LONDON – The search for additional genes that play a role in the development of pancreatic cancer has uncovered a new tumor suppressor gene that has, until now, been overlooked.

The privately held UK specialty oncology firm EUSA Pharma Ltd. is to be acquired by Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc. in a $700 million cash deal that is motivated by the early commercial success of EUSA's Erwinaze treatment for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), approved by the FDA in November 2011.

Shares in Actelion Ltd. rose 13 percent Monday on news that macitentan, its dual endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA), hit the primary endpoint in a pivotal Phase III trial in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), raising the prospect that the company will be able to revitalize its aging PAH franchise with a safer, more potent drug.

LONDON – BTG plc announced positive results in the second U.S. Phase III pivotal trial of its nonsurgical varicose vein treatment Varisolve, to add to positive data from another Phase III that reported at the end of January, and said it will file for FDA approval before the end of 2012.

After more than a year of evaluating ways to access U.S. shareholders, Aussie biotech Biota Holdings Ltd. settled on a merger with Nabi Biopharmaceuticals Inc.

Transgene SA hopes interim data from a Phase II trial of its therapeutic vaccine for treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, TG4040, is sufficient to secure a deal for its further development.

LONDON – Pfizer Inc. is scrapping development of OAP-189, an obesity drug originally discovered by UK company Thiakis Ltd., and said it intends to divest the program, with implications for the future milestones due to Imperial Innovations Group plc, the former majority owner of Thiakis.

LONDON – Synairgen plc delivered positive data in a Phase II trial of SGN001, a therapy intended to protect asthmatics from the serious worsening of symptoms that can occur when they catch colds or other respiratory virus infections, and is now prospecting for a commercial partner.

• BioAlliance Pharma SA, of Paris, said more than 30 percent of its planned patients have been enrolled in the Phase II trial testing clonidine Lauriad and, to date, there have been no reports of any particular toxicity related to the product. BioAlliance now is planning to enlarge the trial to accelerate recruitment, which should be finalized in 2013. Clonidine Lauriad is in development for treating oral mucositis.

Genzyme unveiled new disability data from the Care MS II Phase III head-to-head trial of its CD52-targeting antibody, Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), which confirmed its superiority over Rebif (interferon beta-1a) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) who had relapsed on prior therapy.