Gilead Sciences Inc has made a dramatic entry to the field of regenerative medicine with an agreed bid for Kite Pharma Inc which has a portfolio of engineered cell therapies, the most advanced of which is under review in both the US and the EU.
Bayer AG’s proposed $66 billion acquisition of Monsanto Co has hit a roadblock following a decision by the European Commission to investigate whether the new group could reduce competition for pesticides, seeds and genetically-engineered plant traits.
Phase 3 trial results of canakinumab (Ilaris), a monoclonal antibody that targets interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta), have shown a significant 15% reduction of major cardiovascular events in people with a prior heart attack and inflammatory atherosclerosis.
Amgen Inc said that its licensed drug, Kyprolis (carfilzomib), produced a better survival benefit in a Phase 3 trial of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma than Velcade (bortezomib). The trial results were published in The Lancet Oncology on 23 August.
With more than 20 clinical studies ongoing, Bavarian Nordic A/S has reported a further strengthening of its cash position, largely due to a new licensing and equity agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc which raises the US company’s stake in the Danish company to 5.8%.
Ablynx NV is putting the finishing touches on a commercialisation strategy for its lead product caplacizumab, following the submission of a marketing authorisation application to the European Medicines Agency and the completion of enrollment in a final Phase 3 study.
Macrophage Pharma Ltd has topped up a Series A financing round announced in January with an investment from Merck Ventures BV, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA. The size of the investment is reportedly £3 million, bringing the total raised in the A round up to £12 million.
Nordic Nanovector ASA is on track to start a pivotal Phase 2 study of its radioimmunotherapy Betalutin in patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma following promising early efficacy data.
A Munich-area company specialising in messenger RNA (mRNA) technology has entered into a drug discovery deal with AstraZeneca Plc. Ethris GmbH will receive €25 million upfront, plus research funding, to develop therapies for respiratory diseases.
Karenann Terrell, an electrical engineer and former executive at Walmart, is to join GlaxoSmithKline Plc on 4 September to help manage the pharmaceutical company’s use of digital technologies to improve performance.