> PamBio raised $7 million to work on a treatment for hemorrhagic stroke. The Israeli biotech, which is a product of Nazareth-based incubator NGT3, secured the cash from a private investor who opted to remain anonymous. Armed with the money, PamBio intends to build on progress it has made to date in developing an inactive form of tissue plasminogen activator. PamBio bankrolled the work to date using $3 million from NGT3 and the Office of the Chief Scientist. Globes
> Shares in tiny Pharming (AMS:PHARM) rose 8% following the release of Phase II data on its Valeant Pharmaceuticals ($VRX)-partnered prophylactic for patients with hereditary angioedema. In a trial of 32 patients with a history of experiencing at least four attacks a month, the recombinant C1 esterase inhibitor outperformed placebo. Participants in the treatment arm experienced an average of 2.7 attacks a month, compared to 7.2 for in the placebo cohort.
> Precision Ocular added V-Bio Ventures to its investment syndicate, bringing the total raised in its Series A up to £15.5 million ($20.4 million). The British biotech broke cover in February, at which time it had already secured £13.5 million from a list of investors led by Imperial Innovations (LON:IVO). Precision Ocular attracted the cash on the strength of an approach it thinks will enable it to improve the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs delivered to the eye. Release
> Hookipa Biotech began a first-in-human study of its vaccine against human cytomegalovirus. The Austrian biotech, which recently appointed former uniQure ($QURE) CEO Jörn Aldag as its leader, is planning to trial the vaccine in 54 healthy volunteers. Participants will receive either one of three doses of the vaccine or a placebo, an approach Hookipa thinks will enable it to assess the safety of the experimental product. The trial is due to run for 15 months. Release
> Hansa Medical began a potentially pivotal trial to assess the effect of its IgG endopeptidase (IdeS) in highly-sensitized patients awaiting kidney transplantation who cannot use existing desensitization strategies. The single-arm trial is aiming to enroll 20 patients at sites including Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Hansa is considering adding sites in Europe to support an approval on its home continent. Release
> The European Commission awarded orphan drug status to Cell Medica’s CMD-003 in multiple indications. CMD-003 is now classed as an orphan product in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder. “We are now testing this product in our CITADEL Phase II trial for patients with advanced extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma and look forward to completion of the study next year,” CEO Gregg Sando said in a statement. Release