Affimed Therapeutics AG, of Heidelberg, Germany, said results from a phase I trial of AFM13, its monotherapy for the treatment of patients with advanced relapsing/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma, confirmed the drug's safety in 28 heavily pretreated patients. Read More
Assembly Pharmaceuticals, of Indianapolis, has received an investment from the Biocrossroads Indiana Seed Fund II with Johnson & Johnson Development Corp., Twilight Ventures, Luson Bioventures and private investors also participating in the seed financing round. Read More
Three clinical-stage companies, Minerva Neurosciences Inc., Cymabay Therapeutics Inc. and Dance Biopharm Inc. filed for initial public offerings (IPO) on Nasdaq in hopes of harnessing millions of dollars from enthusiastic investors and riding momentum from a first quarter in which 28 biotech IPOs raised $2.2 billion. Read More
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) is looking to the power of the crowd to strengthen the quality of patents by weeding out claims that aren't innovative. Read More
TOKYO – Facing long delays in access to game-changing medicines, Asian health care markets have become much more innovation-oriented over the past decade, but those efforts are conflicted as they are simultaneously aiming to contain the cost of drugs. Read More
LONDON – Australian biotech Spinifex Pharmaceuticals carried the momentum generated by positive phase II data for its lead chronic pain program forward into a $45 million series C round that has attracted backing from premier U.S. and European investors. Read More
Buoyed by unexpectedly early signs of robust clinical efficacy for its lead protide cancer drug Acelarin (NUC-1031), Nucana Biomed Ltd. raised $57 million in a series B round to accelerate its development and to advance several others into the clinic. Read More
Two more biopharma firms priced initial public offerings (IPOs), though Adamas Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Cerulean Pharmaceuticals Inc. received lukewarm welcomes on Nasdaq Thursday, as the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index – after a short-lived rally the day before – took another slide. Read More
Xencor Inc., of Monrovia, Calif., received a milestone payment from Merck & Co. Inc., of Whitehouse Station, N.J., through a subsidiary, triggered by the initiation of a phase I study of an undisclosed biologic drug candidate that uses Xencor's Xmab antibody engineering intellectual property (IP). Read More
