Finance, Grants, Deals

Clavis Pharma reports delay in AML trial

Country
Norway

Clavis Pharma ASA has announced a delay in the start of a Phase 3 study of its new treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Separately, the Norwegian oncology company said it has raised NOK 163 in a private share placement with investors.

Evotec expands alliance with Harvard University

Country
Germany

Evotec AG has announced a second strategic alliance with Harvard University, this time to discover and develop biomarkers and treatments for kidney disease. This follows an earlier deal to develop diabetes therapies targeting beta cell regeneration.

Vernalis in oncology deal with Servier

Country
United Kingdom

Vernalis Plc has announced the start of a new three-year collaboration with the privately-owned French company, Les Laboratoires Servier, to discover potential oncology drugs using a new, undisclosed target. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Sanofi, venture capitalists set up new biotech company

Country
France

Sanofi SA and two US venture capital companies have reached an agreement to create a new biotechnology company that will use proprietary genomic technology to discover drugs from natural substances that are hidden within micro-organisms.

Qiagen gains rights to genomic biomarkers

Country
Netherlands

Qiagen NV, the Netherlands-based holding company for the German diagnostics company of the same name, has announced agreements with two US companies for rights to biomarkers that are expected to play a role in the treatment of cancer.

KalVista partners with diabetes charity

Country
United Kingdom

KalVista Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a new UK ophthalmology company, is set to receive up to $2.2 million in milestone-based support from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) to finance a pre-clinical drug to treat diabetic macula edema.

BerGenBio raises $8.8 million in Series A

Country
Norway

BerGenBio AS of Norway has completed an $8.8 million Series A financing round to take its lead cancer compound into the clinic and develop a companion diagnostic. The lead investors are Sarsia Seed AS and Investinor AS.

Boehringer Ingelheim in new cancer deal

Country
United States

Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH has agreed to pay $65 million upfront over four years, plus research funding, to Forma Therapeutics Inc of the US to discover new small molecule drugs for cancer using Forma’s protein-protein interaction technology.

AZ to invest further in Alzheimer’s candidate

Country
United States

AstraZeneca Plc has decided to further invest in a candidate drug for Alzheimer’s disease arising from a research collaboration with Targacept Inc, according to the US company. The molecule modulates the alpha4beta2 neuronal nicotinic receptor.

Apogenix raises €7.5 million from investors

Country
Germany

Apogenix GmbH has raised €7.5 million from private investors to advance development of its lead product for glioblastoma. The announcement comes shortly after the company said it will investigate a new indication for the same product.