• Curis Inc., of Lexington, Mass., said data from an investigator-sponsored trial demonstrating Erivedge's (vismodegib) proof-of-concept efficacy in treating basal cell nevus syndrome and surgically eligible basal cell carcinoma (BCC) were published in the current edition of The New England Journal of Medicine, along with a separate article reporting the results of a pivotal Phase II trial in advanced BCC. Read More
• Ferring Pharmaceuticals SA, of Saint-Prex, Switzerland, said it donated $10 million to support research at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif. Read More
• Foundation Medicine Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., said it signed a deal with Novartis AG, of Basel, Switzerland, to provide comprehensive genomic analysis in support of Novartis' clinical oncology programs. Financial terms were not disclosed. Read More
Following on from the success of the approved first-generation proteasome inhibitor Velcade (bortezomib, Millennium/Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.), which jams up the proteasome and nonspecifically inhibits proteins from being degraded, various new proteasome inhibitors are currently in development, including peptide boronic acid analogue MLN9708 (Millennium/Takeda) and carfilzomib (Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc.). Read More
As the pharmaceutical landscape goes, there are a fairly large number of treatment options for epilepsy. But there are also a fairly large number of patients for whom none of those options work. "A lot of patients with epilepsy are still not well treated," Gary Yellen told BioWorld Today. Read More
MediGene AG became the latest biotech to choose a royalty deal over other financing options to bolster its bottom line. The company transferred its 2 percent royalty share of European net sales in prostate cancer drug Eligard (leuprolide acetate) to Cowen Healthcare Royalty Partners II LP for $17.7 million in cash. Read More
• Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, said Phase IIb safety and efficacy data for delamanid, its investigational compound in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Results from the trial showed a 53 percent increase in sputum culture conversion (SCC) after two months for subjects who received delamanid 100 mg twice daily plus a background regimen (BR) consistent with World Health Organization treatment guidelines, compared with subjects receiving placebo plus BR alone. Read More
