Researchers at Stony Brook University have found a way to keep insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) from deactivating insulin without affecting its role in degrading glucagon. Read More
Venture capital investments in biopharma companies are on track this year to beat out 2017 and every year prior, although the projected amount raised and the number completed appear to be shy of the record-breaking year of 2018. Read More
Abbvie Inc. is shuttering all studies of depatuxizumab mafodotin (ABT-414; Depatux-M) because a phase III trial of the drug demonstrated no survival benefit in newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Read More
Cytokinetics Inc. CEO Robert Blum said it's "highly unlikely" that the phase III trial planned with fast skeletal muscle troponin activator reldesemtiv, also known as CK-2127107, will begin this year, "just knowing what the tasks in front of us are." But the South San Francisco-based firm, with partner Astellas Inc., of Tokyo, is moving ahead with the candidate in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) despite results from the Fortitude-ALS trial showing that the drug missed statistical significance for the primary efficacy analysis after 12 weeks of treatment. Read More
LONDON – A 10-year analysis of how pharma is working to improve access to medicines in the developing world shows the industry has moved beyond paying lip service and is implementing policies that provide more and better drugs in poorer countries. Read More
Looking to expand its glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3beta) inhibitor program, Northwestern University spinout Actuate Therapeutics Inc. has secured $21.7 million in a series B round led by Kairos Ventures. Defta Partners and Tech Coast Angels, with existing investor Bios Partners also participated in the round. Read More
The story of paclitaxel-bearing devices for the peripheral vasculature is far from over, but patients, device makers and the U.S. FDA face a series of difficult choices going forward, according to Fernando Amador, of Decision Resources Group LLC (DRG) in Burlington, Mass. Amador told BioWorld that while alternatives are on the way, those alternatives are almost certainly five years from commercial availability, leaving device makers with the task of producing a device the market views with serious misgivings. Read More
Mannkind Corp., of Westlake Village, Calif., signed an exclusive marketing and distribution agreement with the AMSL Diabetes division of Australasian Medical & Scientific Ltd., of Chatswood, Australia, for the commercialization of Afrezza (insulin human) inhalation powder in Australia. The international partnership is Mannkind's third. Terms were not disclosed. Read More
Adma Biologics Inc., of Ramsey, N.J., said it priced its underwritten public offering of 11.25 million shares of its common stock at $4 each, resulting in gross proceeds of approximately $45 million. The company has also granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 1.68 million additional shares. Read More
