Michael Cola, president of Shire Plc’s speciality pharmaceuticals business, is resigning from the company effective 2 April. The chief executive, Angus Russell, will take responsibility for the division until a replacement is appointed.
4SC AG is laying plans for a pivotal, pre-registration trial of its experimental drug for liver cancer, resminostat, following positive data at Phase 2. Provided partnering and regulatory discussions are successful, the trial could start in the first half of 2013.
ThromboGenics NV, a Belgian company developing ophthalmic medicines, has raised €77.8 million in a private placement of its shares arranged by KBC Securities NV, Merrill Lynch International and Petercam NV.
Eli Lilly and Company said new Phase 2 data for its antibody against psoriasis has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The antibody is currently in Phase 3 for psoriasis and under investigation for other indications, including RA.
Promethera Biosciences SA, which is developing a therapy for liver disease using allogeneic stem cells derived from healthy adult human livers, has raised €23.6 million in a series B financing round that included four corporate investors.
Addex Pharmaceuticals Ltd has announced positive top-line data from a Phase 2a trial of an allosteric modulator for the treatment of levodopa-induced dyskinesia in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Full data will be disclosed at a meeting later in 2012.
Evotec AG illustrated in 2011 that it is possible to out-perform the biotech sector by pursuing a drug discovery model that exploits Big Pharma’s need to outsource R&D. Revenue at the German company increased by 45% and net profit more than doubled.
ThromboGenics NV of Belgium has partnered its lead drug for sight impairment with the Alcon division of Novartis for potential fees of €375 million. Under the agreement, Alcon obtains marketing rights for Ocriplasmin (microplasmin) outside the US.
Zealand Pharma A/S became profitable in 2011 as its lead product for Type 2 diabetes reached the registration stage.The Danish enzyme-oriented biotech reported a 94% rise in revenue and other operating income to DKK 171 million and a 12.8% decline in operating expenses.
Elan Corporation Plc of Ireland said that it has received a net $381 million from the sale on the US Nasdaq market of 76% of its holdings in Alkermes Plc, a biopharmaceutical company with headquarters in Dublin and an R&D center in Waltham, Massachusetts, US.