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.

Just as multiple drugs targeting amyloid-beta are set to read out Phase III results, a new Alzheimer's disease target, tau, is gaining popularity.

Following Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s big win for obesity drug Belviq (lorcaserin), Vivus Inc.'s Qnexa (phentermine/topiramate) is next in line. And, with a positive recommendation from the Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee (EMDAC) that drug also looks like it will get past the FDA on its second attempt.

Nearly 14 years after the approval of Herceptin (trastuzumab), Genentech Inc. has a second approved drug targeting HER2, Perjeta (pertuzumab).

In addition to the usual details about user fees, the latest reauthorization of the PDUFA package passed by the House and Senate also includes special incentives for antibiotic drugs.

Latin America is developing into an important geographic focus for drug companies. Through acquisitions and strategic partnerships, companies are positioning themselves to grab a slice of this expanding market.

After positive recommendations from the Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee (EMDAC) for both Vivus Inc.'s Qnexa (phentermine/topiramate) and Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s lorcaserin, it looks like both drugs will get past the FDA on their second attempts.

Cash is often biotech's most precious resource, but when a recession hits and capital markets seize up, it can be hard to come by.