Five Prime Therapeutics Inc. added another notch to its growing list of biologics-development relationships with big pharma players, signing on with GlaxoSmithKline plc for their second partnership. Read More
Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., submitted a biologics license application (BLA) to the FDA for IB1001, a recombinant Factor IX therapy for hemophilia B. If approved, IB1001 would be the first new recombinant therapy for the disease in 15 years. Read More
LONDON – A meta-analysis of several genomewide association studies has identified variants in 56 genetic loci related to bone mineral density, 14 of which increase the risk of bone fracture. Read More
Over the past year, privately held oncology biotech Eclipse Therapeutics Inc. has been assembling assets from the former cancer stem cell (CSC) franchise at Biogen Idec Inc. The newest piece in the puzzle is an exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize fully human antibodies discovered at Biogen Idec using phage display technology from Dyax Corp. Read More
• Imaxio SA, of Lyon, France, said it raised €2.9 million (US$3.8 million) from principal shareholder Pradeyrol Developpement to speed up growth through two major R&D projects: IMX313, a vaccine-carrying protein platform set to start clinical development in 2013, and Spirolept, a vaccine against human leptospirosis expected to go before European authorities for approval starting in 2015. Read More
• Intellect Neurosciences Inc., of New York, entered a collaboration with the University California, Irvine, to test preclinical Alzheimer's disease vaccine candidate RV03. RV03 is a dual-acting peptide vaccine candidate designed to induce an immune response against beta amyloid and delta tau. Read More
• PTC Therapeutics Inc., of South Plainfield, N.J., named Claudia Hirawat president and Mark Boulding executive vice president and chief legal officer. Read More
• Idera Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said it treated the first patient in a Phase II trial of IMO-3100, its lead Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR9 inhibitor, in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The study is designed to enroll 45 patients randomized to receive IMO-3100 at one of two doses or placebo, administered by subcutaneous injection once weekly for four weeks. Read More
• Abbott, of Abbott Park, Ill., said it acquired an exclusive license for several biomarkers from Stanford University for use in developing a molecular diagnostic test to differentiate aggressive from nonaggressive prostate cancer. Read More
