The EMA and European Commission (EC) will hold a workshop March 20 to identify and discuss potential improvements to the implementation of the EU’s Pediatric Regulation. Read More

Beigene Ltd., of Beijing, dosed the first patient in a phase III trial testing its anti-PD-1 antibody, tislelizumab, as a second-line treatment in approximately 450 patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Read More

Dova Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Durham, N.C., appointed Mark W. Hahn chief financial officer. Read More

Synedgen Inc., of Claremont, Calif., said research on the potential for glycans and their ion-specific behavior to treat diseases was published in Macromolecular Theory and Simulation. Read More

Solid Biosciences Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., raised net proceeds of about $133.7 million in an IPO of its common stock, now closed. Read More

Palo Alto, Calif.-based Varian Medical Systems will acquire Sirtex Medical Ltd. for about A$1.6 billion (US$1.3 billion). Shares of the acquirer remained flat on the announcement, perhaps because the deal was viewed as somewhat predictable and expensive by investors. Read More

Scientists have engineered chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells to respond to TGF-beta as a stimulant rather than an immunosuppressant. Read More

DUBLIN – Aicuris Anti-infective Cures GmbH banked a €30 million (US$37.3 million) milestone from partner Merck & Co Inc. following formal European approval of Prevymis (letermovir) for preventing reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in seropositive bone marrow transplant patients. Read More

Three U.S.-based phase I trials of Bellicum Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s lead candidate, an adjunct T-cell therapy for bone marrow transplant patients, are on an FDA-ordered clinical hold after the company reported three cases of encephalopathy possibly related to the treatment. Read More