Sangamo BioSciences Inc., of Richmond, Calif., will acquire a Phase II Alzheimer’s disease gene therapy, CERE-110, plus a device for brain delivery with its acquisition of San Diego-based Ceregene Inc. Sangamo agreed to hand over 100,000 shares of its common stock, plus a payout on revenues from its products. Read More
Argos Therapeutics Inc.’s Series E financing – which has raised $42.5 million so far, including $30 million from the venture arm of a Russian pharma firm – is staying open and could turn into enough for the company to finish its pivotal Phase III trial with AGS-003, a personalized immunotherapy for metastatic kidney cancer. Read More
Syndax Pharmaceuticals Inc. moved closer to a new drug application (NDA)-enabling Phase III trial of lead candidate entinostat in metastatic breast cancer with a $26.6 million Series B financing. Read More
LONDON – As the summer break comes to an end, the industry in the UK is bracing itself for the outcome of government deliberations on establishing a value-based pricing system for drugs, with the Bioindustry Association (BIA) warning that investment in biotech could be put at risk. Read More
• Carolus Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, and The Alpha-1 Project Inc. (TAP), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Alpha-1 Foundation, are collaborating to characterize human biological samples for the presence of the target, RANTES:PF4 heterodimer, a soluble protein complex that is secreted by activated platelets and implicated in many inflammation-related diseases, including genetic emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Read More
• Lipidor AB, of Stockholm, a Karolinska Development portfolio firm, reported results from a Phase I/IIa study of AKVANO/calcipotriol spray formulation for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris, which showed that the water-free spray had clear and significant antipsoriatic effects vs. placebo, comparable to a marketed formulation of calcipotriol, meeting the primary objective of the study. Read More
• The FDA released a draft guidance for abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) for stability testing of drug substances and products including responses to public comments, particularly with respect to recommendations for generic drug manufacturers to follow International Conference on Hamonisation stability guidances. Read More
