On the heels of its deal to apply its delivery technology to ViroPharma Inc.'s hereditary angioedema (HAE) drug, Halozyme Therapeutics Inc. inked another collaboration, this one with stealth biotech Intrexon Corp. valued at a potential $63 million. Read More
A Phase I/II trial of an unusual two-part therapeutic for brain cancer is under way, according to Tocagen Inc. The San Diego-based company has already dosed its first patient cohort, at the first dose, and received a green light from an independent data monitoring committee to progress to the second dose. Read More
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Tarrytown, N.Y., and Bayer HealthCare, of Leverkusen, Germany, announced that Bayer HealthCare submitted an application for marketing authorization in Europe for VEGF Trap-Eye for the treatment of the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). Regeneron and Bayer HealthCare are collaborating on the global development of VEGF Trap-Eye for the treatment of wet AMD, central retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema and myopic choroidal neovascularization. Read More
Nektar Therapeutics Inc., of San Francisco, reported single-dose Phase I interim data showing that NKTR-181 has an excellent safety and tolerability profile, with no dose-limiting tolerability issues observed to date. With slower entry into the central nervous system, the µ-opioid analgesic candidate has the potential to reduce the euphoria that underlies opioid abuse liability and dependence, as well as the side effects of respiratory depression and sedation. Read More
WASHINGTON – In a big win for biopharma and scientists, the Supreme Court put the skids on what amounted to an intellectual land grab by universities. Read More
CHICAGO – Much has been made of the ways that industry could improve drug discovery. And the FDA, of course, is everybody's favorite whipping boy for the low rate of drug discovery, be it in cancer or anything else. Read More