A team from the German Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology has questioned the effects of the hormone irisin on metabolism. Irisin is a metabolic hormone that has been reported to convert white to brown fat and deliver the benefits of exercise without the pain of the treadmill. Read More
Baxter International Inc., of Deerfield, Ill., reported positive results from its phase III trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of BAX 817, an investigational recombinant factor VIIa treatment for people with hemophilia A or B who develop inhibitors. Read More
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., of Laval, Quebec, said that VRX Escrow Corp., a newly formed wholly owned Canadian subsidiary of the company, has priced $2 billion aggregate principal amount of 5.375 percent senior unsecured notes due 2020, $3.25 billion aggregate principal amount of 5.875 percent senior unsecured notes due 2023, €1.5 billion (US$1.6 billion) aggregate principal amount of 4.50 percent senior unsecured notes due 2023, and $3.25 billion aggregate principal amount of 6.125 percent senior unsecured notes due 2025. Read More
Cytokinetics Inc., of South San Francisco, said the enrollment of the approximately 450 patients has been completed in the planned expansion phase of the COSMIC-HF (Chronic Oral Study of Myosin Activation to Increase Contractility in Heart Failure) trial testing omecamtiv mecarbil. Read More
Samsung Bioepis Co. Ltd., of Incheon, South Korea, said the marketing authorization application (MAA) for SB2, its Remicade (infliximab, Johnson & Johnson) biosimilar candidate, was submitted to the EMA. Read More
Protalix Biotherapeutics Inc., of Carmiel, Israel, reported 2014 revenues of $13.7 million, compared to $10.5 million for 2013. Revenues from sales of Elelyso (taliglucerase alfa) increased 53.6 percent, to $9.1 million, compared to $5.9 million in 2013, primarily due to $3.5 million in revenues recorded from sales in Brazil under a supply and technology transfer agreement. Read More
Immunotherapy can deliver remissions that last long enough to make the most hardened oncologist consider the possibility that their patient might be cured. But only a minority of patients responds to immunotherapy at all. Read More
Aiming to step beyond the almost voodoo-like guesswork that's characterized drug development in the space, Allergen Research Corp. (ARC) plans a phase III trial with lead compound AR101 in peanut allergy. Read More
One of the most notable new trends in advancing biomedical development is the rise of the patient voice. For that voice to be effective, science needs to turn patient stories into rigorous, useful data. Read More
Betting on the restorative power of young blood to reverse cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease and other central nervous system disorders, Grifols SA is taking a 45 percent stake in Stanford University spinout Alkahest Inc. Read More
Depomed Inc., of Newark, Calif., is borrowing $575 million to fund its acquisition of U.S. rights to the Nucynta (tapentadol) franchise from Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., a unit of New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson. Read More
