DUBLIN – The pharma industry's corporate tax inversion odyssey is quickly turning into an unseemly dash for the lifeboats. Abbvie Inc.'s proposed $55 billion cash-and-shares takeover of Shire plc could be dead in the water, following an announcement from Abbvie that its board will reconsider the transaction in the light of recent U.S. government moves to curb corporate tax inversions.
DUBLIN – Rigontec GmbH, a spinout from the University of Bonn in Germany, took in €9.45 million (US$12 million) in a first closing of a series A round to take forward an RNA-based approach to immunotherapy, based on activating retinoic acid inducible protein I (RIG-I), a pathogen-associated molecular pattern that recognizes certain forms of viral RNA.
DUBLIN – Nextech Invest Ltd. raised $40 million in a first closing of a new oncology fund that has a final target of $100 million. The Zurich-based venture capital firm aims to raise the remainder in the next 12 months.
Cardio3 Biosciences SA has broadened its existing relationship with the Mayo Clinic to the point where the company is now its preferred partner for its entire portfolio of regenerative medicine technologies.
LONDON – After stalling three times, the EMA Management Board has agreed to a policy on clinical trials data transparency, but in doing so has left both campaigners and the industry with concerns.
DUBLIN – Forbion Capital Partners raised €92 million (US$116 million) in a first close of a new fund, FCF III, further evidence that Europe's biotechnology sector is exiting the funding freeze of recent years.
Two key events that will shape the future of medicines regulation in Europe are taking place on Thursday. The European Parliament, which is holding confirmation hearings this week on the incoming team of European Commissioners, will scrutinize a controversial proposal from Jean Claude Juncker, the president of the new commission, to transfer oversight of the EMA back to the EU's Directorate General (DG) for Enterprise, which now has the new – and unwieldy – name of DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs.
DUBLIN – The EMA review of Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd.'s dossier for Scenesse (afamelanotide 16 mg) in the treatment of erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is the first to incorporate patient feedback under a new pilot program.
DUBLIN – Shares in Nicox SA climbed more than 20 percent Thursday on news that its lead drug candidate, Vesneo (latanoprostene bunod; formerly BOL-303259-X), which is partnered with Bausch + Lomb, hit the primary endpoint in two phase III pivotal trials in glaucoma, paving the way for a new drug application (NDA) during the first half of 2015.
DUBLIN – Shares in DBV Technologies SA gained more than 20 percent Tuesday on positive news from a phase IIb trial of the company's Viaskin Peanut allergy treatment.
