AstraZeneca Plc’s anti-platelet agent Brilinta (ticagrelor) has failed to show a significant benefit over Plavix in a Phase 3 study of patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) – the second trial failure this year for the drug.
Citing competitive pressures in the US, Novo Nordisk A/S has announced plans to reduce its workforce by about 1,000 employees – or 2.4% of its global staff of 42,300 persons. The measures do not alter the company’s forecast for 2016 which calls for increases in sales and operating profit.
A new oncology company, Carrick Therapeutics Ltd, has been launched in Dublin, Ireland with $95 million in seed funding to build a portfolio of personalised medicines based on emerging knowledge about cancer growth and resistance at a molecular level.
A new combination therapy trial designed to test kinase and checkpoint inhibitors together to see whether they are effective in treating mesothelioma, non-small cell lung and pancreatic cancers, is expected to start late this year or early in 2017.
Zealand Pharma A/S has raised DKK143 million ($22 million) with a private placement of new shares at DKK 96.90, a 5% discount from the market price before the announcement.
Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH has expanded its oncology portfolio to include oncolytic virus technology through a collaboration with privately held ViraTherapeutics GmbH of Austria. The deal is potentially worth €210 million.
The European Medicines Agency has appealed against a court order preventing it from releasing documents relating to two marketed medicines, arguing that the disclosures are consistent with its policy on transparency.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new device for people with Type 1 diabetes – the first to automatically monitor blood glucose levels and release insulin at the appropriate dose. The so-called ‘artificial pancreas’ is intended to adjust insulin levels in the blood with little or no input from the user.
Evotec AG and C4X Discovery Holdings Plc have upgraded their research agreement to cover a broad range of targets for small molecule drugs. The initial focus will be on cancer and autoimmune diseases.