Vesalius Biocapital fund raises €65m
Luxembourg-based venture capital specialist Vesalius Biocapital has closed the first round of Biocapital III fund that aims to invest into later-stage European life sciences companies.
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Entries by Thomas Gabrielczyk
Merck presents new CRISPR genome editing method
German Merck KGaA has developed a new genome editing tool dubbed proxy-CRISPR providing access to previously inaccessible microenviroments of the genome by modification of chromatin modifications.
Astellas completes Ogeda takeover
Astellas Pharma Inc. has completed the acquisition of Ogeda SA (previously Euroscreen SA, Gosselies, Belgium).
Vifor Pharma acquires US$50m share in Akebia
Swiss Vifor Pharma has agreed to acquire shares of Cambridge-based distributor Adebia worth US$50m in order exclusivly distribute its hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) stabiliser vadadustat to 40% of US dialysis clinics.
NSCLC: AstraZeneca’s durvalumab meets PFS endpoint
AstraZeneca’s anti PD-L1 antibody durvalumab has met the co-primary endpoint in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a Phase III trial vs placebo. OS data were not yet available.
Serialisation: Time is running out
Drug makers have only until two years from now to make their drugs and packaging counterfeit-resistant. By 9 February, 2019, every prescription drug pack must carry a 2D data matrix code that can be tracked by wholesalers and pharmacists along each stage of the value chain. Additionally, each pack must be sealed with an anti-tampering device. If companies and the NMVOs that handle national databases can’t manage the task, their drugs cannot be sold after the deadline.
Biomanufacturing: The smell of success
Until recently, aroma compounds were either sourced directly from plants or made from petrochemicals with the help of chemical synthesis processes. Now a handful of biotechnological production approaches are making headway and inroads into the key sector. There haven’t been real breakthroughs in big F&F markets yet, but biotech companies look poised to change the industry forever.
Norgine to acquire Merus
Dutch Norgine BV will take-over Merus Labs International Inc. Under the agreement, Norgine will acquire all outstanding shares for US$1.65 per share in cash.
Cheap Avastin as effective as Eylea in CRVO
A study conducted by an NIH institute proves Roche’s Avastin is as effective as Regeneron’s Eylea, a drug that costs 30 times more than Roche’s antibody. The rub: Avastin is not approved for use in central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).
Roche’s anti-PD-L1 fails in bladder cancer
Fiasco in Phase III: Roche’s conditionally approved PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor did not meet the endpoint of overall survival vs chemotherapy in a confirmatory study with pre-treated patients with metastatic urothelial cancer.