The NIH Wednesday announced the launch of the HEAL (Helping to end addiction long-term) Initiative, a trans-agency effort to speed scientific solutions to stem the national opioid epidemic. Read More
Genprex Inc., of Austin, Texas, which is focused on developing an immunogene therapy for non-small-cell lung cancer, said it closed an initial public offering of 1.28 million shares at $5 each, before underwriting discounts. Read More
Biocryst Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., and Idera Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Exton, Pa., each filed definitive proxy statements in connection with their pending merger. Read More
Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. gained air time in mid-March for proving in phase III the long-acting, intravenous (I.V.) C5 complement inhibitor ALXN-1210 non-inferior to the company's own Soliris (eculizumab) in complement inhibitor treatment-naïve patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). But the company's hardly the only game in town. Read More
SHANGHAI – One-year-old Terns Pharmaceuticals will seed its pipeline with three candidates for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), having acquired global development and commercialization rights from Eli Lilly & Co., of Indianapolis. Terns intends to take a China-first strategy for the development and registration of these candidates for liver disease while remaining open to global opportunities. Read More
DUBLIN – Versant Ventures notched up another result with its build-to-buy model of backing cutting-edge translational science, as Roche Holding AG triggered an option to acquire Inception 5, an early stage venture focused on the discovery of small molecules that promote remyelination of damaged neurons in multiple sclerosis. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Versant is backing the same leadership in a new start-up, Pipeline Therapeutics Inc., to continue drug discovery work on the broader theme of identifying small molecule therapeutics for a range of neuroregenerative applications, such as hearing loss, neuropathic pain and Alzheimer's disease. Read More
Sigilon Therapeutics Inc., a Cambridge, Mass.-based start-up working to encapsulate therapeutic cells for chronic disease inside microspheres invisible to the immune system's normal fibrotic response to foreign implants, has landed a $473 million deal with Eli Lilly & Co. to develop a potential treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D). The strategic collaboration, which includes $63 million up front plus an equity investment of undisclosed value, marks one of Lilly's biggest insulin-dependent diabetes deals to date, as measured by disclosed initial value, after ill-fated tie-ups with Macrogenics Inc. and Adocia SAS. Read More
