XOMA Ltd. is picking up about $35 million up front in a creatively structured ex-U.S. deal with French firm Les Laboratoires Servier, which gives the Berkeley, Calif.-based biotech the chance to retain long-term upside on interleukin-1 inhibitor XOMA 052, a drug that has generated significant buzz in early stage diabetes trials. Read More
Santaris Pharma A/S and Pfizer Inc. agreed to a deal potentially worth more than $614 million to extend their collaboration to develop and commercialize as many as 10 new RNA targets using Santaris' locked nucleic acid platform (LNA). Read More
The most comprehensive meta-analysis yet has resurrected a connection between serotonin transporter variants and resilience to depression that was reported in 2003, to great excitement, but declared to be a false association in two subsequent papers. Read More
Allon Therapeutics Inc. said the FDA agreed to a special protocol assessment (SPA) for its drug candidate davunetide in progressive supranuclear palsy. Read More
DARA BioSciences Inc., of Raleigh, N.C., said net proceeds of a recent registered public offering of shares of Series A convertible preferred stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock will be approximately $4.3 million. Read More
Celgene International Sàrl, of Boudry, Switzerland, submitted a marketing authorization application for the approval of Revlimid (lenalidomide) as a maintenance treatment for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who have not progressed following initial treatment with melphalan, prednisone and Revlimid, or following autologous stem cell transplantation. Read More
Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Carlsbad, Calif., started two Phase II studies of ISIS-EIF4ERx, a drug targeting eukaryotic initiation of factor-4E. Read More
