The European Commission has awarded €5.3 million over four years to a consortium led by Ark Therapeutics Group Plc to investigate the possible use of gene and cell therapy, along with stents, in the treatment of coronary heart disease.
Roslin Cells Ltd has reached an agreement with Pfizer Inc giving the US multinational access to its pluripotent stem cell lines with a view to assessing their potential for specific clinical therapies. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Advanced Cell Technology Inc has announced the dosing of the first patients in each of its two Phase 1/2 clinical trials for eye disorders using retinal pigment epithelial cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs).
The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a draft guidance for companies that are developing diagnostic tests intended to be used with targeted drug therapies. The document gives the agency’s approach towards the review of these products.
Amgen Inc is set to pay Micromet Inc €10 million upfront as part of a collaboration to research the company’s bi-specific antibody technology against three undisclosed solid tumour targets. Micromet is based in the US but has a research facility in Germany.
Ipsen SA and The Salk Institute for Biological Studies of the US are renewing for another three years, their research collaboration to explore the biology of proliferative and degenerative diseases. Financial details were not disclosed.
A French developer of an artificial heart for patients with heart failure, has announced plans to raise additional capital through a rights issue with preferential rights for existing shareholders. Proceeds will support clinical development of the device.
The European Medicines Agency said it is reviewing the cardiovascular risk of the anti-arrhythmic medicine, Multaq (dronedarone) from Sanofi SA, following the company’s announcement on 7 July that it was halting a Phase 3b trial of the drug.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the Boostrix vaccine, currently available for adolescents and adults, for use in people 65 years and older for the prevention of tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.
Venture-capital backed SuppreMol GmbH has announced the start of a Phase 2a study of a recombinant protein for systemic lupus erythematosus. This follows FDA approval in March of an antibody therapeutic for lupus from GSK, the first new drug for the disease since 1955.