GlaxoSmithKline Plc has increased its exposure to bi-specific antibodies through the signing of a second research collaboration with Zymeworks Inc of Canada under which it will have an option to develop and commercialise multiple drugs across different therapeutic areas.
A Phase 2b/3 trial of the monoclonal antibody bimagrumab failed to meet its primary endpoint, which was based on a six-minute walking test, in patients with the muscle wasting disease sporatic inclusion body myositis, according to MorphoSys AG.
Sanofi SA has disclosed that it is making a $9.3 billion, non-binding bid for Medivation Inc of California, US which has at least two cancer products in mid-to-late stage development and a product for prostate cancer that it is marketing jointly with Astellas Pharma Inc of Japan.
Despite a steep decline in AdVair sales, GlaxoSmithKline Plc was able to report an 11% increase in group revenue to £6.2 billion in the first quarter due to strong demand for its new HIV and respiratory medicines, and its vaccines for meningitis.
The discovery of an antibody targeting a protein on regulatory T cells with a potentially stronger side-effect profile than existing immuno-oncology compounds, has led to a multi-million dollar collaboration between Netherlands-based Argenx NV and AbbVie Inc.
Enterome Biosciences SA of France has raised €14.5 million in a Series C equity financing from existing investors plus Nestlé Health Science SA to help bring its lead product into the clinic. The compound is a small molecule in-licensed from Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
GeNeuro SA of Geneva, Switzerland has made an initial public offering of €33 million on the Euronext stock exchange in Paris. Part of the proceeds will be used to finance a Phase 2b proof-of-concept trial of an antibody for multiple sclerosis (MS).
A neuro-stimulation device developed by G-Therapeutics BV of the Netherlands has received €26 million in Series A equity finance to fund a clinical trial in patients with spinal cord injuries ahead of a regulatory submission.
Novartis reported savings of $0.5 billion in the first quarter from a series of measures designed to improve productivity as sales came under pressure from the loss of exclusivity for Glivec/Gleevec (imatinib), a kinase inhibitor used to treat multiple cancers.
In a review of the first quarter, the Roche Group has highlighted the progress of the checkpoint antibody atezolizumab, which is being investigated in both solid and haematologic cancers, and ocrelizumab, a new drug for multiple sclerosis.