Pfizer Global Research

C&L: Una Ryan leaves Avant

Wed, 14 May 2008 06:59:52 -0400

Avant Immunotherapeutics today announced the departure of Una Ryan, Ph.D, President and CEO, effective immediately.

Watson Pharmaceuticals announced that co-founder and Chairman Allen Chao has resigned from the board of directors to pursue other business activities. Board member Andrew Turner will become nonexecutive chairman.

Ardea Biosciences has named John Beck senior vice president, finance and operations and chief financial officer.

Encorium Group has appointed Philip Calamia as its interim chief financial officer.

PregLem has named Sven Zimmermann, a biotech analyst at UBS Investment Bank, as its new chief financial officer.

Nucryst Pharmaceuticals revealed the appointment of David Holtz as vice president and chief financial officer.

Kendle has appointed Patricia Williams to the position of vice president, commercial operations.

Adnavance Technologies has appointed Christian P. Valcke, Ph.D., to its scientific advisory board.

Gilead Sciences on Wednesday said that Chief Executive Officer John C. Martin was named chairman of the biotechnology company's board of directors.

Vyteris named John E. Burrows and Susan Guerin to the company's board of directors,

Nventa Biopharmaceuticals Corporation has named John Varian to the company's board of directors.

DOR BioPharma announced that its President and Chief Executive Officer Christopher Schaber, PhD, has joined the board of directors of the Alliance for Biosecurity.

Inovio Biomedical announced that Patrick Gan was elected as the company's eighth director at Inovio's annual general meeting.

Human Genome Sciences announced that John LaMattina, Ph.D., who retired in late 2007 as president of Pfizer Global Research and Development, has been appointed to the HGS board of directors.

Robert Hill has joined the Biothera board of directors.

Pfizer spins off Esperion as VCs ante up $22.75M

Thu, 01 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

Pfizer has spun of Esperion Therapeutics into a new biotech company aiming to develop new therapies for cardiovascular and metabolic disease. A syndicate of investors funded the deal. Pfizer sold its interests in the former subdivision to Esperion, which raised $22.75 million from venture funds to finance its operations. Financial details on the spin-off were not disclosed. Pfizer retains an interest in the company.

"Pfizer's contribution to the formation of the new Esperion shows the Company is embracing new strategies to refocus its R&D and create value from exited compounds," said Martin Mackay, president of Pfizer Global Research & Development. "This transaction also enables Esperion to pursue its interests as a Michigan-based life science company while allowing Pfizer to support a new research venture and be involved in Esperion's potential success."

Aisling Capital, Alta Partners and Domain Associates co-led the tranched financing for Esperion, with Arboretum Ventures joining in. The new money will allow further development of Esperion's lead program for the treatment of dyslipidemias, as well as other HDL-related therapeutics.

- check out the Pfizer's release

Pfizer halts Phase III cancer trial on poor results

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:59:58 -0400

Pfizer's big push into cancer drugs has hit a snag. The company announced that it is halting a late-stage trial of tremelimumab for advanced melanoma after researchers concluded it was no more effective than standard chemotherapy. More data from the clinical development of the drug will be revealed at the annual ASCO meeting in June. The move to shutter the trial follows Pfizer's decision to beef up its R&D spend on cancer therapies from 12 percent of its budget to 20 percent. And Pfizer has every intention of staying focused on the field as well as tremelimumab.

"Although this outcome is disappointing, Pfizer remains committed to investigating new treatment options for patients with melanoma, a high-risk area of research with significant unmet medical need," said Dr. Charles Baum of Pfizer Global Research and Development. "We continue to focus on additional studies involving tremelimumab alone and in combination with other therapies which are currently ongoing in patients with several types of cancer."

- see Pfizer's release
- read the report in the Wall Street Journal

ALSO: The news from Pfizer stung at Medarex after analysts concluded that a failure for tremelimumab also spelled trouble for another partnership it has with BMS to develop ipilimumab. Its stock dropped 14 percent. Report

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Pfizer, Adolor ink pain drug deal

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 06:59:58 -0500

Continuing on its deal-making quest, Pfizer has signed an agreement with Exton, PA-based Adolor for ADL5859 and ADL5747. The two pain drugs treat a range of conditions, including inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain. ADL5859 is currently in Phase II trials and ADL5747 is set to begin Phase I trials in the first quarter of 2008. Adolor gains an upfront payment of $30 million along with $1.9 million reimbursement for previous development costs. The company could earn up to $232.5 million in milestone payments.

"This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to executing against the R&D plan we outlined, including expanding our Phase 2 portfolio with a strong focus in our key therapeutic areas," said Dr. Martin Mackay, president of Pfizer Global Research and Development. "Pfizer has a strong history in bringing to market novel pain solutions including Lyrica, Neurontin and Celebrex. However, there still remains a significant unmet medical need for patients suffering from a variety of debilitating pain conditions."

- see this release for more

ALSO: Take a look at Pfizer's pipeline. Report

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Pfizer, Hydra strike $195M pain pact

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:59:55 -0400

Cambridge, MA-based Hydra Biosciences has struck a deal with Pfizer Global Research & Development to collaborate on new pain therapies. Hydra stands to gain up to $195 million in up front and milestone payments--there's no breakdown on the numbers--for the first product developed from the Transient Receptor Potential channel family. Pfizer will fund all research and development work and gains exclusive commercialization rights to any product developed in the collaboration.

"We have distinct capabilities in rapid ion channel assay development and high throughput screening, we employ the 'gold standard' in characterizing all viable compounds, and we are building a particular expertise in chemistry," said Hydra CEO Russell Herndon. "Driving this franchise is a deep pipeline of programs advancing through development in a variety of pain indications, renal disease, pulmonary dysfunction, and hypertension."

- here's the release on the deal

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Pfizer's Lyrica approved for fibromyalgia. Report
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