Jaakko Lappalainen, vice president of clinical development for Marinus Pharmaceuticals Inc., told BioWorld Today that early phase II success with ganaxolone against cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) seizure disorder should not necessarily have taken anyone by surprise, despite a phase III setback last June with the same treatment in drug-resistant focal onset seizures.
In the wake of U.S. regulators' nod for Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Trulance (plecanatide), buyout speculation buzzed while analysts differed on prospects for the drug as a "fast follower" going up against Linzess (linaclotide) from Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Inc. in chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) and, soon, irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).
Dermira Inc.’s third positive phase III trial with Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) in moderate to severe psoriasis turned up “market-leading type” results at the 400-mg dose, the firm’s chief development officer, Luis Peña, told BioWorld Today, and enables a regulatory filing in Europe.
Eli Lilly and Co.'s takeover of Colucid Pharmaceuticals Inc. for about $960 million calmed some investor frets brought on by patent rulings in the EU and led to speculation about further deals among migraine players, specifically a potential bid for Alder Biopharmaceuticals Inc., which last November started a pivotal trial with its candidate.
If intervening ahead of symptoms in Alzheimer's disease (AD) works in people with gene mutations that predispose them to getting sick at a younger age, then it will probably work in the rest of the population, principal investigator Randall Bateman theorized to BioWorld Today, and his team at Washington University (WashU) – testing drugs provided by big pharma – hopes to prove as much.
Consultants at Avalere Health came up with an array of trends likely to shake, rattle, and roll the industry in the coming year, as President-elect Donald Trump takes office and worries of a crackdown on drug pricing recede, but don't go away entirely.
Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corp. is not only buying Derma Sciences Inc. for about $204 million but also taking on contingent liabilities related to the latter's July 2016 acquisition of Biod LLC that could total "around $56 million," said Integra's chief financial officer (CFO) Glenn Coleman.
During a third-quarter earnings conference call in November with investors, when asked about divestitures that could help the company chip away at major debt and focus on the main business, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. CEO Joe Papa said "core assets for us are the dermatology, the gastrointestinal [GI], the eye-care and the consumer side, but we did receive a number of inbound requests to acquire some of our product assets with very significant numbers that we have to evaluate."
