A month after pulling down $35 million from a briskly advancing cancer deal with GlaxoSmithKline plc, Exelixis Inc. has signed a collaboration with Genentech Inc. to target proteins and genes involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. (BioWorld Today)
The perhaps unreasonable power of preliminary data - especially when it's offered by an industry powerhouse - was proved once again late last month when mighty Genentech Inc. disclosed positive early figures from a Phase III trial with Lucentis against age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
SAN FRANCISCO - Industry leader and self-made man Roy Vagelos, former chairman and CEO of Merck & Co. Inc., offered words of wisdom about keeping talent in the coming half-century, which he told attendees of Allicense 2005 will be vastly more "productive and exciting" than the previous 50 years.
In a financing environment that's less than ideal for biotechnology firms, Reliant Pharmaceuticals Inc. is shooting to raise $300 million with its initial public offering, though the company did not specify the number of shares or the price per share. (BioWorld Today)
Late last year, when Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. and partner Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corp. disclosed their plan to hold off seeking approval of their kidney cancer drug sorafenib (previously BAY 43-9006) until they had Phase III data in hand, Wall Street blanched. (BioWorld Financial Watch)
