Clinical Research

ISA Pharmaceuticals secures €8 million

Country
Netherlands

ISA Pharmaceuticals BV of the Netherlands has secured €8 million in funding from the Aglaia Oncology Fund and private investors to finance a Phase 2 study of its lead therapeutic vaccine candidate in cervical cancer. This a follow-on to an earlier Series A round.

Sanofi reports on JAK2 inhibitor in myelofibrosis

Country
France

Sanofi SA has reported data from a Phase 2 trial of a Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) inhibitor in myelofibrosis which showed the therapy achieved reductions in spleen size and other disease symptoms in 31 randomised patients.

Scancell gives early data on cancer vaccine

Country
United Kingdom

Another potential therapy for patients with melanoma has emerged with the disclosure on 6 December of preliminary results of a therapeutic cancer vaccine in which four patients showed an immune response. The vaccine has been developed by Scancell Holdings Plc.

TxCell gets funding for cell therapy

Country
France

TxCell SA of France, which is developing cell-based immunotherapies for chronic inflammatory diseases, has raised €12.4 million from existing shareholders and a new investor to finance a proof-of-concept study of its lead product for Crohn’s disease.

Pharming receives $10 million milestone

Country
Netherlands

Pharming Group NV has received a $10 million milestone payment from its partner Santarus Inc following the successful Phase 3 trial of Ruconest, its lead drug for hereditary angioedema (HAE). The trial result was reported on 7 November.

CureVac vaccines said to protect against flu

Country
Germany

A new vaccine technology based on messenger RNA is reported to be effective in animals with influenza A. Data from the studies has been published online in Nature Biotechnology. The vaccines were developed by CureVac GmbH.

Phase 3 trial to start for cell therapy for heart disease

Country
Belgium

The Belgian drug regulator has approved the start of a Phase 3 trial of an autologous cell therapy for patients with chronic heart failure – understood to be the first such trial ever. The therapy was developed by Cardio3 BioSciences SA and the US Mayo Clinic.

Medivir gives update on simeprevir

Country
Sweden

Medivir AB of Sweden expects to start a Phase 2 study early next year of a new combination treatment for hepatitis C, as part of its ongoing efforts to build a franchise around its protease inhibitor, simeprevir (TMC435).