BioWorld's offices will be closed Friday, Dec. 25, in observance of the Christmas Day holiday in the U.S. No issues will be published that day. Read More
Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said it closed a private placement of $175 million in aggregate principal amount of its senior secured notes due 2022. The notes bear an interest rate of 11.5 percent per year, payable semi-annually. The company intends to use a portion of the net proceeds to repay all outstanding obligations under its loan and security agreement, as amended, with Hercules Technology Growth Capital Inc., with the remainder for working capital and other general corporate purposes. Read More
Vistagen Therapeutics Inc., of South San Francisco, said it secured exclusive worldwide commercial rights to three patent-pending stem cell technologies from University Health Network, Canada's largest research hospital. The newly licensed technologies relate to the development of stem cells into heart, liver and cartilage cells for multiple potential commercial applications, including drug rescue and regenerative therapies for heart disease, liver disease and osteoarthritis. Read More
HONG KONG – Samsung Biologics broke ground this week on its third and largest biopharmaceutical production plant. Once completed, the company expects the KRW850 billion (US$722 million) plant in Incheon, Korea, to be the largest in the world. Read More
Many an impatient pregnant woman has heard the phrase "babies come when they are ready." But unfortunately, all too often they come when they are not. Two studies published this week have reported new insights into how to prevent, or at least delay, preterm labor, giving babies time to mature in the womb. Read More
With digital media opening up a world of creative, and potentially misleading, advertising opportunities, the FTC issued an enforcement policy statement and business guide Tuesday showing how its truth-in-advertising principles apply to the ever-expanding range of digital media, including social media, product placement in video games, online videos, search engines and shared links. Read More
A week earlier than expected, Astrazeneca plc has gained FDA approval to market Zurampic (lesinurad), a new drug for treating high levels of uric acid in the blood associated with gout when given together with xanthine oxidase inhibitors (XOIs). It's the 45th new molecular entity approved by the agency this year. Read More
With positive top-line phase III data from its EASE LID trial in hand, Adamas Pharmaceuticals Inc. will meet "as soon as is practical" with the FDA regarding a new drug application (NDA) for M2 channel-targeting ADS-5102 (amantadine) extended-release capsules for levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) associated with Parkinson's disease (PD), CEO Gregory Went said. Read More
