Immunid, of Grenoble, France, said the first five patients were enrolled in its PREDICT-ID melanoma study to assess the predictive value of immune profiles for response to Yervoy (ipilimumab, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.). Read More
Athersys Inc., of Cleveland, and Cell Therapy Catapult in London said Athersys affiliate Athersys Ltd. was awarded a grant from Innovate UK to support a phase IIa study evaluating the administration of Multistem cell therapy to acute respiratory distress syndrome patients. Read More
LONDON – Autolus Ltd. has launched with a £30 million (US$45.6 million) series A funding to develop chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell cancer therapies, which it claims will both overcome the serious side effects seen to date and move beyond B-cell targeting to address solid tumors. Read More
The transcription factor Myc plays a major role in gene expression. It regulates the expression of 15 percent to 20 percent of all genes, and Myc mutations are known or suspected to be drivers in many cancers. As a result, there is a very active, if to date unsuccessful, push by the biopharma industry to develop Myc gene inhibitors. Read More
HONG KONG – A Chinese biopharmaceutical company with a newly built facility in Suzhou Industrial Park has completed a series C financing of almost $100 million. The funds will help the company develop and manufacture complex and high-end biologics, including biosimilars. Read More
Promising multiple readouts on its HER2-focused experimental cancer therapy neratinib (PB272) in the year ahead, Puma Biotechnology Inc. unleashed plans for a $190 million follow-on offering to back clinical work and a planned first quarter 2016 new drug application (NDA) for the tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Read More
Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd.'s licensing partner Astellas Pharma Inc. won the favor of the FDA's Anti-Infective Drugs Advisory Committee for the antifungal isavuconazole, achieving a slam-dunk vote of 8-0 to recommend approval in the invasive aspergillosis indication, though the panel's balloting proved less certain about the rarer invasive mucormycosis: 8-2 in favor, with one abstention. Read More
DUBLIN – Shares in Immupharma plc traded as high as 31 percent Thursday on news that immunomodulatory peptide Lupuzor (IPP-201101) is, after a lengthy delay, finally entering a pivotal phase III trial in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Read More
Novo Nordisk A/S, of Bagsvaerd, Denmark, said the EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use adopted a positive opinion for the use of Saxenda (liraglutide 3 mg) for the treatment of obesity. Read More
