News

Sobi, whose full name is Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB, reported a 24% increase in revenue to SEK 3.2 billion for 2015 and expects a revenue gain averaging 36% in 2016.

UCB SA, the Belgian specialty pharmaceutical company, reported a 16% increase in revenue to about €3.9 billion in 2015. If exchange-rate effects were eliminated, the revenue increase would come to 9.0%

Ablynx NV, a developer of antibody fragments originating in llamas, reported a 57% increase in revenue to €77.5 million for 2015 but its operating loss was 5% higher at €17 million

A project aimed at improving the properties of adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors for use in gene therapy has been launched in the UK by Cobra Biologics Ltd, a contract research group, and the Center for Process Innovation, a UK government funded entity.

Privately-owned Akarna Therapeutics Ltd has raised $15 million in a Series B financing round to advance a preclinical drug for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a fatty-liver disease that is associated with both diabetes and obesity.

Sweden-based Redwood Pharma AB has raised SEK 6.6 million (€710,000) in a private equity placement to fund the development of a new hydrogel product for chronic dry eye disease in post-menopausal women.

UK-based Oxford BioMedica Plc is raising £8.1 million with a fully underwritten share placement to finance the expansion of its lentiviral vector manufacturing capacity and advance the clinical development of its gene therapy portfolio.

A new once daily formulation of the HIV-1 medicine Isentress (raltegravir) has shown statistical non-inferiority to the marketed version of the same drug, paving the way for possible registration in both the US and Europe, according to Merck & Co. Inc.

Romosozumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets the protein sclerostin, has reduced the incidence of new spinal fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, according to results from a new Phase 3 study. The data were reported by UCB SA and Amgen Inc on 22 February.

Briviact (brivaracetam), a new medicine for patients with epilepsy, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The drug was developed by UCB SA of Belgium.