Merus BV of the Netherlands has entered into an agreement with investors to sell up to €72.8 million in Series C preferred shares to support the development of its bispecific antibody therapeutics which are based on the company’s own transgenic mouse technology.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc has announced plans to acquire Sprout Pharmaceuticals Inc - just two days after Sprout received US regulatory approval to launch a new drug for low sexual desire in premenopausal women.
Kiadis Pharma of the Netherlands has raised an additional €2 million from its initial public offering (IPO) of shares on the Euronext stock exchange in Amsterdam and Brussels following the partial exercise of an over-allotment option.
The Wellcome Trust has awarded $3.84 million to Karuna Pharmaceuticals Inc to further develop a novel treatment for schizophrenia that combines the experimental compound xanomeline with an approved medicine called trospium chloride.
Oxford Biotrans Ltd, a spin-out of the University of Oxford, has received £2.5 million in a Series A funding round to commercialise an enzyme technology that has application to soft drinks and confectionary as well as to pharmaceuticals.
France-based TxCell SA has raised €8 million in a private share placement to support development of its two lead cell therapy products, the first of which is in a Phase 2b study in patients with refractory Crohn’s disease. The funds will also support general R&D and manufacturing activities.
Evotec AG has deepened its commercial ties with Sanofi SA with an agreement to develop a beta cell replacement therapy for people with diabetes. The German company is already working with Harvard University on beta cell technology.
Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG has raised CHF 27.7 million (€25.79 million) from new and existing investors for the anticipated launch of Raxone, a product for the treatment of Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), an inherited form of vision loss.
CureVac GmbH is to start a third project with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this time to develop a vaccine to protect against respiratory syncytial virus. The partners are already working on vaccines against HIV and rotavirus.
Shire Plc is set to pay $300 million to acquire privately-held Foresight Biotherapeutics Inc which has a late-stage candidate drug for infectious conjunctivitis which is under investigation for both viral and bacterial forms of the disease.