The first vaccine to treat Meningitis B infection has been recommended for approval by the European Medicines Agency. Developed by Novartis, the vaccine would help protect all age groups, including infants, against the disease.
Zealand Pharma A/S’s glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist, Lyxumia (lixisenatide), has received a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes. The drug is partnered with Sanofi SA.
Bavarian Nordic A/S has secured two new contracts from the US government valued at up to $18.9 million for vaccines that are being developed for Marburg haemorrhagic fever and foot-and-mouth disease. Both are based on a recombinant viral vector technology.
Algeta ASA said it is on course to complete a US regulatory filing for the radium-223 product, Alpharadin, for advanced prostate cancer patients with bone metastases by the end of 2012. The drug is partnered with Bayer Pharma AG.
Ablynx NV reported a 34% gain in revenue over the first nine months of 2012 to €22.2 million while operating expenses declined by 11% to €45.4 million giving a narrower net loss for the period: €22.3 million versus €33.1 million a year earlier.
Mologen AG has confirmed plans to start a Phase 2 study of its lead compound, MGN1703, in non-small cell lung cancer having shown evidence earlier this year of improved progression free survival of the same drug in colorectal cancer.
Zealand Pharma, which has a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist for diabetes in registration in Europe, has reported an 86% increase in revenue in the first nine months of 2012 on the strength of milestone payments from its partners, including Sanofi SA.
Clavis Pharma ASA has suspended all work on a lipid-based drug for pancreatic cancer following the drug’s failure in a pivotal trial. The trial was being conducted by Clavis’s partner, Clovis Oncology Inc.
Genmab A/S, the Danish antibody developer with several Big Pharma alliances, has raised its revenue guidance for the full year despite reporting a big loss in the third quarter on rising revenue
A candidate malaria vaccine developed by GlaxoSmithKline Plc has shown efficacy in a Phase 3 trial in infants in Africa. But the results were less robust than expected. Researchers involved in the project said they will continue to analyse the data to clarify how the vaccine might play a role in overall malaria prevention.