> Arix Bioscience appointed former Roche ($RHHBY) CEO Franz Humer as senior independent director. Humer joins the transatlantic startup support company two years after ending his 14-year spell at the helm of Roche. “His experience and judgement will be a tremendous asset to Arix,” Jonathan Peacock, chairman of Arix, said in a statement. Release
> Therapix Biosciences (TLV:THXBY) moved its tablet formulation of THC toward the clinic. The Israeli microcap has wrapped up formulation work on the program it licensed from Belvit in June, setting it up to kick off a Phase I trial early next year. Therapix thinks the sublingual formulation of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, could help patients with impaired cognitive functioning. Release
> Ergomed (LON:ERGO) formed a codevelopment pact with Asarina Pharma. The agreement sees risk-sharing CRO Ergomed invest in a Phase IIb trial of Asarina’s premenstrual dysphoric disorder candidate in return for an equity stake in its new partner. Ergomed expects to start the trial next year. FierceBiotech
> Avacta (LON:AVCT) formed a research collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The agreement will see Avacta develop versions of its Affimer proteins that bind to CD19. A team at the cancer center will then build the proteins into CAR-T cells and test them in animal models. Release
> Vtesse picked up a promising innovative medicine (PIM) designation for its drug for Niemann-Pick type C1 disease. The U.K. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency granted the drug PIM status in children with the lysosomal storage disease. PIM designation can shorten the time it takes a drug to reach patients in the U.K. Release
> Mereo BioPharma (LON:MPH) brought its p38 MAP kinase inhibitor through a Phase I trial. The study assessed whether the drug can be taken with the antibiotic azithromycin and found no concerns with the combination. Mereo is testing the drug, one of three it picked up from Novartis ($NVS), in a Phase II COPD trial. Release