Bioasis Technologies Inc., of Richmond, British Columbia, and Bioagilytix Labs Inc., of Durham, N.C., disclosed a strategic collaboration to partner on the development and validation of bioanalytical methods to support and advance the xB3 TM-001 program, Bioasis’ lead candidate to treat HER2-positive brain cancer, to IND submission and into the clinic. Read More
Following a bit of reverse lobbying, or what Pfizer Inc. CEO Ian Read characterized as "an extensive discussion" with U.S. President Donald Trump, the New York-based company said it would hold off on midyear price increases that went into effect July 1 to give Trump more time to work on his blueprint to strengthen the health care system and improve access for patients. Read More
Idorsia Ltd., of Allschwil, Switzerland, said it completed its placement of 11.91 million new shares by way of an accelerated bookbuilding. In addition it placed CHF200 million (US$200.7 million) of senior unsecured convertible bonds due 2024. Read More
PERTH, Australia – Biotech and med-tech firms are booming in Australia and 87 percent of companies surveyed said they expect to grow this year, according to a survey conducted by AusBiotech. Read More
TOULOUSE, France – The U.S. right to try legislation signed by President Donald Trump on May 30 will embolden “bad actors” looking for ways to take advantage of vulnerable patients and make it easier for rogue clinics to evade regulation and sell unproven and scientifically dubious stem cell therapies, according to researchers speaking at the Euroscience Open Forum meeting this week. Read More
Scynexis Inc. reported success in the dose-ranging phase IIb DOVE study evaluating five regimens of oral SCY-078, compared to standard-of-care fluconazole (FLU), to treat vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). Not only did SCY-078 achieve efficacy and tolerability at the lowest dose of 600 mg (300 mg twice daily) – the study was not powered to show statistical significance – but the effect was sustained over the evaluation period. Only one of 27 patients in the SCY-078 600-mg dose arm required rescue antifungal therapy compared to seven of 24 patients in the FLU arm. Read More
In 2013, a clutch of concepts about monoclonal antibody (MAb)-based discovery that had been incubated at life science investment firm Orbimed Advisors was quietly placed into the startup Compass Therapeutics LLC, which launched a year later with about $1 million in seed funding from Orbimed. From the get-go, Compass viewed MAb-based discovery, especially in immunology, through a different lens than most traditional drug developers, recalled Thomas Schuetz, an Orbimed entrepreneur-in-residence who co-founded Compass and serves as its CEO. Read More
DUBLIN – Forbion Capital Partners raised €270 million (US$316.6 million) in a first close of its fourth life sciences fund, taking to more than €732 million the total raised by European private equity funds this week. Read More
With three gene therapy approvals under its belt, the FDA is getting ready for an explosion in a field that has the potential to treat and cure some of the world’s most intractable and vexing diseases. Read More
Tokyo-based Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. is taking its first step into the world of biologics with a $430 million all-cash acquisition offer for Visterra Inc., a company offering an antibody design and engineering platform that President and Director Tatsuo Higuchi said would provide it with "a powerful new drug creation engine." Read More
