Celltrion Healthcare Inc. planted the oncology flag in biosimilars with the European Commission's approval of Truxima, a biosimilar to Rituxan (rituximab, Roche Holding AG/Biogen Inc.), and the compound will provide estimated health care savings across the 28 countries of the EU of about €570 million (US$602 million) over a three-year period. Read More
DUBLIN – Shares in Neovacs SA surged by as much as 35 percent Tuesday on news of an option agreement in China worth up to €65 million (US$68.5 million) in up-front and milestone payments for its therapeutic vaccine, IFNα Kinoid, which is currently undergoing a phase IIb trial in lupus. The deal, with Biosense Global LLC, covers Macao, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, as well as China. Read More
A specific immune system proteinase, granzyme A, was shown to promote arthritic inflammation in mice infected with chikungunya virus (CHIKV), in an Australian study reported in the Feb. 16, 2017, edition of PLOS Pathogens. Read More
TOKYO – Exelixis Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. reached an exclusive licensing agreement for the commercialization and further clinical development in Japan of oncology drug cabozantinib. The deal grants Takeda exclusive commercial and further clinical development rights in Japan for cabozantinib. Read More
Adgero Biopharmaceuticals Holdings Inc., of Princeton, N.J., said it received a $2 million investment from Shanghai Fudan-Zhangjiang Bio-Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., a publicly traded biopharma firm in Shanghai. Read More
United Therapeutics Corp., of Silver Spring, Md., chalked up a "disappointing" fourth quarter in the view of J.P. Morgan analyst Jessica Fye. Revenues of $409 million came in "slightly behind" consensus of $418 million, she noted in a report. Read More
Auris Medical Holding AG, of Zug, Switzerland, said it extended its collaboration with King's College London, which is focused on the discovery of small-molecule compounds for a second-generation tinnitus treatment. It allows for further development with the aim of selecting a lead compound for the AM-102 tinnitus program by the end of this year. Read More
Topivert Pharma Ltd., of London, said it dosed the first patients in a phase I/IIa proof-of-concept study in the U.S. testing TOP1630 ophthalmic solution for the treatment of dry eye syndrome. The study is expected to report in the second half of this year. TOP1630 is a narrow spectrum kinase inhibitor, or NSKI, which has demonstrated efficacy in in vitro and in vivo inflammatory models. Read More
Leaders of congressional committees dealing with health issues crossed party lines and chambers to urge other U.S. lawmakers to recognize the importance and safety of FDA-approved vaccines. A "dear colleague" letter – signed by Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Reps. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Michael Burgess (R-Texas) and Gene Green (D-Texas) – highlighted the life-saving history of vaccines and recent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Read More
