Scientists from the University of Cambridge have reported that a high proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains were resistant to penicillin-class antibiotics, the beta-lactams, when they were treated with a combination of penicillins and beta-lactamase inhibitors. Read More
It has been acknowledged by governments around the world that there are simply not enough antibiotics currently in the product pipeline to meet the predicted requirements of their health care systems. Not good news considering that antibiotic resistance continues to be a major societal concern, with the CDC estimating that in the U.S. alone at least 2 million people contract an antibiotic-resistant infection, and at least 23,000 people die annually as a result. Read More
Approval of Alexion Pharmaceutical Inc.'s Soliris (eculizumab) injection to treat neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) in adult patients who are anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody positive makes it the first and only FDA-approved treatment. It's also one of the most expensive treatments in the world, making it vulnerable to off-label use and the eventual creep of biosimilars into the market. Read More
In an era when data are more valuable than gold, China has rolled out new regulations to strengthen control of its human genetics data. Any foreign biotech companies or institutes intending to use Chinese data must engage a Chinese partner in the research project, amongst other new requirements. Read More
Japanese biopharma Carna Biosciences Inc. and Gilead Sciences Inc., of Foster City, Calif., have signed a $470 million R&D collaboration to develop and commercialize small-molecule compounds in immuno-oncology. Under the agreement, Gilead will license worldwide rights to develop and commercialize inhibitors against an undisclosed immuno-oncology target from Kobe, Japan-based Carna. Additionally, Gilead will have access to Carna's lipid kinase drug discovery platform. Read More
A research team at the University of New Mexico (UNM), Albuquerque, is moving forward with the development of a vaccine against tauopathies, a neurodegenerative class of diseases that includes Alzheimer's disease, but while promising in the lab, it could take a decade to get an actual vaccine to market. Read More
Bracco Imaging SpA. is buying prostate cancer imaging specialist Blue Earth Diagnostics Ltd. for $450 million, acquiring full rights to Axumin (F18-fluciclovine), a PET radiocontrast agent originally developed by Chicago-based GE Healthcare. Read More
Mirati Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, raised gross proceeds of $234.2 million in a now-closed underwritten public offering of about 2.4 million common shares priced at $97 each. Underwriters of the offering exercised in full their option to purchase up to 315,000 additional shares. Cowen, Credit Suisse and Barclays acted as joint book-running managers. Read More
Carrick Therapeutics Ltd., of Dublin, said it plans to establish business operations in Boston, and made public the transition of CEO leadership from Elaine Sullivan, based in Dublin, to Tim Pearson, based in Boston. Read More
