News

Allergy Therapeutics posts revenue increase

Country
United Kingdom

Allergy Therapeutics Plc reported strong growth in European sales for the year to 30 June, giving it a platform for the future launch of its candidate short-course vaccine against grass allergy, Pollinex Quattro Grass.

Amgen to buy Dutch cardiovascular firm

Country
United States

Amgen Inc has moved to strengthen its cardiovascular portfolio with the agreed purchase of Dezima Pharma BV of the Netherlands which has a new drug for dyslipidemia in a Phase 2b clinical trial. Dezima is backed by Forbion Capital Partners and other venture funds.

Desktop Genetics gets funding

Country
United Kingdom

Desktop Genetics Ltd, which brings CRISPR genome editing technology to a computer with access to the cloud, has raised £1.37 million in equity financing from a group of biotech executives, business angels and venture capitalists, including the chief executive of Syncona Partners LLP.

Ebola vaccine receives US support

Country
Denmark

An experimental vaccine against the Ebola virus has received further support from the US government enabling the developers to improve their manufacturing and storage capabilities. The vaccine is being developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Bavarian Nordic A/S.

Mylan makes formal offer for Perrigo

Country
Ireland

Generic drug producer Mylan NV has made formal offer to buy all the outstanding shares of Perrigo Company Plc on terms that were not quite as favourable as its initial offer last April. Based in Ireland, Perrigo manufactures over-the-counter and generic drugs.

Actelion confirms talks with ZS Pharma

Country
Switzerland

Actelion Ltd, which has a portfolio of drugs to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), said it has initiated preliminary discussions with ZS Pharma Inc, the details of which have not been disclosed. ZS Pharma has technology for treating ion imbalances.

GSK respiratory trial misses endpoint

Country
United Kingdom

A Phase 3 trial which was testing a new indication for the marketed respiratory medicine Relvar/Breo Ellipta failed to demonstrate that it could improve the survival rate for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and a history of heart disease.

Novadip gets financing for cell therapy

Country
Belgium

Novadip Biosciences SA, a spinout from the University of Louvain and the Saint-Luc University Hospital, has raised €28 million in a Series A financing round to develop a  therapy for bone defects that is based on adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Faron Pharmaceuticals plans AIM listing

Country
Finland

Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy of Finland has announced its intention to float on the AIM market in London in order to raise money for a Phase 3 trial of its agent for acute respiratory distress syndrome Traumakine, a recombinant human interferon beta-1a.

Forbion closes new ‘de-risked’ venture fund

Country
Netherlands

Netherlands-based Forbion Capital Partners has announced the closing of a new €75 million fund which will enable its existing limited partners to invest in up to six portfolio companies as part of a final financing round before an exit.