• Amorfix Life Sciences Ltd., of Toronto, completed a previously announced financing totaling about C$10 million (US$8.5 million). Amorfix sold about 7.69 million units at C$1.30 per unit. Each unit consists of one common share and half a warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share at C$1.95 for two years. The securities are subject to a four-month hold period. Totals include the underwriters' exercise of their overallotment option. The offering was completed through a syndicate of underwriters led by Versant Partners Inc. and including Fraser Mackenzie Ltd. and Pacific International Securities Inc. Amorfix is developing treatments and diagnostics for aggregated misfolded protein-related diseases.

• Arpida Ltd., of Basel, Switzerland, reported positive results of preclinical studies on AR-2474 against a large panel of clinical isolates, including those resistant to various current therapies. In addition, topical applications of AR-2474 were found to be effective in eradicating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

• Barrier Therapeutics Inc., of Princeton, N.J., said it gained marketing approval in Canada for Xolegel (ketoconazole topical gel) for the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis in immunocompetent adults and children 12 and older. Barrier said it expects to launch Xolegel in Canada in the second half of this year.

• Cancer Treatment Centers of America, of Chicago, said it will begin this summer using AC vaccine technology from AVAX Technologies Inc., of Philadelphia, in treating advanced ovarian cancer. The treatment method uses the patient's own tumor tissues to create a patient-specific vaccine, which will be combined with chemotherapy and delivered directly into the abdominal cavity. CTCA has a network of cancer treatment hospitals and community oncology programs in Illinois, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Washington. AVAX's stock (OTC BB:AVXT) gained 4 cents Thursday, or 28.5 percent, to close at 18 cents.

• Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd., of Petach Tikva, Israel, completed a private placement with institutional investors of 32 million shares and 12.8 million options, raising NIS40 million (US$9.5 million). The deal was done in a single day and brought in 19 percent more than originally planned, the company said. Among the investors were the investment houses of Prisma, Yellin-Lapidot and Tamir Fishman, as well as funds of the Israel Aircraft Industries and Bank Otzar Hehayal. Funds will be used in development of CF101 for inflammatory diseases and CF102 for hepatitis B and C, as well as for other corporate purposes.

• DOV Pharmaceutical Inc., of Somerset, N.J., modified and extended its exchange offer for all its 2.5 percent convertible subordinated debentures due 2025. The condition that at least 99 percent of the aggregate principal amount be tendered was reduced to 96.3 percent, and the expiration date was extended one week, to Wednesday. The company said 96.4 percent of the principal amount had been validly tendered by the original deadline.

• Empire Genomics LLC, of Buffalo, N.Y., formed an alliance with BioDiscovery Inc., of Los Angeles, to offer complete solutions in the array comparative genomic hybridizations field. Empire's aCGH services and products will be combined with BioDiscovery's software in an effort to improve assay data. They also will co-market and co-promote their products and services to end users.

• Galapagos NV, of Mechelen, Belgium, said its BioFocus DPI service division entered an agreement to supply small-molecule compounds for drug discovery to the Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development division of Belgium-based Janssen Pharmaceutica NV. BioFocus will provide access to compounds from its SoftFocus small-molecule libraries and generate specific compound library sets for use in J&J's drug-discovery programs. Financial terms were not disclosed. The two-year supply agreement expands an existing drug-discovery relationship.

• Magen BioSciences Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said a paper published in the March 9, 2007, Cell by its co-founder and board member, David Fisher, identified two new functions for the p53 protein in the pigmentation of skin. Fisher's study shows that in addition to its function as a tumor suppressor in other cancers, p53 also plays a key role in prompting the skin to tan in response to ultraviolet light from the sun, deterring the development of melanoma. Research also showed p53 causes the production of an endorphin after ultraviolet exposure. Magen is working to identify compounds for treating disfiguring dermatological pigmentation disorders.

• Medivation Inc., of San Francisco, said Nasdaq officials approved the company's application to list its common stock on the Nasdaq market. The stock will being trading on Nasdaq March 20 under the symbol "MDVN." The stock will continue to trade trading on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol MDV until the close of trading March 19.

• Nuvo Research Inc., of Mississuaga, Ontario, said after a meeting with the FDA that an additional Phase III trial of Pennsaid would not be needed. None of the conditions required in an FDA approvable letter relates to clinical efficacy or clinical safety, Nuvo said. It said it will begin the required studies and they should be completed in time to file a response to the FDA in the fourth quarter. It also is continuing discussions with the FDA to resolve other matters raised in the approvable letter. Pennsaid is a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug for osteoarthritis that already is approved in Canada and certain European countries. Nuvo's stock (TSX:NRI) fell C$0.13 Thursday, or 24.5 percent, to close at C$0.39.

• Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Inc., of New York, submitted a supplemental biologics license application with the FDA, seeking approval to market Evicel for the expanded indication of use in general hemostasis in surgery. The product, a second-generation liquid fibrin sealant, would be the only fibrin sealant with a general hemostasis indication in surgery, Omrix said. Ethicon Inc., a division of New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson, is Omrix's marketing partner for the product.

• OncoGenex Technologies Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia, withdrew its registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering. The company cited adverse marketing conditions. The offering was expected to price Feb.27, a day the market dropped significantly. The company said it has the resources to complete its five ongoing Phase II trials of OGX-011 in various solid tumors, with results on all expected by the end of the year. OncoGenex filed for an IPO of up to $48 million in December. (See BioWorld Today, Dec. 14, 2006.)

• Resverlogix Corp., of Calgary, Alberta, reported favorable results from 28-day toxicology studies of its lead drug compound, RVX-208, and will work on the filing of an investigational new drug application to begin human trials. The product being developed for atherosclerosis is designed to regulate levels of apolipoprotein A-1.

• Zyomyx Inc., of Hayward, Calif., said Imperial College London awarded it a grant to work on the college's CD4 Initiative. Zyomyx will work on a new treatment-management tool in developing countries for counting CD4+ T lymphocytes in blood in HIV/AIDS patients. Zyomyx is entitled to milestone-dependent payments from Imperial College over the next four years. Imperial College's CD4 Initiative is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.