Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s approach to cystic fibrosis (CF) – pairing the approved therapy Kalydeco (ivacaftor) as a "potentiator" with another compound, VX-661, as a "corrector" – gained market-pleasing, top-line, Phase II proof that sent the stock on a skyward ride. Read More
Superbugs are staging a global onslaught that will only get worse with time unless a modernized arsenal is developed to stop them. But an inventory of new weapons under development doesn't look like enough is being done to turn the tide anytime soon. Read More
UK-based GW Pharmaceuticals plc set the terms for its proposed U.S. initial public offering (IPO), which would provide a listing on Nasdaq and nearly double its cash position ahead of the anticipated launch of lead cannabinoid product Sativex in the U.S. Read More
Cerecor Inc. acquired rights to an NMDA (N-methyl-d-aspartate) antagonist for development in the area of depression from Merck and Co. Inc. The drug, MK-0657, was initially in development at Merck for Parkinson's disease. Increasing evidence in the literature points to NMDA receptors as promising targets in treating depression, including well-known studies with ketamine, an NMDA antagonist. Read More
• Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Lexington, Mass., reported first-quarter net revenues of $202 million for antibiotic Cubicin (daptomycin for injection), a 9 percent increase over the first quarter of 2012. Read More
• BioTime Inc., of Alameda, Calif., entered an exclusive license agreement with the University of California, Los Angeles for technology related to the treatment of stroke. Read More
• Pergamum AB, of Stockholm, reached last-patient-last-visit in a Phase I/II trial of LL-37 for venous leg ulcers. The double-blind study enrolled 34 patients who received placebo or one of three different doses of LL-37. Read More
• ADial Pharmaceuticals LLC, of Charlottesville, Va., said the FDA approved its plan to initiate Phase III trials of AD04 in alcohol use disorder in certain targeted genotypes. Read More
• Novo Nordisk A/S, of Bagsvaerd, Denmark, opened its new U.S. headquarters in Plainsboro, N.J. The building is part of a $225 million public/private redevelopment project, which used an existing structure and sustainable materials to limit environmental impact. Read More
Numerous nanodevices are being developed to deliver drugs into the body. But researchers from the University of California at San Diego have developed a nanosponge for the opposite purpose, namely, to remove toxins from the bloodstream. Read More
