A San Diego biotech with eight employees grabbed the spotlight at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions in Chicago with the revelation that Type II diabetes drug metformin acts in the lower bowel, not in the bloodstream. Read More
The death of a patient in trials with tosedostat for blood-related cancer cast a pall over Cell Therapeutics Inc.'s shares when investors learned of the partial clinical hold, placed on the compound June 17. Read More
When it comes to generic drugs, and possibly biosimilars in the future, federal law is the law of the land, the Supreme Court reiterated Monday, overturning a $21 million jury award based on state design-defect claims. Read More
LONDON – European and U.S. investors are joining forces to launch the first venture capital fund dedicated solely to investing in treatments for rare diseases. Read More
Vasopharm GmbH raised €5 million (US$6.5 million) in new investment to fund preparations for a Phase III trial of VAS203, an allosteric inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase in development for treating traumatic brain injury (TBI). Read More
• Theravance Inc., of South San Francisco, said the FDA approved Vibativ (telavancin) for the treatment of adult patients with hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia caused by susceptible isolates of Staphylococcus aureus when alternative treatments are not suitable. The drug is a bactericidal, once-daily, injectable lipoglycopeptide antibiotic with a dual mechanism of action whereby telavancin both inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis and disrupts bacterial cell membrane function. Read More
• Anthera Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Hayward, Calif., said it initiated the BRIGHT-SC Phase II study of blisibimod, an inhibitor of B-cell activating factor (BAFF), for the treatment of IgA nephropathy, a chronic autoimmune renal disease characterized by proteinuria and progression to end-stage renal disease. Read More
• Astellas Pharma Inc., of Tokyo, said the FDA approved its supplemental new drug application for the use of Mycamine (micafungin sodium) for injection by intravenous infusion for the treatment of pediatric patients 4 months and older with candidemia, acute disseminated candiasis, Candida peritonitis and abscesses, esophageal candidiasis and prophylaxis of Candida infections in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplants. Read More
