Medivation Inc. stock doubled and then some following an announcement by the San Francisco-based biotech and partner Astellas Pharma Inc., of Tokyo, that results from an interim analysis of the Phase III AFFIRM trial of MDV3100 in men with advanced prostate cancer were so positive that the independent data monitoring committee recommended the trial be stopped and MDV3100 offered to the men who received placebo. Read More
Year-old start-up Verastem Inc. raised eyebrows Thursday when it said it filed for an initial public offering (IPO) to raise $50 million, a bold move for the Cambridge, Mass.-based biotech given that it's at least a year away from entering the clinic with its first cancer stem cell-targeting compound.A decade ago, no one in the sector would have batted an eye at a preclinical-stage IPO. Read More
LONDON – Cellectis SA today completes the acquisition of Europe's leading private stem cell company, the Swedish/British Cellartis AB, owner of 30 proprietary stem cell lines, in a cash and shares deal valued at €30 million (US$41.4million).The deal will fuse Cellectis' expertise in the creation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from adult somatic cells with Cellartis' skills in differentiating embryonic pluripotent stem cells into specific cell types, including cardiomyocytes and hepatocytes. Read More
Despite a growing revenue stream – $64.3 million in the third quarter compared to $20.2 million in the same period a year earlier and nearly 30 percent more than the second quarter – Dendreon Corp. Read More
• Active Biotech AB, of Lund, Sweden, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., of Jerusalem, reported that following a meeting with the FDA, Teva determined it would be premature to file a new drug application for multiple sclerosis drug laquinimod, and that the FDA has offered to work with Teva to determine the best design for conducting an additional trial.• Aslan Pharmaceuticals Pte Ltd., of Singapore, is partnering with Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., of New York, to accelerate the development of BMS Read More
• Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Malvern, Pa., reported that clinical practice data from the TRiUS (Testim Registry in the United States) study showed that daily administration of Testim 1 percent (testosterone gel) resulted in significantly improved sexual function and increased total testosterone levels in men with hypogonadism. Read More
