NicOx SA, a publicly listed French company with a drug for osteoarthritis currently in review at the US Food and Drug Administration, has announced plans to raise fresh capital in a private share placement supported by the French FSI.
One of the world pioneers in genome analysis, deCODE genetics Inc of Iceland, has filed for court-approved protection from its creditors under Chapter 11 of the US bankruptcy code. deCODE plans to sell its assets to a venture capital firm.
Geron Corporation of Menlo Park California, US expects to begin its first-in-man study of a new embryonic stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury in the third quarter of 2010. This follows discussions with the Food and Drug Administration during which a strategy was outlined for lifting the trial hold.
Ares Life Sciences, a private equity fund set up by the Bertarelli family, is co-leading a consortium of investors who are taking over the Italian diagnostics company Esaote SpA. The size of the investment was not disclosed.
Bavarian Nordic A/S has secured a new contract from the US government for a freeze-dried version of its smallpox vaccine, Imvamune, which is based on a strain of the Modified Vaccinia Ankara virus.
Flamel Technologies SA reported higher revenue for the third quarter and for the first nine months of 2009 as higher licence and research income more than offset lower product sales.
TiGenix NV of Belgium is set to acquire Orthomimetics, a privately-held UK medical technology company, for shares valued at €16 million in order to extend its regenerative medicines franchise.
PanGenetics BV, a Dutch company that in-licenses antibodies at the late research stage and subsequently out-licenses them after they have been further developed, has successfully turned around an antibody for pain.
Astex Therapeutics Ltd of Cambridge, UK, has concluded a drug discovery deal with GlaxoSmithKline giving GSK access to its fragment chemistry platform. The deal includes upfront and equity investments valued at £20 million.
After refocusing its business on discovery, and closing down a US subsidiary, Evotec AG has reported a rise in revenue for the first nine months of 2009. The company said that recent restructuring measures had put in on the ‘path to sustainability.’