News

Merus BV of the Netherlands has secured another legal victory over Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc in a battle over intellectual property rights to transgenic mouse technology for the production of therapeutic antibodies.

Kiadis Pharma of the Netherlands has raised an additional €2 million from its initial public offering (IPO) of shares on the Euronext stock exchange in Amsterdam and Brussels following the partial exercise of an over-allotment option.

The Wellcome Trust has awarded $3.84 million to Karuna Pharmaceuticals Inc to further develop a novel treatment for schizophrenia that combines the experimental compound xanomeline with an approved medicine called trospium chloride.

Oxford Biotrans Ltd, a spin-out of the University of Oxford, has received £2.5 million in a Series A funding round to commercialise an enzyme technology that has application to soft drinks and confectionary as well as to pharmaceuticals.

France-based TxCell SA has raised €8 million in a private share placement to support development of its two lead cell therapy products, the first of which is in a Phase 2b study in patients with refractory Crohn’s disease. The funds will also support general R&D and manufacturing activities.

Evotec AG has deepened its commercial ties with Sanofi SA with an agreement to  develop a beta cell replacement therapy for people with diabetes. The German company is already working with Harvard University on beta cell technology.

Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG has raised CHF 27.7 million (€25.79 million) from new and existing investors for the anticipated launch of Raxone, a product for the treatment of Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), an inherited form of vision loss.

Novo Nordisk A/S, one of the world’s largest producers of diabetes products, reported a 25% increase in net sales for the first half of 2015 and a 57% rise in operating profit but much of the gain resulted from a higher value for the dollar.

CureVac GmbH is to start a third project with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this time to develop a vaccine to protect against respiratory syncytial virus. The partners are already working on vaccines against HIV and rotavirus.

UCB SA reported sharply higher revenue and profit for the first half-year, buoyed by favourable exchange rates and sharply higher sales for a trio of drugs for neurological and inflammatory diseases. Revenue was up by 21% to €1.92 billion while operating profit rose by 173% to €415 million.