News

ReNeuron Group Plc has received approval from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to conduct a first-in-man trial of a stem cell therapy to treat stroke.

Cardio3 BioSciences SA, a privately-owned Belgian company, has raised €13.7 million to finance the clinical development of its second-generation cell therapy for the treatment of heart failure, C-Cure.

Oxford BioMedica Plc said that a patent infringement suit brought against it by Bavarian Nordic A/S of Denmark has been dismissed. The suit alleged that the UK company had infringed three of Bavarian Nordic’s US patents for a viral vector used in the Danish company’s smallpox, HIV and cancer programmes.

The European Medicines Agency has installed a new specialist committee which will review for the first time, applications from companies developing gene therapies, cell-based products and therapies that are engineered from human and/or animal tissue.

Following the appointment of Per-Oluf Olsen as chief executive officer in November 2008, Pronova BioPharma of Norway has reduced the size of its top management team.

Aravis SA has announced the closing of a CHF 32 million Series B private financing for Synosia Therapeutics of Basel, Switzerland.

Pfizer Inc has announced plans to cut its global research staff by 5% to 8% following an earlier decision to refocus its research on six therapeutic areas. The staff reductions are expected to be carried out over the next several months, the company said in a statement issued on 14 January, 2009.

Elan Corporation Plc said that it has hired Citigroup Global Markets Inc to help it review its strategic options, including a possible alliance, merger or a sale. The review follows a decline in the company’s share price since July 2008 amid concerns about adverse events related to its multiple sclerosis drug, Tysabri (natalizumab).

Apitope Technology of Bristol UK has entered into a licensing agreement with Merck Serono that gives the Geneva-based company exclusive global rights to develop and commercialise Apitope’s candidate product for multiple sclerosis, a therapeutic peptide vaccine.

Galapagos NV of Belgium has entered into a multi-year global alliance with Merck & Co. Inc valued at more than €170 million to develop new therapies in obesity and diabetes. The deal was announced on 9 January 2009.