Newlink Genetics Corp. and Lumos Pharma Inc. have agreed to merge, with the deal expected to close in the first quarter of 2020. Lumos will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Newlink, which will be renamed Lumos Pharma Inc. Read More
While the U.S. House and Senate push forward with controversial legislative packages aimed at making prescription drugs more affordable for Americans, other bills that would impact the biopharma sector are making their own way through Congress, being absorbed into the larger pricing packages or getting tacked on to unrelated legislation. Read More
At the 2019 Congress of the European Society of Medical Oncology, PARP inhibitors continued their victory march. With the success of the PAOLA-1 trial, reported in Friday's plenary session, as well as the PRIMA and VELIA/GOG-3005 trials, "we've got new front-line data that really introduces a paradigm shift into the way we're going to treat ovarian cancer in the coming years," Jonathan Ledermann, professor of medical oncology at University College London, told the audience at a session on new options on ovarian cancer. Read More
The Cushing's syndrome market is heating up with three second-generation drugs in late-stage development to join the two approved medications, Signifor (pasireotide, Recordati SpA) and Korlym (mifepristone, Corcept Therapeutics Inc.), as well as a couple of off-label options. Read More
PARIS – Microlight3D SAS, based in La Troche, France, is about to receive a $900,000 grant from the EU to develop new 3D printer technology dedicated to treating acute wounds and chronic ulcers that do not heal. "It's about developing a novel process based on ion-releasing biomaterials promoting angiogenesis for skin regeneration," Denis Barbier, optoelectronics laser specialist and CEO of Microlight3D, told BioWorld. Read More
Platelet Biogenesis Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., signed a $56 million contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to develop donor-independent platelets as a medical countermeasure for treatment of thrombocytopenia in victims of a nuclear or radiological event. Read More
Inventiva SA, of Daix, France, said it completed a capital increase of €625,000 (US$683,350) subscribed by Sofinnova Partners, through Sofinnova Crossover I SLP. The funds will be primarily used for general corporate purposes, including funding operations and the development of the company's products, especially lanifibranor and odiparcil in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and mucopolysaccharidosis, respectively. Read More
A day after resigning his seat in the U.S. House, former Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and one count of lying to the FBI when interviewed about insider trading involving Australian biotech Innate Immunotherapeutics Ltd. Read More
Minerva Neurosciences Inc. CEO Rémy Luthringer said his firm knew about the cyberattack on a contractor helping with the roluperidone phase III trial in schizophrenia "toward the end of the summer," when "the provider was trying to solve the problem" and ultimately did. But the attack still meant an enrollment delay, and Wall Street reacted accordingly. Despite imminent, possibly transforming data in major depressive disorder (MDD), investors pushed Minerva shares (NASDAQ:NERV) down $2.04, or 26.3%, Tuesday to close at $5.71. Read More
