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Biotechnology
London-listed Finnish biotech company Faron Pharmaceuticals has appointed Marie-Louise Fjällskog as chief medical officer. 3 January 2022
Biotechnology
There was a flurry of activity in US biotech Biogen stock since yesterday, after the Korea Economic Daily reported on Wednesday that local firm Samsung Biologics had been approached by the US firm to buy its shares, in a deal which could be valued at more than $42 billion. 30 December 2021
Generics
The US Food and Drug Administration has determined that Eagle Pharmaceuticals has maintained its 180 days of marketing exclusivity for its recently approved abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for vasopressin. 30 December 2021
Pharmaceutical
Merck & Co, known as MSD outside the USA and Canada, and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics have announced that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has granted Special Approval for Emergency in Japan for molnupiravir, an investigational oral antiviral medicine, for infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. 29 December 2021
Pharmaceutical
Israel-based Oramed Pharmaceuticals says that its subsidiary, Oravax Medical, has signed a cooperation and purchase agreement with Vietnam-based Tan Thanh Holdings Investment to pre-purchase Oravax’ oral COVID-19 vaccine, currently in development. 29 December 2021
Pharmaceutical
A new licensing agreement between Durect Corporation and Innocoll Biotherapeutics grants the latter exclusive development and commercialization rights to Posimir (bupivacaine). 23 December 2021
Biotechnology
Gilead Sciences has completed the process of exercising an option on three programs in Arcus Biosciences' clinical-stage portfolio. 22 December 2021
Biotechnology
Deciphera Pharmaceuticals today announced that the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted marketing authorization for Qinlock (ripretinib) in the UK for the treatment of adult patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) who have received prior treatment with three or more kinase inhibitors, including imatinib. 21 December 2021
Pharmaceutical
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved German drug major Bayer’s Xarelto (rivaroxaban) as tablets and an oral suspension to treat venous thromboembolism (VTE), or blood clots that form in the veins, and reduce the risk of VTE recurring in pediatric patients from birth to younger than 18 years who have received at least five days of injectable or intravenous treatment for blood clots. 21 December 2021
Biotechnology
Swiss biopharma Helsinn Group and Xediton Pharmaceuticals, a Canada-based specialty pharma company with a strong presence in products in oncology, have announced the signing of an exclusive license and distribution agreement in Canada for Truseltiq (infigratinib). 20 December 2021
Biotechnology
Genoscience Pharma, a French biotech developing unique lysosomotropic drug candidates for cancer, auto-immune and infectious diseases through autophagy modulation, has announced the licensing of its PPT-1 inhibitor, GNS561, in cholangiocarcinoma, to Genfit, a late-stage biopharma focused on metabolic and chronic liver diseases. 17 December 2021
Pharmaceutical
Switzerland-based Essential Pharma, which is focused on maintaining access to mature, well-established prescription pharmaceutical products across multiple therapeutic areas, has acquired two new assets from Novartis. 16 December 2021
Biotechnology
The European Commission has approved Aspaveli (pegcetacoplan), developed by Apellis and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (also known as Sobi), the first and only C3 therapy for the treatment of adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) who are anemic after treatment with a C5 inhibitor for at least three months. 15 December 2021
Pharmaceutical
Japan’s Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma today announced that the Phase III WIZARD 201G study of investigational cancer vaccine DSP-7888 (adegramotide/nelatimotide) in patients with recurrent or progressive glioblastoma (GBM) will terminate following its second interim analysis after determining there is a low probability of meeting the primary endpoint of overall survival (OS) at the final analysis. 15 December 2021
Biotechnology
South Korea’s Samsung Biologics and USA-based Moderna have announced today that the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of Korea (MFDS) has issued a marketing authorization for Spikevax, Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA-1273) manufactured by Samsung Biologics, allowing distribution globally and reinforcing their commitment to defeating the COVID-19 pandemic. 14 December 2021
Biotechnology
Swiss biotech Rejuveron Life Sciences has strengthened its support to a near-majority holding in Endogena Therapeutics, a US endogenous regenerative therapeutics company. 13 December 2021
Pharmaceutical
French ophthalmology company Nicox has appointed Doug Hubatsch as chief scientific officer, leading non-clinical and clinical development activities. 13 December 2021
Pharmaceutical
