Privately-held Symphogen A/S of Denmark has raised €100 million from a group of investors for the development of its antibody therapeutics which it describes as including monoclonal antibodies, monoclonal mixtures and polyclonal antibodies.
Cell Medica Ltd and Baylor College of Medicine in the US have agreed to collaborate on a cell-based treatment for cancers associated with the Epstein Barr virus that involves an ex vivo procedure enabling a patient’s own cells to tackle the disease.
Venture-capital backed Argen-X BV of Belgium has secured its first corporate partnership in a deal with Eli Lilly and Co to discover and develop therapeutic antibodies against targets supplied by the US company.
The French biopharmaceutical company, Transgene SA, is set to acquire a second diagnostic for use with its therapeutic vaccine candidate for non-small cell lung cancer, following an agreement with Beckman Coulter Inc of the US.
Kiadis Pharma BV of the Netherlands has entered into a licensing deal with Hospira Inc of the US to develop and commercialise its haematology product for blood cancer patients who need a bone marrow transplant but can’t find a matched donor.
Actelion Ltd of Switzerland said that Elias Zerhouni, a former director of the US National Institutes of Health, is resigning from its board of directors in order to focus on his new appointment as president of global R&D at Sanofi-Aventis.
H. Lundbeck A/S said it has completed two out of three Phase 3 studies for its candidate drug to treat alcohol dependence paving the way for a regulatory submission in Europe in the 2011 second half. The drug, nalmefene, is an opioid receptor antagonist.
Advanced Cell Technology Inc of the US has entered into an agreement with Roslin Cells Ltd of Scotland to establish a bank for GMP-grade human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines that could be used in future research or in clinical trials.
As Europe gears up to recruit a new top drug regulator, the official who is vacating this position after 10 years has thrown a spotlight on the productivity failures of the pharmaceutical industry.
An autologous stem-cell treatment for patients with damaged heart muscle following an acute myocardial infarction has resulted in improved perfusion, a trend towards improved cardiac function, that was dose dependent, according to US research.