News

Genmab in-licenses more ADC technology

Country
Denmark

Genmab A/S is expanding its involvement in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) with a new agreement to in-license technology from Seattle Genetics Inc. Under the latest deal, the Danish company will develop an ADC for potential use against solid tumours.

Benralizumab study published in Lancet journal

Country
United Kingdom

Results of a Phase 2 study of benralizumab from AstraZeneca Plc for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. The drug is said to be the first biologic to show a marked reduction in  inflammation.

FDA approves Keytruda for melanoma

Country
United States

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued its first approval for a checkpoint inhibitor that targets the T cell receptor programmed death 1 or PD-1 for the treatment of advanced melanoma. The drug, Keytruda (pembrolizumab), was developed by Merck & Co Inc.

Ablynx issues shares in the US

Country
Belgium

 In keeping with the trend among European biotechs to finance themselves in the US, Ablynx NV of Belgium has started an open-ended programme of selling its shares on the US over-the-counter market through the creation of American Depository Receipts (ADRs).

Infinity, AbbVie to develop cancer drug

Country
United States

In the latest of a series of single asset deals among biopharma firms, AbbVie Inc has agreed to pay up to $805 million for rights to a mid-stage cancer drug being developed by Infinity Pharmaceuticals Inc with potential applications in a broad range of blood cancers.

European Commission approves new HIV treatment

Country
United Kingdom

The European Commission has granted a marketing authorisation for a new treatment for HIV, Triumeq, that combines the integrase strand transfer inhibitor dolutegravir with the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors abacavir and lamivudine.

Affimed raises funds in Europe & US

Country
Germany

Affimed Therapeutics AG, which is in the queue to make an initial public offering of its shares in the US, has in the meantime obtained $29.7 million from its venture investors and Perceptive Advisors LLC of New York City.