Galena Biopharma Inc. Midatech said it expects the acquisition will leverage its new commercial infrastructure in the U.S., a capacity it gained through its recent acquisition of Dara Biosciences Inc., now known as Midatech Pharma U.S. Inc. (See BioWorld Today, June 5, 2015.)