Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc has agreed to pay $150 million upfront for Uteron Pharma SA, a Belgian producer of healthcare products for women. The deal also includes up to $155 million in potential future milestone payments.
Cytos Biotechnology Ltd said that it is reclaiming a vaccine asset that had been licensed to Novartis for the treatment of nicotine addiction following the failure of a Phase 2 trial. The product is a therapeutic vaccine.
Lophius Biosciences GmbH has raised nearly €4 million from existing shareholders and new shareholders to finance development of diagnostics based on T-cell technology.
Life Technologies Corp of the US has announced the acquisition of privately-owned BAC BV of the Netherlands which specialises in the development and manufacture of protein purification products. The deal will expand the US company’s capabilities in bioprocessing.
Prexton Therapeutics SA of Geneva Switzerland has negotiated an exclusive option for a series of positive allosteric modulator drugs targeting Parkinson’s disease with the goal of progressing them into clinical development. The agreement is with Domain Therapeutics SA of France.
Galápagos NV of Belgium will be adding structure-based drug discovery to its stable of technologies with the acquisition of Cangenix Ltd, a UK start-up that was created by scientists from the former Pfizer Inc subsidiary in Sandwich UK.
Biotech Pharmacon ASA of Norway has announced the successful placement of 9.5 million new shares with private investors thereby raising NOK 40 million (€5.45 million) in gross proceeds for product launch and development.
Shire Plc has taken further steps to strengthen its franchise in rare diseases with an agreement to acquire privately-owned Lotus Tissue Repair Inc which has a preclinical product for the treatment of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB). Financial terms were not disclosed.
ArGEN-X BV has announced the initiation of a Phase 1b clinical study in cancer patients of a new antibody targeting CD70, a member of the tumour necrosis factor superfamily. The company also announced an expansion of its discovery alliance with Shire Plc.
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.