Affimed Therapeutics AG of Germany has raised €15.5 million in venture capital to finance the early clinical testing of two bispecific antibody products developed to treat lymphomas. The Series D funding is being lead by existing investors.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd is to pay $60 million upfront to buy the privately-owned US developer of vaccine technology, LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals Inc. The acquisition will give Takeda a candidate product to prevent norovirus gastroenteritis.
ArGEN-X BV of the Netherlands has taken the unusual step of out-licensing its lead preclinical antibody compound to a Shanghai-based company which will take it into human studies in China and thereafter develop it.
Janssen Biotech Inc is in-licensing a Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitor for rheumatoid arthritis from Astellas Pharma Inc – a second US pharma company to secure access in recent months to a new small molecule compound for this disease.
Ipsen SA’s haemophilia alliance with Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals Inc has come under strain following the US company’s failure to raise external financing. Ipsen announced on Wednesday that the ‘parties continue to explore various options.’
Ablynx is set to receive €6.5 million upfront under a new collaboration with Merck & Co to develop and commercialise candidate antibody therapeutics that target a voltage gated ion channel, with an option to develop an antibody against a second target.
SkyePharma Plc said that bondholders have approved a major debt refinancing that will lighten its short-term liquidity commitments. Separately, the company confirmed that it is due €4 million following the launch of flutiform in Germany.
Elan Corporation Plc is refinancing its long-term to take advantage of low interest rates. If successful, the offering would eliminate the Dublin-based company’s long-term, high-interest debt and pave the way for refinancing on better terms.
Wellington Partners has raised €70 million for a new life science fund that will support early-stage European companies – with an emphasis on medical devices, diagnostics and drug-device
Clinigen Group Plc, which services clinical trials and markets an antiviral drug to treat herbes viruses, will be listed on London’s Alternative Investment Market from 25 September - the first pharma IPO on the AIM market in five years.