News

Abbott withdraws drug application from the EMA

Country
United Kingdom

Abbott Laboratories Ltd has decided to withdraw its European marketing authorisation application for Ozespa (briakinumab) which was intended to be used for moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis in adults, according to the EMA.

Merck stops trial of cardiovascular drug

Country
United States

Merck & Co has stopped a late-stage clinical trial of its anti-clotting drug, vorapaxar, and restricted a second study on the advice of an independent data and safety monitoring board. A regulatory filing for the drug had been planned in 2011.

UK scientists to study cancer stem cells

Country
United Kingdom

A group of prominent UK scientists has been assembled to carry out a two-year research project to investigate the role of cancer stem cells in the development, growth and spread of tumours in breast, prostate and head and neck cancers.

GSK invests in epigenetic enzyme therapy

Country
United States

GlaxoSmithKline Plc has agreed to pay $20 million upfront to Epizyme Inc of Cambridge, Massachusetts for access to technology that targets histone methyltransferases (HMT), a class of epigenetic enzymes. The goal is to develop small molecule drugs against cancer and other diseases.

Qiagen gets access to biomarkers from German start-up

Country
Germany

The Netherlands-based diagnostics company, Qiagen NV, has acquired a minority stake in a German start-up company, Alacris Theranostics GmbH, which has a genome sequencing technology that can be used to generate biomarkers.

Neovacs to test its immunotherapy in Crohn’s patients

Country
France

Neovacs SA of France is set to start a Phase 2 trial of its active immunotherapy in patients with Crohn’s disease. This follows an earlier study in Crohn’s that elicited an antibody response where nearly half the patients achieved disease remission.

DBV Technologies raises $25.5 million in Series C round

Country
France

DBV Technologies SA has secured $25.5 million in a Series C round to support clinical development of a skin patch to treat peanut allergies. The round was co-led by new investors InnoBio Fund and Lundbeckfond Ventures.

Amarin raises $100.2 million in share offering

Country
Ireland

Dublin, Ireland-based Amarin Corporation Plc has raised a net $100.2 million in a secondary offering of its American Depositary Shares, the proceeds of which will be used to support the commercialisation of its lead cardiovascular product, AMR101.