Tag: pharmaceuticals
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Antibodies Isolated for Chikungunya Virus
9 July 2015. Researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville isolated 13 antibodies from a person infected with the chikungunya virus shown to possibly prevent and treat infections in lab mice. The team led by James Crowe, director of Vanderbilt’s Vaccine Center, published its findings yesterday in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. Chikungunya is a disease…
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Allergan Acquires Merck Migraine Therapies
8 July 2015. The pharmaceutical company Allergan is licensing therapies for treatment and prevention of migraines being developed by Merck, another pharma company. The agreement is expected to bring Merck $250 million over the next year, as well as undisclosed milestone and royalty payments from Allergan. Migraine is a neurological syndrome causing severe headaches along with…
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FDA Grants Orphan Status to Brain Cancer Surgery Aid
7 July 2015. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is granting orphan drug status to an engineered peptide that illuminates brain cancer cells making them easier to surgically remove. The treatment, code-named BLZ-100, is made by Blaze Bioscience, a biotechnology company in Seattle. Blaze Bioscience is a spin-off enterprise from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center,…
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Drug Abusers, Smokers More Likely to Use Opioids Long-Term
1 July 2015. A study by the Mayo Clinic finds people with a history of substance abuse and using tobacco are those most at risk for using opioid pain killers on a continuous basis. The team led by Michael Hooten, an anesthesiologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, published its findings in the July issue…
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Foundation Supporting ALS Pilot Clinical Trials
1 July 2015. ALS Association is funding pilot studies with patients having amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to confirm biomarkers, or biochemical indicators, that improve responsiveness to therapies. The studies are being conducted by Neuraltus Pharmaceuticals Inc., a biopharmaceutical developer in Palo Alto, California, and University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. ALS, also known as Lou…
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Juno, Celgene Partner in $1 Billion Immunotherapy Deal
30 June 2015. Biotechnology company Juno Therapeutics Inc. and biopharmaceutical developer Celgene Corp. are collaborating on therapies that harness the immune system to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases over the next 10 years. The agreement is expected to bring Juno nearly $1 billion from Celgene in upfront payments and stock purchases. Juno Therapeutics, headquartered in…
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Patient Registry Started for Rare Genetic Disorder
29 June 2015. A registry of families with individuals having Sjögren-Larsson syndrome aims to systematically collect data about families’ experiences with the disease and provide a source of participants for clinical trials of therapies. The registry is being formed by the National Organization for Rare Disorders and Sjögren-Larsson Syndrome Network Community. Sjögren-Larsson Syndrome, or SLS,…
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Novartis Acquires Pain Medication Developer in $200M Deal
29 June 2015. Global pharmaceutical company Novartis is acquiring Spinifex Pharmaceuticals Inc., a developer of new types of therapies for neuropathic pain. Spinifex reports Novartis is paying $200 million in cash for the company — based in Stamford, Connecticut and Melbourne, Australia — as well as undisclosed future milestone payments. Spinifex Pharmaceuticals develops therapies for…
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Rare Disease Therapy Company Raises $60 Million in IPO
26 June 2015. Catabasis Pharmaceuticals Inc., a biotechnology company creating treatments for rare diseases and cholesterol-related disorders, is raising $60 million in its initial public stock offering, trading on the Nasdaq exchange under the symbol CATB. The Cambridge, Massachusetts enterprise yesterday priced its 5 million shares at $12.00, and as of 4:00 pm today is…
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Trial Shows Safety, Benefits of Diabetic Eye Disease Drug
25 June 2015. An early-stage clinical trial of a drug to treat eye disorders caused by diabetes shows the drug is well-tolerated and reduces swelling in the eye associated with the disease. Stealth BioTherapeutics, developer of the drug brand-named Ocuvia, reported the results today at a company symposium in New York City. The study is…