Almost a year after its $57 million Series A private equity financing, Aspreva Pharmaceuticals Inc. priced its initial public offering of 7.2 million shares at $11 per share (C$13.68), raising $79.2 million for the Victoria, British Columbia-based firm. (BioWorld Today)

In November, when their would-be blockbuster drug for multiple sclerosis won FDA approval based on a single year of data, Biogen Idec Inc. and Elan Corp. plc disclosed they had changed the name of the compound from Antegren (which had been used during its development) to the odd-looking and harder-to-pronounce Tysabri.