It seems the record heat we had over the summer pushed venture capitalists off the golf courses and into air-conditioned offices to make deals. Read More
With added, positive Phase III breast cancer data from a trial called EMILIA for the antibody-drug conjugate T-DM1, Roche AG subsidiary Genentech Inc. and partner ImmunoGen Inc. uplifted – but didn't overly surprise – investors, who are waiting to see whether the first label permits front-line use in metastatic disease. Read More
The transcription factor c-Myc is an oncoprotein; that much has long been clear. The c-myc gene is a known or suspected driver mutation in many cancer types. Read More
Analysts were exuberant after Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. disclosed results Saturday from an interim analysis of the Phase IIb portion of its GALAXY (Ganetespib Assessment in Lung cAncer with docetaXel) trial of ganetespib, the company's lead heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor, as second-line treatment in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2012 Congress in Vienna, Austria. Read More
Evotec AG is pocketing €12 million (US$15.5 million) up front and could receive up to €580 million more in preclinical, clinical and commercial milestones from a drug discovery alliance focused on endometriosis with Bayer Pharma AG. Read More
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is recommending that agencies continue normal spending and operations, despite the threat of an across-the-board cut of 8.2 percent in discretionary funding levels if Congress fails to stop sequestration from taking effect Jan. 2. Read More
• AvidBiotics Corp., of South San Francisco, said it received a two-year, $600,000 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to further develop its targetable bactericidal proteins against Clostridium difficile bacteria. Read More
• Acacia Pharma Ltd., of Cambridge, UK, reported results from its Phase IIa study of APD403 for the prevention of acute nausea and vomiting in cancer patients receiving cisplatin, with initial exploratory cohorts showing that single-agent APD403 had encouraging benefit, especially in controlling nausea. Read More
• Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Parsippany, N.J., said the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia granted summary judgment in favor of Watson, and all other defendants, on all remaining claims in the pending antitrust lawsuit related to settlements of patent litigation concerning Androgel 1 percent testosterone gel. Read More
