Following reports of an increase in mortality in a study that combined Genmab’s anti-CD38 daratumumab with a PD-L1 blocker, Genmab’s partner Janssen has stopped a study combining daratumumab with its PD1 blocker JNJ-63723283 in multiple myeloma.

Targovax ASA’s cancer immunotherapy TG01 significantly prolonged 2-year overall survival of patients with resected pancreatic cancer versus standard therapy. Targovax’ shares were up 16% on Thursday evening.

Italian oncologists have found a more effective tumour angiogenesis blocker which curbs metastasis and tumour growth. 

Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma has licenced ex-US/Japanese/Korean rights to commercialise CR845 (difelikefalin) from Cara Therapeutics for the treatment of chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus (CKD-aP).

The rapid development of antibiotic resistance has become a major public health issue that could soon kill 10 million people annually. One promising alternative to ineffective antibiotics has been around for almost a century – bacterio­phages. The microbe-killing viruses are used in medicine in Georgia, Poland and Russia, but have been neglected by western doctors. Now pressure is mounting on global health authorities to put the option back on the table. 

Evotec AG and Celgene Corporation have entered into a strategic drug discovery and development partnership to identify new therapeutics in oncology.

Marc Wolff has been named Chief Financial Officer of Aldevron, a provider of plasmid DNA manufacturing, protein production and antibody discovery services. Mr. Wolff will lead the global finance and accounting team across all Aldevron sites in the U.S. and Europe.

Bioeconomy industry experts  gave a mixed outlook for biomaterials in mid-May in Cologne where about 200 stakeholder joined  the 11th International Conference on Bio-based Materials.

Researchers at LMU Munich have unraveled a new strategy of colon cancers to evade targeted therapies. 

CAR-T cell therapy specialist Kite Pharma, now part of Gilead Sciences, has expanded its cell therapy manufacturing footprint in Europe. A 117,000 square-foot facility in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, will be operational by 2020.