Wuxi Pharmatech Inc., of Shanghai, said its manufacturing subsidiary, Syn-The-All Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., started construction on a fully integrated R&D and cGMP manufacturing site in Changzhou, about 110 miles west of Shanghai. Read More
Aicuris AG, of Wuppertal, Germany, and Merck & Co. Inc., of Whitehouse Station, N.J., said phase II results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine showing the safety and efficacy of letermovir, an oral antiviral agent for the prevention of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in patients receiving bone marrow transplant. Read More
Enanta Pharmaceueticals Inc., of Watertown, Mass., said partner Abbvie Inc., of Chicago, submitted a marketing authorization application for ABT-450 to the EMA seeking approval of the all-oral, interferon-free regimen for the treatment of adults infected with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C virus. Read More
Dendreon Corp., of Seattle, reported total revenue of $68.8 million for the first quarter, just missing consensus estimates of $69.2 million. Read More
Synthorx Inc., a new synthetic biology company backed by Avalon and Correlation Ventures, is leveraging exclusive rights to a technology for creating synthetic DNA base pairs to improve the discovery and development of new medicines, diagnostics and vaccines. Read More
apanese firm Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd. completed phase I trials for resminostat – licensed from German firm 4SC AG – in solid tumors, as the partners hope to move forward with the target indication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Japan, where liver cancer is one of the largest causes of cancer-related death. Read More
India is considering waiving a global patent for cancer drug dasatanib under provisions of the country's Patent Act that allow it to make the move for public noncommercial use. Read More
SUZHOU, China – Navigating the obstacle course of China's regulatory system requires strategic thinking, long-term planning, creative problem solving and it doesn't hurt to have deep pockets, according to the experts discussing cross-border approvals at the Chinabio Partnering conference. Read More
SUZHOU, China – Venture investing in China's life sciences industry continued a three-year upswing in 2013, according to speakers at the Chinabio Partnering Forum, with more than $1 billion in publicly disclosed deals last year. Read More
As the initial public offering (IPO) flood slowed to a trickle, Alder Biopharmaceuticals Inc.'s $80 million deal did little to raise optimism, as the firm priced an upsized number of shares at a lower price to raise an amount far below the $115 million targeted in March, when the company filed to go public. The Bothell, Wash.-based firm hiked the number of shares from 7.2 million to 8 million, selling them at $10 each, under the projected $13-to-$15 range. (See BioWorld Today, March 20, 2014.) Read More
Dompe Group, of Milan, reported preliminary phase I results confirming the tolerability of its recombinant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF), in development for ophthalmic use as a treatment for neurotrophic keratitis. Read More
