When Adelene Perkins looks back on her career, starting with a B.S. in chemical engineering from Villanova University, through her current position as president and CEO of Infinity Pharmaceuticals Inc., one theme that emerges is "optionality," a philosophy of continuously developing multiple viable options and paths at the same time. Read More
This week's deal between Affimed Therapeutics AG and Johnson & Johnson put the bispecific antibody space in the headlines once again, as the field took another step toward becoming as hot as antibody-drug conjugates, said Jeremy Bender, chief business officer of Sutro Biopharma Inc., which made news in December via its deal with Celgene Corp. Read More
Scientists have discovered that some bacteria have found a way to combine the advantages of sexual and asexual reproduction, using a process that its discoverers have termed "distributive conjugal transfer" to gain some of the advantages of sexual production while avoiding its drawbacks. Read More
Ariana Pharma SA is developing software to guide the selection of personalized cancer care as part of a clinical trial in patients which, the study investigators claim, will be the first to offer all participants a treatment regimen based on their individual DNA, RNA and microRNA profiles. Read More
LONDON – The European Union said the second phase of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI 2) will get under way in January 2014 with a budget of €3.45 billion (US$4.5 billion) to be devoted to the development of vaccines and treatments for a range of chronic and degenerative diseases. Read More
• Immunomic Therapeutics Inc., of Hershey, Pa., said it completed a $3 million debt financing round in advance of a Series B round planned for later this year. Read More
• Biovest International Inc., of Tampa, Fla., said it emerged from Chapter 11 reorganization, formally completing its restructuring and recapitalization strategy, with its plan of reorganization becoming effective July 9. Read More
• Oncogenex Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Bothell, Wash., said enrollment was completed in Borealis-1, a company-sponsored Phase II trial testing heat-shock protein 27 inhibitor OGX-427 in combination with first-line gemcitabine and cisplatin in patients with metastatic bladder cancer. About 180 patients were recruited into the study. Read More
• Merck KGaA, of Darmstadt, Germany, said its Merck Serono unit signed an agreement to collaborate with Life Technologies Corp., of Carlsbad, Calif., for current and future companion diagnostics projects. Read More
• Baxter International Inc., of Deerfield, Ill., presented data at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Boston from the Phase III Gammaglobulin Alzheimer's Partnership study showing that, as previously disclosed, the study did not meet its co-primary endpoints of reducing cognitive decline and preserving functional abilities in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Read More
