British Abzena plc has announced that True North Therapeutics (TNT) will be taken over by Bioverativ Inc. Bioverativ will further develop TNT’s complement factor C1-blocking antibody TNT009, developed using technology, which was licenced from Abzenawhich was licenced from Abzena.
Following the EMA’s recommendation for EU approval of sarilumab as second-line treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, French drug giant Sanofi and partner Regeneron have also been given the green light from the US FDA.
Top-Line Phase 3 data of Amgen’s/UCB’s osteoporosis antibody romosozumab in postmenopausal women suggest efficacy but uncover a new safety signal.
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.
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 Pharma Inc. has completed the acquisition of Ogeda SA (previously Euroscreen SA, Gosselies, Belgium).
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.
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.
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.
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).