Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly EuroBiotech Report. DBV Technologies wiped away some questions about its peanut allergy drug with fresh data from a follow-up study. The data show that response rates and compliance remain high over three years of treatment--and hint at the persistence of protection after treatment stops. TiGenix dusted off its plan to join DBV on Nasdaq. The stem cell specialist has enlisted new underwriters to support its attempt to improve on its earlier, aborted IPO attempt. Our next stories involve a clutch of Swedish companies. Oasmia Pharmaceutical bought an estrogen receptor beta agonist from its compatriot Karo Pharma and secured a SEK 70 million ($7.9 million) private placement on the same day. Our third Swedish drug developer, NeuroVive Pharmaceutical, also added a drug to its pipeline this week. The hepatitis B asset boomeranged back to NeuroVive two years after it offloaded the drug to OnCore Biopharma in a $150 million deal. Verona Pharma secured funding for a Phase IIa trial of its phosphodiesterase inhibitor in cystic fibrosis. And more. Nick Taylor
1. DBV peanut allergy drug maintains response rates, compliance in 2-year follow-up trial
DBV Technologies ($DBVT) has posted a look at data from a two-year follow-up to a Phase IIb trial of its peanut allergy patch. Response rates remain above 80% among children who have received three years of treatment with the 250-μg formulation, and median compliance across the study continues to hover around 96%.
2. TiGenix dusts off plans for Nasdaq IPO
TiGenix (EBR:TIG) has dusted off its plan to file for an IPO on Nasdaq. The stem cell therapy specialist shelved the idea in March in the face of “unfavorable market conditions,” but has now stepped back into the ring with a new set of underwriters.
3. Oasmia buys estrogen receptor cancer drug, raises cash
Oasmia Pharmaceutical ($OASM) has bought the estrogen receptor beta agonist KB9520 from Karo Pharma (STO:KARO). The deal ends Karo’s long search for someone to take on the asset and adds a preclinical cancer program to Oasmia’s pipeline at a time when its coffers are freshly replenished.
4. NeuroVive ends standoff with Arbutus, regains hep B drug
NeuroVive Pharmaceutical (STO:NVP) has resolved its standoff with Arbutus Biopharma ($ABUS) and regained control of a hepatitis B candidate. The asset, NVP018, has spent the past year in limbo as NeuroVive and Arbutus have tried to figure out a path forward for it, but is now poised to resume its progress.
5. Verona secures cash for midphase cystic fibrosis trial
Verona Pharma (LON:VRP) has secured funding for a Phase IIa trial of its PDE3/PDE4 inhibitor RPL554 in cystic fibrosis patients. The funding, which comes four months after Verona raised £45 million ($55 million), was provided by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust through its venture and innovation award program.