AbbVie, Galapagos extend JAK1 pact into Crohn's disease with $50M carrot
The North Chicago, IL-based drug giant and Belgium's Galapagos have agreed to expand their collaboration on an oral JAK1 inhibitor to include Crohn's disease.
Third Rock Ventures adds biotech veterans to team
Novo Nordisk completes PhIII hemophilia trial with positive results
In a Friday announcement, Novo Nordisk said it completed the first phase III trial of its drug N9-GP for hemophilia B patients.
Sanofi balks on jobs promises at R&D site in Toulouse
Sanofi can't shake the underproductive R&D site in Toulouse, France, without a fight from workers and French government officials. In the latest chapter of the ongoing feud, the Paris-based drug giant and a familiar critic in France's government show how far apart they stand on the fate of the research operation that brought the world the blood-thinner
Evotec, Harvard partner up to develop new antibacterials
More biotech companies are forging academic partnerships as they downsize their internal R&D efforts, and another outfit to ride that wave is Germany's Evotec AG. Evotec will collaborate with Harvard University to hunt for and develop new anti-bacterial agents and advance them toward the clinic.
UPDATED: PTC, Esperion, bluebird join the IPO frenzy in biotech with genetic therapies
Two more biotech outfits emerged this week as contenders to complete initial public offerings, highlighting the open season for the deals this year. Bluebird bio and PTC Therapeutics has mounted campaigns to go public with pipelines that target the molecular causes of rare genetic diseases.
Sanofi highlights positive PhIII study for myelofibrosis contender
The pivotal study for SAR302503 nailed the primary endpoint for the proportion of patients with a greater than 35% reduction in the volume of their spleens, which become enlarged as a result of abnormal blood cell production.
Merck KGaA gives corporate venture fund a €60M boost
Merck KGaA signaled Thursday that it will make a bigger commitment to investing in emerging biotech companies.
Bristol-Myers edges ahead in race to develop first blockbuster PD-1 cancer drug
Bristol-Myers Squibb has emerged, at least temporarily, as the leader in a race to develop the first new PD-1 drug to fight cancer.
Ambit forced to offer a deep discount on IPO shares
The biotech sold a bit more than 8 million shares at the reduced price, rather than the 4.6 million shares it had intended.
Gilead speeds ahead on idelalisib with promising leukemia data
Gilead may be best known for its HIV drug franchise and a stellar late-stage effort on the hepatitis C front, but the big biotech is also making an ambitious bid to rapidly build a portfolio of cancer drugs. And last night Gilead captured a bit of the ASCO limelight with positive data from a small, early-stage study of the leukemia drug idelalisib (GS-1101).
AstraZeneca revs up PhIII cancer plans as rivals steal ASCO spotlight
Determined to prove to investors that AstraZeneca has a late-stage game plan that can rescue the pharma company from a lengthy losing streak, the company today spotlighted plans to speed up the Phase III development timeline on three key cancer drugs.
Roche's next-gen Rituxan candidate impresses in first look at PhIII data
Roche got a big boost for its bid to position the leukemia drug GA101 (obinutuzumab) as a next-gen successor to its blockbuster Rituxan, posting late-stage data last night that showed that a combination with chemotherapy performed much better than chemo alone or in combination with Rituxan.
Amgen, Novartis aim to fuel biotech startups in alliances with Atlas Venture
For Amgen and Novartis, investing in the latest fund from Atlas Venture wasn't enough. The Cambridge, MA-based venture firm has struck separate agreements with the two major drugmakers to join forces on biotech startups.
New crowdfunding platform set to launch new biotechs
"You're not going to get a frog if you don't invest in the poliwogg." So says Gregory Simon, the CEO of Poliwogg, a new crowdfunding initiative for biotech.
Roche bets on PhIII contender to succeed its bestselling cancer drug
Before the massive ASCO meeting kicks off on May 31, the Swiss drug giant plans to unveil data from a late-stage study of its next-gen antibody GA101, which is heir to the throne occupied by the company and partner Biogen Idec's Rituxan.
UPDATED: FDA OKs pinpoint prostate cancer radiation drug Xofigo from Bayer, Algeta
The approval comes just three months after the FDA granted priority review status for Alpharadin, a radiopharmaceutical from Bayer and Norway's Algeta that will now enter an increasingly competitive--and growing--market.
Quintiles joins Merck KGaA's R&D command post in 5-year exclusive
In the pact, investigators at Merck Serono will join hands with experts at Quintiles to shape and guide the company's R&D strategy while the CRO manages trial planning and execution from Phase I through post-marketing studies.
UPDATED: Billionaires back Kite Pharma in $20M raise for cancer immunotherapies
Los Angeles-based biotech startup Kite Pharma has locked in $20 million in a private placement with its new investor Alta Partners and previous backers. By converting $15 million in previous promissory notes to stock, the company has increased the first-round financing to $35 million.
Tokai lands $35M venture round for triple-threat prostate cancer drug
Just a few weeks after bidding farewell to its longtime CEO, Cambridge, MA-based Tokai Pharmaceuticals has rounded up $35.5 million in Series E cash to push into an expanded mid-stage study of its triple-threat treatment for prostate cancer.
