• Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., of Osaka, Japan, disclosed results of a Phase I/II study of its intramuscular bivalent (GI/GII) norovirus vaccine candidate in healthy adult volunteers who were challenged with the most commonly occurring norovirus (genotype GII.4) that causes gastroenteritis. Read More
• Curis Inc., of Lexington, Mass., said partner Roche AG, of Basel, Switzerland, began a Phase Ib/II study with Erivedge (vismodegib) in patients with relapsed/ refractory acute myelogenous leukemia and relapsed/refractory high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome. Read More
• Merck Canada Inc., of Kirkland, Quebec, part of Merck & Co. Inc., allocated C$16 million in grants to four of Quebec’s university hospital centers: Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke, Université Laval and McGill University. Read More
• Cel-Sci Corp., of Vienna, Va., received an extension from the New York Stock Exchange until Oct. 31 to regain compliance with its continued listing standards. Read More
An American-British team has developed a method for assessing how important mutations in specific noncoding regions of the genome are likely to be, and used it to look at nearly 100 cancer genomes to identify likely driver mutations in noncoding locations. Read More
Celgene Corp. put still more chips on the biotech table, entering a confirmed $35 million deal to develop cancer and fibrotic-disease therapies with Pharmakea Therapeutics Inc., which at the same time pulled down $10 million in a Series A funding round from Bay City Capital. Read More
SHANGHAI – While it works to maintain its dominant market share, the U.S.-based maker of Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) has licensed a promising neurotoxin from a South Korean company. Allergan Inc. surprised the market by licensing the unspecified neurotoxin from Seoul, South Korea-based Medytox Inc., which is set to receive a $65 million up-front payment, the largest in its history. The deal has been reported as the largest of its kind in the South Korean health care sector. Read More
Two months after shares of Neostem Inc. made the leap to Nasdaq, the New York-based firm added some much-needed capital, raising $35 million to support its expanding cell therapy business, including a lead therapeutic candidate aimed at heart attack patients. Read More
Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc. scored the first direct hit from its decades-long collaboration with Pfizer Inc. as the FDA approved Duavee (conjugated estrogens/bazedoxifene) in a once-daily 0.45-mg/20-mg tablet form. The drug, formerly known as Aprela, is indicated for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms – commonly known as hot flashes – associated with menopause and for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Read More
Sirtuin activator resveratrol is touted for beneficial effects on life span and health. But for at least one group of people it may do more harm than good, at least if the results of animal studies hold up. Read More
