WASHINGTON – One of the intended casualties of the patent reform bill the Senate passed Tuesday is the years-long wait for the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) to review a patent application. Read More
Muscular dystrophies – a group of inherited disorders whose common denominator is muscle weakness, and the loss of muscle tissue over time – are most often due to mutations in the protein dystrophin. Read More
Taking advantage of a recent stock bump, multi-focused drug and diagnostic firm OPKO Health Inc. is raising $101.3 million in a public stock sale of 27 million shares priced at $3.75 apiece. Read More
• ERYtech Pharma Inc., of Lyon, France, completed enrollment and safety follow-up in a Phase II trial of GRASPA (encapsulated L-asparaginase in red blood cells) in first-line acute lymphoblastic leukemia in patients older than 55. The firm anticipates reporting data from the 30-patient study in the third quarter. Read More
• ViroPharma Inc., of Exton, Pa., said its board authorized the use of up to $150 million to repurchase shares of its common stock and/or its 2 percent senior convertible notes due 2017. Read More
Aeterna Zentaris Inc., of Quebec City, announced its third deal for development and commercialization of the company's lead cancer compound, perifosine, this one with Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, for $8.3 million up front, a potential $60.9 million in clinical and regulatory milestones in Japan, and double-digit royalties on Japanese net sales. Yakult Honsha will be responsible for the development, registration and commercialization in Japan. Read More
