Asterias Biotherapeutics Inc., of Fremont, Calif., said the first patient with incomplete AIS-B cervical spinal cord injury was dosed with 10 million cells of AST-OPC1 (oligodendrocyte progenitor cells) in the SCiSTAR trial. Read More
Soricimed Biopharma Inc., of Toronto, said the FDA has granted orphan drug designation to its peptide, SOR-C13, to treat pancreatic cancer, following a similar designation for ovarian cancer. Read More
In an SEC settlement involving insider trading allegations in the U.S., an Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. executive and three other men agreed to disgorge the profits they made, plus penalties and interest, but the settlement includes no admission of guilt. Read More
HONG KONG – Chinese authorities will participate in a cross-agency campaign to regularly publish a blacklist of companies and share information among multiple authorities to improve product safety of drugs and medical devices. Read More
NEW DELHI – India is considering making its voluntary Uniform Code of Pharmaceuticals Marketing Practices (UCPMP) mandatory to curb unfair marketing practices by pharma companies, including providing incentives for doctors to prescribe their products. Read More
SHANGHAI – Increasingly in China, innovation is meant to be a local game to create local champions, and foreign firms are lining up to find ways to be a part of the action, both big and small. Read More
At face value, Fortis Therapeutics Inc. might seem like just another pretty preclinical immuno-oncology (I-O) project. But Jay Lichter, president and CEO of Fortis and COI Pharmaceuticals Inc. – which is housing the startup – and managing director of Avalon Ventures called the San Diego-based company's platform "absolutely the most advanced program we've ever seen, with the most high-quality data." Read More
"The beauty of this deal is that it's not just an out-licensing deal from Servier," CTI Life Sciences partner Jean-François Leprince told BioWorld Today as he explained newly formed Laval, Quebec-based Ilkos Therapeutics Inc., which made its debut with a $21 million three-way investment in equal parts by CTI, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ and Servier Canada. Read More
Amgen Inc. said a regimen of Kyprolis (carfilzomib), melphalan and prednisone failed to extend median progression-free survival for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients beyond what's delivered by a similar regimen anchored instead by Takeda Oncology Co.'s Velcade (bortezomib). Read More
