CHICAGO – As the burst of a Midwestern spring turned to summer here, a record number of about 33,000 attendees converged for the 50th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting, where doctors, scientists and others heard details of the latest research. Read More
LONDON – Six weeks after divesting its portfolio of marketed cancer drugs, Glaxosmithkline (GSK) plc is stepping up investment in oncology R&D, in a $350 million deal with T-cell immunotherapy specialist, Adaptimmune Ltd., for its lead program NY-ESO-1. Read More
BOGOTA, Columbia – Biotech companies in Brazil are stepping up their drug development efforts to compete in the local and global markets as their multinational peers scour the country in search of opportunities to create partnerships, merge or make acquisitions. Read More
Positive preliminary data from a phase II trial of Promedior Inc.'s experimental myelofibrosis therapy, PRM-151, showed the anti-fibrotic immunotherapy to be safe, well tolerated and effective in reducing symptoms of the disease. Read More
Despite rumors to the contrary, news coming from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago was not entirely focused on immunotherapy. Privately held Angiochem Inc. was among the companies reporting positive findings from candidates with other mechanisms of action. Read More
HONG KONG – A framework of the guidelines for biosimilar approvals in China should be released in June, and work proceeds apace to have regulations in place by the end of the year, industry insiders told BioWorld Today. Read More
Dara Biosciences Inc., of Raleigh, N.C., said it priced a public offering and entered definitive agreements with investors, which included certain officers and directors of the company, for the sale of securities with gross proceeds of approximately $12.5 million. Read More
Davinci Biosciences LLC, of Costa Mesa, Calif., said its paper on the use of human prenatal intestine cells as a source of stem and epithelial cells was accepted for publication in Cell & Tissue Transplantation & Therapy. Read More
Triphase Accelerator Corp., of Toronto, presented preclinical results demonstrating that the combination of marizomib, its proteasome inhibitor, and Pomalyst (pomalidomide, Celgene Corp.) was synergistic in killing multiple myeloma cells. Read More
Genmab A/S, of Copenhagen, said partner Glaxosmithkline plc, of London, decided to start additional pivotal studies testing the subcutaneous formulation of CD2-targeting monoclonal antibody ofatumumab. Read More
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., of Laval, Quebec, said it is increasing its cash bid for Allergan Inc., of Irvine, Calif., offering $72 per share in cash plus 0.83 shares of Valeant common stock in exchange for each Allergan share. Read More
Researchers from the Italian San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy have developed a method that has allowed them to use zinc finger gene-editing techniques on blood stem cells. Read More
