Melanoma drug Zelboraf (vemurafenib, Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. and Roche AG) and lung cancer drug Xalkori (crizotinib, Pfizer Inc.) proved incorporating a companion diagnostic early in clinical development can save time and money: Both drugs advanced from Phase I to FDA approval in five years. (See BioWorld Insight, Sept. 6, 2011.) Read More
Last week, Biogen Idec Inc. announced the purchase of Stromedix Inc. to gain access to the start-up's humanized monoclonal antibody, STX-100. The purchase marks a return home for the integrin avb6-targeted drug, which was originally developed by Biogen. (See BioWorld Today, Feb. 15, 2012.) Read More
Generous valuations, early stage programs drawing VC attention, start-ups undaunted by an inhibiting economy, big pharma's bio-fixation, M&A activity's robust start and an FDA on a roll of approvals are some of the dynamics that have most – but not all – investors seeing the biotech market as a relative five-years-out investment haven, according to a panel at the BIO CEO & Investor Conference and also the results of a new BIO survey. Read More
