As expected, the second pivotal phase III trial of brodalumab in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis hit its primary and key secondary endpoints, and partners Amgen Inc. and Astrazeneca plc didn't even need to shout the glad tidings. Read More
HONG KONG – A Chinese vaccine and blood product maker is taking steps into the biosimilar market with four monoclonal antibody (MAbs) biosimilar drugs. Read More
Poised to move its first two compounds for genomically defined cancers into the clinic next year, while teasing out further opportunities from its kinase-specific discovery platform, Blueprint Medicines Corp. drew further investor interest to the tune of $50 million. Read More
SHANGHAI – Ascletis Inc., a Chinese biotech with deep pockets, has obtained exclusive China rights for PPI-668, an NS5A inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), from the San Francisco-based Presidio Pharmaceuticals Inc. Read More
LONDON – New drugs to treat cancer, which work by stopping the formation of new blood vessels in the tumor, are in the pipeline and could enter clinical trials within a few years. Read More
In the first hearing of the lame duck session of Congress, the Senate Appropriations Committee looked at the government's response to the Ebola crisis and considered the president's request for $6.2 billion in emergency funding to help contain the outbreak. Read More
Caris Life Sciences Inc., of Irving, Texas, said a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention demonstrated the utility of exploring the expression of two potentially targetable immune checkpoint proteins – the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand, PD-L1 – in a substantial proportion of solid tumors using Caris Molecular Intelligence, the company's panomic, comprehensive tumor profiling service. Read More
Matinas Biopharma Holdings Inc., of Bedminster, N.J., commenced dosing in the first-in-human study of MAT9001. The company's initial trial is being conducted in Canada and is a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study of MAT9001 vs. an active comparator. Read More
Labcentral Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., and Roche Diagnostics Corp., of Indianapolis, part of Roche AG, reported an agreement in which Roche would provide technology and financial support to Labcentral, a shared laboratory space designed as a launchpad for high-potential life sciences and biotech start-ups. Read More
CSL Ltd., of King of Prussia, Pa., launched AEGIS-I, a phase IIb study of CSL112, a formulation of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I). Administered as a short series of weekly infusions, CSL112 is designed to rapidly remove cholesterol from the arteries and stabilize lesions at risk of rupture. Read More
