LONDON – Two new $250 million investment funds have been announced, promising long-term capital to new companies formed around the U.K.'s science base. Ahren Innovation Capital LP, which is supported by eight of Cambridge University's most prominent scientists – including two Nobel laureates – has closed at $250 million. Meanwhile, SV Health Investors announced the launch of its $250 million seventh fund, with the charity Cancer Research UK (CRUK) putting in $25 million as cornerstone investor. Read More
The FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) issued 62% more warning letters under the first part of the Trump administration than it did during the last few years of the Obama administration. But the number of warnings for medical devices, food and tobacco products fell sharply under President Donald Trump, according to an investigative report being published in the July 5 issue of Science. Read More
In the words of former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, the five-week government shutdown that ended Jan. 25 was "the most difficult operational challenge we have faced in modern times." While the full impact of that challenge could ripple through the FDA for a while, it made little difference in the number of warning letters the agency sent out between Dec. 23 and Jan. 25. Read More
Boston Biomedical Inc. shuttered phase III study Canstem111P of napabucasin for patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, adding to the list of studies that have fallen in pancreatic cancer. Read More
Since the mid-April pricing of Hookipa Pharma Inc.'s IPO, the New York-based firm has endured a bumpy ride on Wall Street, with shares sliding steadily since backers bought 6 million at $14 each for $84 million in proceeds. But among those keeping the faith are analysts at Evercore ISI, who recently hosted a webinar to highlight the research ongoing at Hookipa, which Ravi Mehrotra called "one of the most interesting companies we've come across." Read More
HONG KONG – Supported by the municipal government of Chongqing in China, a joint venture between South Korean drugmaker Binex Co. Ltd. and Chinese pharmaceutical company Chongqing Zein Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. will be set up in the third quarter of this year. Read More
LONDON – Monitoring low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) fails to identify those who are at the highest risk for heart attack or death, according to a new study that used alternative biomarkers to assess the risk of further events. Read More
Oncovita SAS, of Paris, said it entered a licensing agreement with Institut Pasteur, granting it an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize therapies based on the immuno-oncolytic measles virus platform. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Read More
Morphic Holding Inc., of Waltham, Mass., said it closed its IPO of 6.9 million common shares, including 900,000 shares sold for the full exercise of overallotments, at $15 apiece to raise $103.5 million. Read More
