The demise of Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s hepatitis C drug BMS-986094, which BMS discontinued development of after patients in its Phase IIb study experienced heart and kidney toxicity, stretched further than just the big pharma. The FDA put a partial clinical hold on Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s related nuc IDX184 and then slapped a hold on its next-generation nuc, IDX19368, as well.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the validity of Myriad Genetics Inc.'s patent claims based on the composition of isolated DNA. (See BioWorld Today, Aug 17, 2012.)
In April, Arrowhead Research Corp. bought Alvos Therapeutics Inc. in an all-stock deal valued at about $2.1 million plus additional stock worth up to $23.5 million based on the achievement of clinical and regulatory milestones.
After gaining FDA approval for its obesity drug Qsymia (phentermine/topiramate) last month, Vivus Inc. went to work preparing for a fourth-quarter launch of the drug. (See BioWorld Today July 19, 2012.)
Amarin Corp. plc got a green light from the FDA to market its triglyceride-lowering drug Vascepa (icosapent ethyl) last month. Now the biotech needs to give a red light to potential generic competitors.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. stormed onto the wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) market with second quarter sales of Eylea (aflibercept injection) increasing 57 percent compared to their first quarter. The drug competes with Roche AG's Lucentis (ranibizumab) and off-label use from Avastin (bevacizumab).
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. stormed onto the wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) market with second quarter sales of Eylea (aflibercept injection) increasing 57 percent compared to their first quarter. The drug competes with Roche AG's Lucentis (ranibizumab) and off-label use from Avastin (bevacizumab).
For the interim analysis of its Phase II study combining VX-809 and Kalydeco (ivacaftor) in cystic fibrosis patients homozygous for the F508del mutation, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. presented data pooled from the three doses from baseline to day 56 of the trial. The release of the final top-line data for study contained efficacy data for just the largest 600 mg dose of VX-809 with Vertex highlighting the improvement in lung function from day 28 to 56.
Summer is upon us. Or so I hear from news reports of heat waves and thunderstorms. Living in San Diego, we don't have summer, nor winter, nor fall. Venture capital investing, on the other hand, isn't nearly as hot. After the first quarter of 2012 that was a wildfire relative to 2011, the second quarter didn't keep pace and saw us slip below 2011 levels.
