Helsinn Group, of Lugano, Switzerland, said it granted exclusive distribution and licensing rights to Gruppo Angelini SpA, of Rome, for the commercialization in Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Georgia, Russia and the other CIS countries of its compound in development for anorexia-cachexia syndrome related to non-small-cell lung cancer. Read More
Galectin Therapeutics Inc., of Norcross, Ga., said Providence Portland Medical Center filed an investigational new drug application on Dec. 27 to study GR-MD-02 in combination with immunotherapy Yervoy (ipilimumab, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) in a Phase Ib trial in patients with metastatic melanoma. Read More
Celltrion Inc., of Incheon, South Korea, said it received approval of its cancer treatment biosimilar monoclonal antibody (mAb) Herzuma (trastuzumab), a biosimilar of Herceptin (Roche AG), from Korean regulators. Read More
Cantargia AB, of Stockholm, received a capital injection of SEK3 million (US$464,000) from LU Bioscience AB, giving it a stake in Cantargia of 59.2 percent. Sven Andreasson was appointed chairman, and Lars Larsson a member of the board. Read More
The House passed a fiscal 2014 spending bill that boosts funding for the FDA and National Institutes of Health (NIH) on a vote of 359-67 Wednesday. Read More
SAN FRANCISCO – “Two or three years ago you would see sad faces walking around the halls of the Westin St. Francis,” said Ram May-Ron, managing partner with the Freemind Group. “Today, it’s slightly better.” Read More
SAN FRANCISCO – Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. CEO Leonard Bell suggested Wednesday during his presentation at the J.P. Morgan (JPM) Healthcare Conference that the company’s investment in Moderna Therapeutics Inc. might not be its last significant business development move in 2014. Read More
SAN FRANCISCO – News of the tentative April 1 advisory committee to discuss Mannkind Corp.’s resubmitted new drug application for inhaled insulin Afrezza (insulin human [rDNA origin]) powder sent the Valencia, Calif.-based firm’s shares falling 16 percent last week. Read More
SAN FRANCISCO – Making the move from investment banking to the world of venture capital at first sounded as though it would yield more free time and a more relaxing occupation; instead, as a managing partner at RMI Partners, Anton Gopka has found himself busier than ever, perhaps never more so than during this year’s J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. Read More
