About six months after inking a collaboration with MorphoSys AG for a Phase I-ready cancer candidate, antibody engineering firm Xencor Inc. signed an option deal with Thousand Oaks, Calif.-based Amgen Inc. targeting the autoimmune space. Read More
SAN FRANCISCO – The mood of the biotech sector is "up," and with it avid participation is anticipated at the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare conference, which kicks off here today and runs through Thursday. Read More
Civitas Therapeutics Inc., a new spinout from Alkermes Inc., is off to a good start with $20 million in Series A financing from its founding investor Longitude Capital and co-lead Canaan Partners. Civitas, of Chelsea, Mass., is born of Alkermes' pulmonary delivery technology with pipeline assets and commercial-ready manufacturing facilities. Alkermes retains a significant equity position in the new biotech. Read More
The ability to store and digest fat – the densest form of calories "was crucial for the evolution of mammals, and man," Bert O'Malley told BioWorld Today. "When you get a meal, you've got to both absorb the calories, and store them." Read More
The year is dead, long live the year. It's hard for us to resist looking back from time to time, nor should we. We live moment by moment, so it can be surprising to widen our view and see how much has changed in a year. Read More
Targeted Genetics Corp., of Seattle, completed acquisition of Biocontrol Ltd., of London. Targeted Genetics will issue 22,586,073 shares of common stock to Biocontrol shareholders, who will then hold about 50 percent of Targeted Genetics. As a condition prior to the acquisition, Biocontrol raised $310,000 in working capital for use by Targeted Genetics. Read More
Chimerix Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C., started enrolling patients in an open-label study of CMX001, in development for dual use as a broad-spectrum antiviral against life-threatening viral infections in immunocompromised patients and as a medical countermeasure in the event of a smallpox outbreak. The primary objective of the study is to provide CMX001 to patients with immediately life-threatening or serious disease caused by any of 12 different viral infections resulting from dsDNA viruses. Read More
Scientists from Columbia University have evidence that Nature's policy toward the vacuums it supposedly abhors may be more flexible than is generally appreciated. Read More
