GE Healthcare and the engineering and construction company, M+W Group GmbH, have identified capacity-building in biomanufacturing as a market opportunity in the Third World and have announced a new alliance to exploit the opportunity.
4SC AG of Germany said that it is spinning off its discovery activities into a new wholly-owned subsidiary in order to make its early research programmes more visible to the financial markets and to potential pharmaceutical company licensees.
Ablynx NV has started a Phase 1 study in healthy volunteers of an antibody-derived therapeutic protein for the treatment of respiratory syncytial viral infections. To date, there is only one approved antibody therapeutic for this disease.
Cytos Biotechnology Ltd said that it has received the support of bondholders to restructure its outstanding convertible debt with the result that it can continue as a going concern. The refinancing affected CHF 1.225 million of debt.
Agennix AG, which has a late-stage product for non-small cell lung cancer and severe sepsis in development, has completed a €27.5 million rights issue with participation from existing shareholders. The issue will secure the company’s operations into 2013.
Privately-owned Molecular Partners AG of Switzerland has expanded its relationship with Johnson & Johnson Inc with an agreement to research potential products for a number of immunological diseases using its protein technology.
The UK speciality pharmaceutical group, Sinclair IS Pharma Plc, is to pay £21 million to acquire Advanced Bio-Technologies Inc, giving it full rights outside the US to the topical silicone gel product, Kelo-cote, for scar reduction.
AstraZeneca said it intends to reduce its US sales force by 1,150 or 24% by early February 2012 as part of the company’s ongoing strategy to operate the business more efficiently.
Topotarget A/S of Denmark has announced plans to reduce its staff and stop development of early compounds in order to focus its resources on belinostat, its late-stage histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor for peripheral T-cell lymphoma.
Zealand Pharma A/S said that the latest clinical data for its prospective type 2 diabetes treatment, lixisenatide (Lyxumia) in combination with long-acting insulin, showed a significant reduction in plasma glucose concentrations (HbA1c).