News

FDA panel votes against canakinumab

Country
Switzerland

An advisory panel of the US Food and Drug Administration has voted not to recommend approval of canakinumab for the treatment of gouty arthritis attacks in patients who cannot get relief from NSAIDS, according to the drug’s sponsor, Novartis.

French imaging company in IPO

Country
France

A France-based medical imaging company, Mauna Kea Technologies, has announced plans to make an initial public offering of its shares on NYSE Euronext in Paris with the goal of raising about €38.9 million.

FDA issues guidance on artificial pancreas

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a draft guidance for companies that may be planning to develop and submit an application for marketing for an artificial pancreas system for people with Type 1 diabetes.

Concert to receive $4 million milestone from GSK

Country
United Kingdom

Concert Pharmaceuticals Inc is set to receive a $4 million milestone from GlaxoSmithKline Plc in connection with the selection of a lead HIV protease inhibitor for clinical development. The candidate drug will enter efficacy studies in 2012.

Roche reports on vismodegib for basal cell carcinoma

Country
Switzerland

Roche has reported that its investigational treatment for advanced basal cell carcinoma, vismodegib, shrank tumours in a Phase 2 study of patients with locally-advanced disease and those with metastatic disease.

Sanofi takes option on hearing technology

Country
Netherlands

Sanofi SA has entered into a two-year research collaboration with a small Netherlands-based company, Audion Therapeutics BV, to develop potential treatments for hearing loss by targeting progenitor cells in the inner ear with small molecule compounds.

ReNeuron in licencing deal with Schepens

Country
United Kingdom

ReNeuron Group Plc has upgraded its collaboration with the Schepens Eye Research Institute in the US with the signing of a patent and licensing deal giving it rights to develop and commercialise human retinal precursor cells (hRPCs).

FDA approves new kidney transplant drug

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Nulojix (belatacept), a new treatment to prevent organ rejection in adult patients who have had a kidney transplant. The developer is Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.

Immatics gives update on cancer vaccine

Country
Germany

Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH of Tübingen, Germany has started vaccination of the first patients in a Phase 3 trial of its therapeutic vaccine for renal cell cancer. The primary endpoint is overall survival in combination with sunitinib.

Zealand Pharma, BI to collaborate in diabetes

Country
Denmark

Zealand Pharma A/S of Denmark has reached an agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH of Germany to develop dual-acting glucagon and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and obesity.