Promising phase II data reported during last year's American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting helped Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. snag big pharma Bayer Healthcare in an alliance for potential first-in-class factor XI inhibitor that brings the Carlsbad, Calif.-based biotech a whopping $100 million up front. Read More
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America Inc., of Montgomery, Ala., reported that the results of a meta-analysis of 15 randomized, controlled clinical trials, to assess the effects of Livalo (pitavastatin) on glycemic parameters and new-onset diabetes (NOD) in non-diabetic individuals were presented as a late-breaking abstract at the 83rd European Atherosclerosis Society Congress held in Glasgow, UK. Read More
Baxter International Inc., of Deerfield, Ill., (NYSE:BAX) and Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said Baxter has submitted a marketing authorization application to the EMA for approval of MM-398 (irinotecan liposome injection), an investigational treatment for patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas who have been previously treated with gemcitabine-based therapy. Read More
strong>Gliacure Inc., of Boston, has initiated dosing of Alzheimer's patients in a phase Ib trial of its lead product candidate, GC021109, a compound developed as a potential disease-modifying treatment. Read More
Shares of Spark Therapeutics Inc. tumbled Monday morning after a paper published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggested that a gene therapy approach to treating Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) peaked one to three years after treatment, followed by a decline. Read More
HONG KONG – The findings of a Sino-U.S. study that links the aging process to the deterioration of heterochromatin could lead to methods of preventing and/or treating age-related diseases including cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, researchers reported in the May 1, 2015, issue of Science. Read More
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Syncore Biotechnology Co. Ltd. (subsidiary of Taipei-based Sinpharm Pharmaceutical Group) received approval from the FDA for its solid tumor oncology agent SB01 to begin a phase II trial for head and neck cancer. Read More
The handling of prescription drug patents in Canadian courts in recent years helped earn Canada the dubious distinction of being the only developed country included on this year's U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) list of trade partners that need to get their act together. Read More
HONG KONG – Taigen Biotechnology Co. Ltd. started the first clinical trials of its stem cell mobilizer drug, burixafor (TG-0054), in mainland China. Read More
HONG KONG – Wuxi Pharmatech Inc. is building a $150 million biologics manufacturing facility for subsidiary Wuxi Biologics – the largest of its kind in China. When finished, the new facility will put the company in a different league, multiplying its production capacity and doubling its client base. Read More
Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc., of Boston, reported first quarter revenue of approximately $1.2 million, which included U.S. Auryxia (ferric citrate) product revenue of $422,000 and license revenue of $753,000 associated with royalties received on ferric citrate sales in Japan. Read More
Fennec Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., said that Southpoint Master Fund LP, its largest shareholder has exercised 0.3 million warrants at $1.50 each and net proceeds are expected to be approximately $450,000. Read More
Clearside Biomedical Inc., of Alpharetta, Ga., and Santen Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Santen Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., of Osaka, Japan, said they have expanded their research collaboration to include the field of glaucoma. Read More
