Genmab A/S is getting $2 million up front and could receive up to $173 million more in milestone payments on the strength of a deal with Novartis AG on its bispecific antibody technology, DuoBody.

LONDON – Acacia Pharma Ltd. reported positive results in a Phase II study of ADP421 in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and is now progressing the compound to Phase III, as it mulls the commercialization strategy.

Genzyme Corp.'s once-daily oral multiple sclerosis drug Aubagio (teriflunomide) hit the two main clinical endpoints in a confirmatory pivotal Phase III trial: an annualized reduction in relapse rate and a reduction in the risk of sustained accumulation of disability.

CHICAGO – Roche AG subsidiary Genentech Inc. and partner ImmunoGen Inc. had what looks to be another winner at Sunday's plenary session of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting.

• BioAlliance Pharma SA, of Paris, said the FDA accepted for review its new drug application for Sitavig (acyclovir Lauriad) for recurrent orofacial herpes. The application was based on results from a Phase III study showing that a single application of the drug, marketed in Europe as Sitavir, significantly reduced the occurrence of vesicular lesions and crusts, their time to healing and the severity of symptoms.

LONDON – Cancer vaccines specialist immatics Biotechnologies GmbH released new Phase II data showing advanced colorectal cancer patients who mount an immune response to its IMA910 vaccine have significantly longer overall survival than those receiving standard of care.

LONDON – The discovery that hepatitis C viruses (HCVs) probably use the same molecular switch to control their replication could lead to new treatments for that infection.

The strategic alliance between BioInvent International AB and ThromboGenics NV received a double whammy, as the two companies halted development of an anticoagulation antibody, TB-402, following unfavorable data from a Phase IIb head-to-head trial against Xarelto (rivaroxaban), while Roche Holding AG decided to exit a three-way alliance to develop an angiogenesis inhibitor, TB-403.

• Bionomics Ltd., of Adelaide, Australia, said it launched a Phase I/II trial of BNC105 in women with ovarian cancer. Up to 134 patients are expected to be enrolled in the study, which is designed to test the vascular-disrupting agent in combination with current standard therapies carboplatin and gemcitabine.

Only weeks after disclosing its goal of expanding into emerging markets in its 2012-2014 Mid-Range Plan, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. made a move in Brazil with the acquisition of Multilab Industria e Comercio de Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltda. for BRL500 million (US$249.9 million) up front and up to BRL40 million in future milestones.