The FDA may be holding hearings this week on the question of whether food dyes are linked to behavioral problems. But in worms, it's all good: Scientists have reported that feeding the yellow dye Thioflavin T to roundworms increased the animals' median life span by 60 percent. Read More
In yet another sign that the biotech industry seems to be tracking the U.S. economy's slow but steady recovery, Insys Therapeutics Inc., of Phoenix, filed with the SEC on Wednesday to raise up to $55 million in an initial public offering (IPO). Read More
Amgen Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. shared their disappointment today regarding top-line results of a Phase III trial of their VEGF inhibitor, motesanib, for nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Read More
Regulus Therapeutics Inc., of La Jolla, Calif., gained exclusive rights from New York University (NYU) to intellectual property covering methods of use in modulating microRNA-33a (miR-33a) and miR-33b for metabolic diseases such as atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome. Scientists from Regulus and NYU have shown that antagonizing miR-33a and miR-33b with therapeutic oligonucleotide anti-miRs had several beneficial effects, including reduction in atherosclerotic plaque and increase in levels of high-density lipoprotein. Read More
Repeating earlier claims that Cephalon Inc.'s board of directors had not engaged in timely discussions about his company's $5.7 billion, $73-a-share bid for Cephalon, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. Chairman and CEO J. Michael Pearson said that Valeant would appeal directly to Cephalon shareholders by commencing a consent solicitation process next week to replace Cephalon's board with Valeant's nominees. Read More
Intercept Pharmaceuticals Inc. is soaring, now that it has an expanded runway and a flight plan to Asia via its first strategic partner worth a potential $315 million. Read More
Pharmasset Inc., of Princeton, N.J., said screening has begun in a Phase IIb study of PSI-7977, a nucleotide analogue polymerase inhibitor for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV). The 300-patient trial will evaluate PSI-7977 400 mg QD with pegylated interferon and ribavirin in patients with HCV genotype 1, 4, 5 or 6 who have not been treated previously. The primary endpoint is the safety and tolerability of PSI-7977 in combination with peginterferon and ribavirin over 12 or 24 weeks. Read More
