• Clovis Oncology Inc., of Boulder, Colo., reported interim findings from the Phase I dose-escalation portion of its ongoing Phase I/II study of CO-1686, an oral, targeted covalent inhibitor of mutant forms of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients with initial activating EGFR mutations and the dominant resistance mutation T790M.

• Celgene International Sarl, of Boudry, Switzerland, a subsidiary of Celgene Corp., presented Phase II results showing that significantly more patients with Behcet’s disease treated with apremilast, its oral, targeted phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor, achieved complete responses (were free from active oral ulcers) at week 12 vs. those on placebo (71 percent vs. 29 percent, p < 0.0001).

Bleeding and clotting are considered two sides of the same coin, and basically, of course, they are. But by selectively blocking specific aspects of integrin signaling, researchers have reported a way to block clotting without increasing the risk of bleeding.

• Asterias Biotherapeutics Inc., of Menlo Park, Calif., a subsidiary of Biotime Inc., said it plans to file a registration statement next month for a public offering of units, each unit consisting of one share of Series B common stock, $0.0001 per value per share and one redemption right in respect of one share of Series B common stock.

• Portage Biotech Inc., of Toronto, said that as of Oct. 28, its shares will be listed for trading on the Canadian National Stock Exchange, in U.S. currency, under the symbol PBT.U.

The humanized anti-interleukin (IL)-6 monoclonal antibody (MAb) clazakizumab passed muster in its first major study, a dose-ranging Phase IIb in 418 adults with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had an inadequate response to methotrexate (MTX).

It’s hard to imagine there was a time when stalwart biotech giant Amgen Inc. was just a small start-up begging for investments. But veteran life sciences venture capitalist Jim Blair doesn’t have to imagine; he was there.

Biologist Stephen Mayfield has a fascination with the sea, which partly explains why the name of his start-up, Triton Algae Innovations Ltd., harkens to the mythical Greek messenger of the sea, often portrayed as a “merman.”

A surprise delay in the launch of Biogen Idec Inc.’s long-lasting recombinant factor VIII candidate for hemophilia A, Eloctate – partnered with Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi) – did little to dampen investor joy over third-quarter earnings, thanks to another home run with Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate).