News

Scientists from the UK and France have identified three genes that appear to increase a person’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia.

ProFibrix BV of the Netherlands has raised €8 million in a Series B round enabling it to carry forward plans to seek FDA authorisation for a combined Phase 2/3 trial in the US of its candidate tissue sealant for use in surgery or trauma injury, Fibrocaps.

Elan Corporation Plc said that it will work quickly to resolve objections by a US court to its proposed strategic alliance with Johnson & Johnson that would recapitalise the company and give it the resources to commercialise its pipeline.

Researchers from industry and two non-profit organisations have reported the discovery of two new broadly neutralising antibodies against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), thus advancing the goal of developing an AIDS vaccine.

An investor in Celsis International Plc is on the verge of success in acquiring the drug toxicity detection company whose shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange. The investor is North Atlantic Value LLP (NAVLLP), part of the JO Hambro Capital Management Group.

Shire Plc said that it has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to market its treatment for children and adolescents with attention-deficit, hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), strengthening its franchise in this area.

Algeta ASA is to receive $61 million upfront from Bayer Schering Pharma AG in a deal worth up to $800 million to develop and commercialise a radiopharmaceutical for bone metastases in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

The Roche Group said its therapeutic antibody, MabThera ( rituximab), has been approved in Europe for the treatment of relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The drug is already authorised for three other treatments.

Pharming Group NV said that it has submitted a new marketing authorisation application for its recombinant human C1 inhibitor, Rhucin, to the European Medicines Agency which addresses the agency’s concerns about the size of its database.

Affitech A/S has recruited two senior biopharmaceutical company executives from outside the company to lead its management team following the company’s merger in May 2009 with Pharmexa A/S.