Astrazeneca plc, of London, said it started a phase III program of tralokinumab, a potential treatment for patients with severe, inadequately controlled asthma, developed by Medimmune, the company's global biologics research and development arm. Read More
Merck & Co. Inc., of Whitehouse Station, N.J., said the FDA approved Belsomra (suvorexant) for adults with insomnia who have difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep. Read More
Nuvilex Inc., of Silver Spring, Md., said partner Astrianova Singapore Pte Ltd., of Singapore, reported results from the second phase II trial combining the Cell-in-a-Box cellulose-based live cell encapsulation technology plus low doses of cancer prodrug ifosfamide in patients with advanced, inoperable cancer. Read More
Ibio Inc., of Newark, Del., and Tokyo-based Kanematsu Chemicals Corp., part of Kanematsu Corp., entered a collaboration agreement under which Kanematsu Chemicals will market the Ibiolaunch platform in Japan. Read More
Theravance Inc., of South San Francisco, said partner Glaxosmithkline plc, of London, reported product sales of Relvar/Breo Ellipta (fluticasone furoate/vilanterol) totaling $18.2 million, and sales of Anoro Ellipta (umeclidinium bromide/vilanterol) totaling $8.2 million. Read More
HONG KONG – A Chinese pharmaceutical company and its American partner have announced their plan to accelerate collaboration on the development of cancer drugs, with an eye on launching clinical trials in China soon. Read More
DUBLIN – It's not a bad parting gift to receive as you exit the sector. Shares in synthetic biology specialist Evolva Holding SA got a 9 percent boost Thursday on news that it landed a $6.5 million contract from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to carry out preclinical research on its GC-072 program. Read More
Vitae Pharmaceuticals Inc., a drug discovery company partnered with Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH on its development-stage diabetes and Alzheimer's therapies, has filed to raise up to $55 million in an initial public offering (IPO), raising the total of global life sciences IPOs completed or pending this year to 91. Read More
Word of another Captisol-based deal, the phase III failure of an ongoing royalty source and the forecast – from short-positioned Lemelson Capital Management – of financial doom because of new convertible debt complicated Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s picture. Read More
