Merck & Co. Inc.'s decision to back away from the Phase II-stage, N-type calcium channel blocker NMED-160 for pain leaves intact its collaboration with privately held Neuromed Pharmaceuticals Inc., and the companies plan to keep working in the same pathway to find another compound. (BioWorld Today)

Santhera Pharmaceuticals AG licensed European rights to idebenone in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) to Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., in return for an up-front payment of €2 million, another €18 million (US$24.6 million) in milestones and royalties on eventual product sales. (BioWorld International)