Article Listing - Biotechnology
USA's BIO and PhRMA find positives in provisions of the Senate Health Care Bill passed on Christmas Eve, but not so GPhA
4 January 2010
The early morning of Christmas Eve saw a positive final vote - 60 to 39 - in the US Senate for health care reform legislation, passing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act proposed by Majority Leader Harry Reid (Democrat, Nevada), who himself had a moment of confusion, voting “no” before quickly correcting himself.
A New lease of life for Big Pharma, by David Stevenson, writing for MoneyWeek
23 December 2009
Few people – or businesses – were buoyed up by last week’s UK Pre-Budget Report (PBR). But bosses in one sector had big smiles on their faces. The Chancellor’s decision to slash corporation tax on income derived from patents to just 10% was great news for Britain’s big pharma firms
Court blocks Roche’s sales of Mircera in USA until 2014, as Amgen prevails in EPO patent dispute
23 December 2009
Ending a five-year patent dispute, the US District Court in Boston has entered final judgment and a permanent injunction against Swiss drug major Roche from infringing US biotechnology firm Amgen's patents on recombinant erythropoietin (EPO).
Shire submits Replagal BLA with the USA’s FDA; recaps velaglucerase status
23 December 2009
Specialty biopharmaceutical company Shire says that it has submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) with the USA’s Food and Drug Administration for Replagal (agalsidase alfa), its enzyme replacement therapy for Fabry disease. The drug first received marketing authorization in the European Union in 2001, and is approved for the treatment of Fabry disease in 45 countries.
Seattle Genetics in deal with GSK for ADC worth up to $402 million
22 December 2009
US biotechnology firm Seattle Genetics has secured an initial $12 million from UK drug giant GlaxoSmithKline under which GSK will acquire the rights to utilize the firm’s antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology with multiple antigens to be named by GSK.
Pfizer licenses MultiStem IBD drug from Athersys for as much as $111 million; sells Vicuron subsid
22 December 2009
US stem-cell specialist Athersys’ shares rocketed almost 200% to $2.96 after it revealed yesterday that it has entered into an agreement with global drug behemoth Pfizer to develop and commercialize its MultiStem for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Pfizer’s stock rose 3% to $18.77 on the news.
Merck & Co extends biotech reach with acquisition of UK’s Avecia
18 December 2009
In a move aimed at further expanding its footprint in the biotechnology sector, US drug giant Merck & Co says it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the biologics business of the Avecia Biologics group through affiliate Merck Sharp & Dohme. Avecia is a contract manufacturing organization with specific expertise in microbial-derived biologics. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed but, according to a report by News Canada, Merck spokesman Ian McConnell said the value is well below $1 billion.
New fund expands options for Canada’s cash-strapped biotech industry
18 December 2009
The new Tandem Expansion (a private investment firm focused on growth capital for high-potential Canadian technology companies) fund of C$300 million ($284.4 million) announced last week presents a much-needed financing option for Canada’s biotechnology industry. The Fund received investments from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC), contributing C$80 and C$75 million respectively.
Facet Biotech Stockholders reject Biogen Idec tender offer, so deal over
18 December 2009
USA-based Biogen Idec’s fight to gain control of Facet Biotech came to an end last night, when the latter’s shareholders rejected its final, unsolicited offer of $17.50 a share, valuing the firm at about $493 million, which went hostile with a tender offer that has now expired.
Silence Thera to merge with Intradigm to create leading RNAi company
17 December 2009
The UK’s Silence Therapeutics and USA-based Intradigm Corp have announced plans to merge their businesses to form a leading company in the field of RNAi (RNA interference). The enlarged company, to be called Silence Therapeutics, will have multiple RNAi discovery, development and delivery technologies, a broad internal and partnered product pipeline and a broad portfolio of intellectual property.
- InSite Vision joins Merck & Co and Pfizer in patent infringement law suit against
- Osteoporosis drug bazedoxifene stops growth of breast cancer cells, even in resistant tumors
- Highlights of EHA meeting: Novartis' Jakavi; Bristol-Myers and AbbVie's elotuzumab; Janssen's ibrutinib
- Additional indications in Japan for Roche's Avastin and Astellas' Prograf
- US Supreme Court says patent settlement can "sometimes" be illegal
