The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the Boostrix vaccine, currently available for adolescents and adults, for use in people 65 years and older for the prevention of tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.
Venture-capital backed SuppreMol GmbH has announced the start of a Phase 2a study of a recombinant protein for systemic lupus erythematosus. This follows FDA approval in March of an antibody therapeutic for lupus from GSK, the first new drug for the disease since 1955.
In a deal that underscores growing interest in cancer immunotherapy, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS) has agreed to pay $35 million upfront for rights to an early-stage monoclonal antibody that targets receptors on cells of the innate immune system. The developer of the antibody is Innate Pharma SA of Marseilles, France.
A novel monoclonal antibody that is said to have the potential to neutralise most group 2 influenza A viruses has been described in a paper in the journal Science. The research was conducted by Crucell NV and The Scripps Research Institute of the US.
Sanofi SA has stopped a Phase 3b trial of its antiarrhythmic, Multaq (dronedarone), in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation following a significant increase in cardiovascular events in those receiving the drug.
Addex Pharmaceuticals Ltd said that it will reduce its headcount by about 25% as part of a restructuring programme aimed at realising annual savings of about CHF 8 million (€6.6 million) and stretching its cash through the end of 2013.
Venture-capital-backed Vantia Ltd has raised £4 million in a Series B round to support the clinical development of two candidate small molecule drugs for the treatment of dysmenorrhoea and for nocturia.
Antisense Pharma GmbH has raised €8 million from a group of German investors to support the late-stage development of a DNA-oligonucleotide drug for the treatment of cancer. The drug inhibits transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGF-beta2).
Sanofi SA has agreed to pay $10 million upfront to a venture-capital-led company in New Haven, Connecticut for access to ribosome-based technology to develop antibiotics for multi-drug resistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.
A study published in Nature Medicine has suggested that inhibiting a receptor called death receptor-6 may represent a novel approach for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. The study was undertaken by researchers at Biogen Idec of the US.