News

Novartis reported a 1.8% decline to $12.47 billion in sales from continuing operations in the second quarter and an 8% drop in operating profit to $2.1 billion.

London, UK-based Tiziana Life Sciences Plc has expanded into genomic medicine with the purchase of a large biobank from Shardna SpA of Italy that has information on 13,000 genealogically linked residents of the Ogliastra region of Sardinia.

Netherlands-based Pharming Group NV has achieved positive results for its protease inhibitor replacement therapy Ruconest for the prevention of hereditary angioedema (HAE), a rare disorder caused by a deficiency of the C1 esterase inhibitor protein.

AstraZeneca Plc has received further evidence that its new personalised medicine for lung cancer is effective in patients with a specific genetic mutation. New Phase 3 data show that Tagrisso (osimertinib) increased progression-free survival compared with chemotherapy.

A Phase 3 study of the Roche therapy Gazyva (obinutuzumab) in patients with previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma failed to meet its primary endpoint, even though two previous studies of the same drug in different blood cancers succeeded.

Bayer AG, whose name is usually associated with aspirin, has signaled its intention to deepen its commitment to crop science by raising its takeover bid for Monsanto Inc to $125 per share. The move values the company at $64 billion.

Cell Medica Ltd has completed another stage of its strategy for developing immunotherapies for solid tumours with the acquisition of Delenex Therapeutics AG, an antibody specialist based in Switzer

GW Pharmaceuticals Plc has raised gross proceeds of $252 million on the US Nasdaq market with the issue of 2.8 million American Depositary Shares (ADSs) to investors at a price of $90 per ADS.

The US biotech, Medivation Inc, has been successful at buying in new medicines for further development, but will selling itself be its most successful deal?

TiGenix NV has decided to withdraw ChondroCelect, its autologous product for knee repair, from the market due to lack of sales. The product was approved for marketing in 2009, but has not been reimbursed in ‘key European countries,’ the company said on 5 July.