The possibility of rebates attached to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s age-related macular degeneration (AMD) drug Eylea (aflibercept) – such as those offered by the maker of competitor Lucentis – was one of a handful of issues raised by analysts during the company's second quarter earnings call, but CEO Leonard Schleifer declined to tip his hand. Read More
Recap's first peek into the biopharma dealmaking landscape since its acquisition in June by Thomson Reuters revealed the sector was on the move during the first half of 2013, with 368 licenses and joint ventures (JVs) compared to 265 during the first six months of 2012 – a 39 percent surge. (Thomson Reuters is the parent company of BioWorld Today.) Read More
Apexigen Inc., of Burlingame, Calif., reeled in a $20 million Series A1 financing to advance its cancer therapy, APX005. Ankey Ventures LLC led the financing, with participation from WSR Capital, China Development Industrial Bank, Themes Investment Partners and Sycamore Ventures. Read More
The hopes riding on the potential of combination drugs could be spurred on if a bill introduced in the House last week gets past the starting gate. Read More
Ixchelsis Ltd., a start-up with roots in Pfizer Inc.'s UK R&D facility at Sandwich, in Kent, has raised more than $14 million from TVM Life Science Ventures VII fund for development of an oxytocin antagonist, IX-01, for treating premature ejaculation. Read More
• Athersys Inc., of Cleveland, said it received a Small Business Innovation Research Fast Track grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, which will support a Phase II study evaluating Multistem therapy in patients who have suffered heart attacks, or acute myocardial infarctions. Read More
• Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., of Tokyo, said the FDA's Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee voted 9-6 not to approve tolvaptan for the treatment of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. The FDA is not bound by the committee's guidance but takes its advice into consideration. Read More