Japanese drug major Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma says that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has decided that all of the claims in the method of use patent related to the proprietary atypical antipsychotic agent, Latuda (lurasidone HCl tablets), are unpatentable in the Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceeding whose petition was filed with the USPTO by USA-based Slayback Pharma. 10 December 2021
Pharmaceutical
Germany’s Merck KGaA today announced the expansion of its strategic, corporate venture capital arm M Ventures. 8 December 2021
Pharmaceutical
Swiss specialty drugmaker Covis Pharma has appointed Raghav Chari as chief innovation officer and Nicolas Verbeke as senior VP, Europe & International. 7 December 2021
Biotechnology
Japanese drugmaker Takeda has launched Fruzaqla (fruquintinib) in its home country. 22 November 2024
Biotechnology
Chinese biopharma CStone Pharmaceuticals has announced a strategic commercial collaboration with Pharmalink Store, a prominent pharmaceutical company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 22 November 2024
Biotechnology
Zhongshan-based biopharma company Akeso will await the verdict of the Chinese medicines regulator on a penpulimab-based combo therapy. 22 November 2024
Biotechnology
US biotech Paragon Therapeutics yesterday revealed that biotech industry veteran Susanna High has been appointed as chief executive (CEO). In this newly-created role, Ms High will lead the team’s continued efforts to propel the development of a pipeline of transformative therapies and accelerate their potential impact. 22 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Shanghai-based Zai Lab and New York’s Pfizer are to work together on the commercialization of Xacduro (sulbactam-durlobactam) in China. 22 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
The nomination of Robert F Kennedy Jr — known as RFK Jr — for the role of US Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) President-elect Donald Trump sent shares in vaccine companies sharply downwards. 22 November 2024
Biotechnology
California-based venture capital firm Versant Ventures yesterday announced the launch of Pep2Tango Therapeutics, a start-up focused on innovative, next-generation weight loss therapies. Proceeds from the significant, undisclosed round will support development of the company’s novel unimolecular tetra-receptor agonist peptides to treat obesity and related conditions. 22 November 2024
Biotechnology
Hong Kong-based Sino Biopharm has signed an equity investment and strategic collaboration agreement with LaNova Medicines, advancing its oncology focus. 22 November 2024
Biotechnology
British pharma major AstraZeneca is facing challenges in its bid to secure full approval for its anticoagulant reversal therapy, Andexxa (andexanet alfa), in the USA. 22 November 2024
Biotechnology
Colorado, USA-based biotech Enveda Biosciences, which is using AI to translate nature into new medicines, has announced an oversubscribed $130 million Series C funding round led by Kinnevik and FPV. 22 November 2024
Biotechnology
Privately-held US biotech Alloy Therapeutics has announced a strategic collaboration and license agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical. 21 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Japanese drugmaker Eisai has announced that the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment Rozebalamin for Injection (mecobalamin) has been launched in Japan as a treatment for slowing progression of functional impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. 21 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Germany's Merck has spent more than 25 years researching and developing solutions for advancing multiple sclerosis (MS) care. 21 November 2024
Biotechnology
San Diego-based Cidara Therapeutics, a biotech using its proprietary Cloudbreak platform to develop drug-Fc conjugate (DFC) immunotherapies designed to save lives and improve the standard of care for patients facing serious diseases, has entered into a securities purchase agreement with certain investors to raise up to around $105 million. 21 November 2024
Pharmaceutical
Swiss pharma giant Novartis today announced an upgrade to its mid-term guidance, in advance of its Meet Novartis Management event for investors and analysts in London. 21 November 2024
Biotechnology
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval of Ziihera (zanidatamab-hrii) 50mg/mL for injection for intravenous use, say the drug’s developer, Jazz Pharmaceuticals. 21 November 2024
Biotechnology
Eli Lilly is not resting on its laurels when it comes to the fast-growing field of obesity treatments, an area in which it is already a leader. 21 November 2024
Biotechnology
Aizen Therapeutics, an AI-driven biotech headquartered in San Diego, has officially launched from stealth mode, introducing its drug discovery platform, DaX. 21 November 2024
Biotechnology
San Diego-based Valora Therapeutics, a biotech that boasts of having a novel approach to immunotherapy, has announced the successful closing of a $30 million seed funding round. 21 November 2024
Biotechnology
Astellas Pharma has been hit by bad news from the US Food and Drug Administration, which will not currently approve the firm’s request to supplement the label for Izervay (avacincaptad pegol). 21 November 2024
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